should i go from 3 hours to 2.5?

[sarah3_02]

I have a 10 week old daughter. We started doing our 3 hour routine for the last two weeks. I breastfeed and I try for at least 25-45 mins each feed. It started off going so well. In the past week it has been progressively getting harder. I feel like I am battling with her to eat consistently and to sleep longer then 45 mins during her daytime naps. For the first week of the routine she was sleeping from 1030-630/7 am without waking up. But In the last week it has gotten so much worse, for two days she woke up around 6 then for the next 2 days in the 5am hour then yesterday at 415 then today at 315? Her routine has been the same for all of those days we do the 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 and then I try to cluster feed at 9 and try to do a dream feed 1015-1030. I say try because she will usually only eat for 5-10 mins at both of those feeds. I just can't keep her going? I don't know what to do. I feel like I am dreading putting her down because each nap is getting shorter and I feel like I am battling with her each time, it has been so hard getting her down. I try to keep her in the crib after she wakes but I can't calm her down. I feel like she is waking up hungry each time but she doesn't want to do a full feed. Basically I was wondering if I should just go from a 3 hour routine to a 2.5? I really don't want to change everything up on her but man this is getting exhausting and harder by the day. She also gets herself out of her swaddle sometimes, is there a certain time I should stop swaddling? Any help or advice would be great... I don't know what to do?

Sarah

[thitz]

Sarah, I would really try to go with your lo's lead a bit.  She's so young that variations from the routine won't be hard to undo.  And her waking once in the night is REALLY, REALLY good for her age.  You're doing a great job.  I wonder you could try to skip the 9pm cluster and just do the df at 10ish and maybe she'll take more at that time.

You're doing great, Tarri

[RachelC]

Hi Sarah and welcome to the boards.  Follow her lead.  Does she seem hungry after 2.5 hours?

You can try feeds at
7
10
1
4
5:30
7
then dream feed 10/11

Waking once over night is so normal for this age.  Have you seen the nightwaking and sleeping through polls?
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=87035.0
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=55035.0

Are you offering the breast for the dreamfeed?  Maybe a bottle of EBM would work better, or even adjusting the time of the df a bit to catch her in a different sleep cycle.
https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65750.0

As far as swaddling goes, do you feel she is waking herself up by getting out of the swaddle?  DD2 was swaddled for about 6-7 months.  You can try the Aussie swaddle https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=1439.0 or a miracle blanket.

Also, 25-45 minutes can be a very long feed.  Is she actively sucking and swallowing the whole time?

[sarah3_02]

I think she is waking herself because of getting herself out of the swaddle. So I know I need to continue to do it. I just didn't know if there was a common age when people stopped swaddling. I will look into the miracle swaddle blanket.
During her feeding she is not continuously sucking and swallowing the whole time. She will for a few minutes then smile and coo then re-latch. It is kind of social time for her I think...I try to keep her on for as long as I can. I have been pumping today at the end of the feeds to see if there is anything left but so far that hasn't been even an oz. So I try getting her on the other side to see if she is done, but then it means I am starting again 15-20 mins later. That means it is like a whole new feed. I don't know. I am just trying to see what I can do to help her.

If I feed her early whenever she is giving me hunger cues; how early is straying from the routine?
If I do stray from the routine does it confuse her. Because the last few nights I have been trying different things. I didn't know if I should try one way for a few nights then if it doesn't work try something different. I wish I had some intuition on this. I just feel confused???

[Erin M]

Whatever you try, I would be consistent -- it will take a few nights before you know for sure if something is working. 

As for swaddling, dd1 needed to be swaddled until 16ish weeks, some need longer, my dd2 didn't need to be swaddled hardly at all.  I would do it for as long as your daughter needs you to.