Not sure whats going wrong during the night - can anyone advise

[pooky]

My DD is 11 weeks old - she is BF and feeds around these times

7 - 10.30 - 14.00 - 17.00 - 18.15

10.30 dream feed

Its the night feed that going wrong - up until a few weeks ago she was going to around 4.30 - now its more like 2.30.  I obviously thought it was a growth spurt or not enough food during the day.  So I made sure she had plenty of time at the breast during the day and was nice and full up.

The last few nights at the dream feed she has taken 7 ounces (and last night 6˝ at 18.15) so can't work out why she's not going past 2.30 (and now waking up at 6.30 for feeding).

Can anyone help me understand why she is waking up earlier not later during the night?  I have no problem getting up to her and am in no rush to push her through, it just feels like something is going wrong with the schdule -  i.e last night she woke at 2.15 and got up at 6.20am.  I seem to have got her into a 4hour routine during the night.

I have tried settling her but she is genuinly hungry.  I guess what i'm asking is will she naturally go longer in the night if i continue as i am?

[*Mona*]

hi

are you sure sure it's hunger at night? if so, how long has she been waking up at night like that?

sometimes it's DF that can be causing more wake ups even thou it is supposed to be working the other way. do you wake her for DF?

how much ounces is she taking at each feed during the day? if it's possible, can you post her daily routine including sleep, activity times?

Monika 

[pooky]

Hi,

We don't wake her as she has started to come round just as i walk into her bedroom for the feed.

Her schdule (on a good day) goes something like this

7.00 Wake
7.15 - 8.00 Eat (45 mins)
8.00 - 8.45 Activity (45 mins)
8.45 - 10.15 Sleep (1hr ˝) goes down well for this one
10.15 - 11.00 Eat (45 mins)
11.00 - 12.00 Activity (1hr)
12.00 - 1.15 (sometimes only hour nap her - sometimes 1hr ˝)
1.30 - 2.00 Eat (30 mins)
2.00 - 3.00 Activty (1hr)
3.00 - 4.00 Sleep (1hr)
4.00 - 5.00 Acvity
5.00 - 5.30 Eat
5.30 - 6.00 Bath / massage
6.15 - 6.30 Eat (sometimes falls asleep here as woke up at 4.00)

She was 7lb 5 at birth and is now 12lb 3 - being putting on ˝lb a week regulary.

Should I think about replacing some feeds with formula?  I find it difficult to get her to have a cat nap later in the day - sometimes if shes really tired I'll feed her will a bottle at 6.15 so she gets more milk in rather than falling asleep at the breast.

[*Mona*]

hi

as for you routine- it looks really good, I wouldn't actually change anything except maybe for that 5pm feed that I'd do at 4pm but if she can go 3,5hrs without being fed that's ok.

if she's gaining weight nicely, and she is, I really don't think it's feeding problem. and really, formula is not what she needs IMHO. one feeding at night is nothing unusual at her age and actually I personally think it's better to feed her at 2:30 or so than at 4am, because as she grows older she may start refusing nursing properly in the morning if she eats at 4.

if she's waking for DF now, try moving it to 10pm and see if it helps her sleep better after.

HTH
Monika

[pooky]

Good advice about the 5pm feed - was thinking along those lines this afternoon as well.  Thanks Monika

 

[*Mona*]

you're welcome

let us know, how you're doing