dropping the 2am feeding

[Chix0r]

My daughter has recently started showing signs that she's able to sleep a little longer at night.  She's gone as long as 5 hours before waking up hungry.  I'd like to encourage her to start making the move to dropping the 2am feeding.  I know she's young and I may be jumping the gun here, but I think she's getting ready.  Any suggestions for making this transition?  Should I give her an extra ounce with each daytime bottle and just cross my fingers after the DF and see how long she lasts?

[calebs mommy]

If you think she is more hungry during the day because of not having a night feed, then I would add an oz.  Also, I would give the DF and then see how long she sleeps.  My son started doing 4-5 hr stretches at about 5 weeks.  If your LO just starts sleeping through the 2 am feed, then I would just feed her when she does wake up.  She may make it until 3 or 4.  I think she will let you know that is ready by sleeping longer and longer stretches at night!  I bet you are so excited to be getting 5 hr stretches of sleep!!!  I hope that helps you! 

[* Paula *]

I would let your lo be the judge.  I would offer the DF and then just let her sleep.  She will wake when she is hungry and then offer the feed then.  At this age it is still quite common to have night wakings for feeds.

Keep us posted on how you get on.

[Chix0r]

Well, she's sleeping till around 2am (it actually varies between 1-3am, I don't wake her) after her df.  Then sleeping until 7ish.  I'd like to have her long sleeping spell after the df instead of after the 2am feed.  I just don't know how to make that happen. Perhaps I'm asking too much.

Perhaps I'm waking her too much during the df and disrupting her sleep?  I also just realized that we were getting much stronger hunger signals at night a few weeks ago.  The last few nights I've gone in (due to her cries) she's un-swaddled herself and I just fed her... I don't even remember any hunger signals--but it was 2am... I'm going to pay closer attention to her tonight.

[* Paula *]

If you think that the DF disturbs her too much, you can always try cluster feeding in the evening before bed, then she may wake at around midnight or so when you can give her a bigger bottle - this might take her through longer.

Just a thought.

Also remember that she is due to for a growth spurt at 4 months.

Paula

[Chix0r]

Well, my little darling has officially dropped her 4am feeding for over a week now.  Sometimes we get as many as 8 hours, but most of the time she sleeps 5 hours at night.  I'd prefer her to switch to dropping the 1am feeding (because that's usually the one I get), but she seems stuck to dropping the 4am (which is the one dh usually gets).  I've had several talks with her on the subject, but it doesn't seem to help.

I tried cluster feeding, but she just resorted to those being "snack" bottles.  DF wasn't working so well because she was dead asleep and wouldn't eat.  If I woke her up enough to feed, it was just a regular feeding session.  This is what finally worked for us...

Somewhere around 8pm, she'll wake up hungry.  I'd give her a 4 oz bottle (she usually takes 5).  Then, I'd give her a bath which wears her down pretty quickly.  Then, I swaddle her up and give her another 2 oz.  Sometimes we don't warm her bottles (when she wakes up REALLY hungry), but the 2 oz bottle is always warm.  She usually drifts off and I just let her once she gets down to the last 1/2 oz.  She'll usually wake again at midnight or 1am, and I give her another 5-6 oz of warm formula.  She's typically down until 6:30 or 7am.  Yippee!

[* Paula *]

That is fantastic news - sounds like she is doing really well.

Unfortunately it does not always work the way we want it to with them dropping a particular feed, but it does sound like she is going in the right direction.

Keep us posted on how you get on.

[calebs mommy]

How exciting!!!  Sounds like things are going great for you!