Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

Original poster

A question for routine fans

12 replies

MrsHappy · 04/01/2010 21:43

I have a 10 week old DD who is fairly predictable and who has settled herself in a loose routine, feeding every 2.5-3 hours through the day.

The only time she doesn't do too well is at night, when she won't go more than about 4.5 hours without a feed (from the start of one feed to the start of the next)- and she only has one stint where she goes as long as that. The rest of the time she feeds as regularly as she does in the day and I am getting tired.

So my question is, if I can get her to go a little longer between feeds in the day might she then start to go longer at night? I quite liked the frequent daytime feeds as I thought maybe she was tanking up, but am now beginning to wonder if they are really helping.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

JaynieB · 04/01/2010 21:47

I'd say your baby is feeding as often as she needs to and would suggest you just keep going as you are, the routine will adjust in time. She might just need the extra at the moment. It may get a bit easier for you in the next few weeks.

Heated · 04/01/2010 21:50

I can barely go 3 hours between meals! Not sure it will work like that, she'll just be hungry and cranky in the day. In a couple of weeks she'll have gone through a growth spurt and be able to hold more in her stomach and sleep longer. Do you know how much she has (if she's ff)?

StarlightWonderStarlightBright · 04/01/2010 21:52

MrsHappy I'm sorry to say this but you've got it going really good. Don't rest on your laurels though, it could (and probably will, espesh around 16m) go tits up. And don't expect no. 2 to be this easy. Tis very rare indeed.

Enjoy it whilst it lasts you lucky lucky thing.

Original poster

MrsHappy · 04/01/2010 22:14

This is number 2, Starlight! I know this baby is pretty easy, but DD1 was rather freakishly going from 10pm -7am by this age, so I thought maybe a small tweak or two might help things along this time (not that I would force her to suddenly wait masses longer between feeds - I don't want to make her miserable). Of course DD1 used to howl all day long, so no wonder she slept well at night... poor love was knackered. I do prefer to have a baby who is happy in the daytime, though.

No idea how much she takes, Heated, as she's BF. We only give her 1 bottle of EBM and she is so disgruntled with it that she won't take more than 2oz. As she has that at 10:30pm I kind of think she would sleep for longer if she'd have a bit more then. She's not a small girl - over 8lbs at birth- and so I'm sure her tum would hold more than 2oz. It's just she doesn't want to and just locks her jaw closed when she is done!

I just think maybe she is in the habit of eating every 3 hours. Seriously you can set your watch by it very often...

OP posts:

JaynieB · 04/01/2010 22:16

Maybe she's not feeding the whole time? My DD was a monkey for spinning out feeding as long as possible.

Heated · 04/01/2010 22:38

On the last feed can you put her down or wind her a lot to wake her up a bit to take a bit more? Used to do this with dc1 once we realised we'd get an extra hour! But we tried all sorts, using dh's worn top as an undersheet so if he woke he'd be comforted and self-soothe, lol.

But don't think it will be long before she goes a bit longer, varies slightly but think most ppl report a change between 11-14 weeks but can recall those bone-achy tired few months very well.

Original poster

MrsHappy · 05/01/2010 09:29

I think we might give that a go Heated. I remember with DD1 I used to wake her right up at 10pm and spend an hour feeding her/changing her nappy/keeping her awake in the beginning. DD2 tends to nod off quite quickly at that feed and I suppose instinctively I prefer the approach of feeding her while she's half-dozing. Happy to report that last night she went until 2:15 and then on until 7am so only 1 night feed, but if it doesn't last I might start waking her more at 10pm.

OP posts:

Heated · 05/01/2010 13:12

Oh wow, clever girl

Did you wake up in a panic wondering what had happened? That little bit of extra sleep is just blissful.

Original poster

MrsHappy · 05/01/2010 14:02

TBH it's so dark and I am so knackered that I thought it was 5am when I woke up at 7!

I swapped her into a sleeping bag instead of swaddling her last night so maybe that is helping. It is pretty cold in the middle of the night in our room.

OP posts:

Orissiah · 10/01/2010 16:10

I remember always waking DD to feed at 10.30 and keeping her up feeding and nappy changing until 11pm - right until 7 months. In her case it helped her sleep straight through from 11pm to 7pm and then when we dropped the 10.30pm feed she continued sleeping through.

countrylover · 10/01/2010 18:02

Both my DS's were doing a similar pattern at 10 weeks but then suddenly a couple of weeks later were sleeping from 10.30pm until 7am.

Literally one week it was only four hours between feeds and the next all the way through. In my experience at least it happened suddenly rather than gradually so I'm sure your full nights sleep is just around the corner. You lucky lucky thing!

Original poster

MrsHappy · 10/01/2010 21:40

I HAVE HAD A FULL NIGHT'S SLEEP!

Just the one mind you, a couple of nights ago, and last night she woke up once, but at least now it appears she can do it if she wants to! And I feel like a new woman.

OP posts:

Flip