NW increased since transition to 4 hr EASY... wondering why?

[mama kg]

Hi,
DS is 4.5 mo and EBF. Two weeks ago we transitioned to 3.5 hr EASY. He had some difficulty going the distance with the A time so we stayed at this schedule for about 2 weeks. We are now on our third day of 4hr EASY. He is doing ok with eating and naps (still needs some help to extend them but can usually do so with a paci). 
Unfortunately is NW have increased since we started this transition... He used to wake one to three times a night (occasionally no times), but these were more habitual wakings that we were working on since weaning his 3 am NF. We started using a paci more during this time of weaning and think that maybe it has become a prop. However, before we start the intense work of weaning the paci I want to make sure that nothing else is going on (i.e. OT or hunger). I prefer the paci to the thumb and would keep it if the NW were a more reasonable number since in a few months he will be able to replug himself... But six or more NW it too much for both him and us! 

I transitioned to the 4 hr EASY thinking that would help with his few NW, but now we have a  lot more. I am wondering if this new 4 hr EASY is also making him OT or more hungry...or maybe it is just a prop issue.

Here is his EASY for yesterday:

After waking several times during the night, he woke at 5:30 and couldn’t be consoled to go back to sleep.  He seemed hungry – perhaps GS?-so fed him at 6 (usually he eats between 6:30-7 am)
E 6:05
A (2 hrs)
S 7:30- 9:40
E 10
A (2 hrs)
S 11:40 (woke after 50 minutes, took ½ hr to get back to sleep- which is unusual for him- paci usually works quickly...)
E 2pm
A (2 hrs)
S 4 pm (40 min CN)
E 5 (decided to cluster feed as it seems like GS)
A
E 7:20
S in bed by 7:40, asleep by 8 pm
    woke at 9:10, resettled quickly with paci)
DF 11:15 (usually I do this at 10: 45 but I fell asleep and didn’t hear my watch alarm)

He then woke at 1;45, 2:00, 3:30, 5:00, 5:30, 5;45. 6:00

this is schedule for what has happened so far today:
6:00 changed his soiled diaper (probably why he had those frequent wakings- also seemed very hungry)
E 6:20
A (2 hours)
S 8 am (woke 8:50-which is usual, then 9:30, 9:45, 10:03- not usual but may still be adjusting to 2 hr naps or hungry?
E 10:16
A (2 hr- very tired esp last 20 min)
S 12

I would really appreciate any advise.  Thanks so much.
Heather

[becj86]

He then woke at 1;45, 2:00, 3:30, 5:00, 5:30, 5;4/5. 6:00

Did you feed at any of these? It could definitely be the 4 month GS - its a BIG one and you will likely end up with extra NF's for a while.

S 8 am (woke 8:50-which is usual, then 9:30, 9:45, 10:03- not usual but may still be adjusting to 2 hr naps or hungry?

Maybe he's getting used to 2hr naps, maybe he only needed 1.5hr there - that's still a restorative nap, so I'd have gotten him up and gone on with feeding and playing after 1.5hr.

His day is quite long - I'd bring his BT right back to 6 or 6:30 while he's waking so early, then you can shift the day round to a more suitable time once he's more settled with 2hr A times. That last A time from 4:40 til 8pm is really very long, especially off the back of a catnap.

[mama kg]

Thanks for the response and the good ideas.   No I did not feed any of those times.  But may try to do one NF in addition to the DF.
I will also try an earlier bedtime.
Last night was a lot better with only one (but very long NW). I did w2s at 1 am to deal with the early wakings (the previous 2 nights were 1:45 exactly both times).  This seemed to work and I also tried to w2s at 4, but he still woke at 4:15 and took a long time to fall asleep (but it may not of worked if he was waking due to hunger). So tonight I will continue to the w2s at 1 am and then feed at 3am which is 4 hrs after DF and 4 hrs before 7 am.  How many nights should I do this NF, I do not want to reintroduce the habit of NF sine we have worked so hard to wean from it?  He has had two great naps, so hopefully he is starting to adjust to 4 hr schedule.
thanks again.

[becj86]

If you're still doing it in a week and its not getting any later, then it may be time to wean again if you choose. Its quite normal though, for a LO of this age to be feeding twice at night even without a growth spurt.

[mama kg]

Thanks.  You said that if the NF is "not getting any later".... Do you mean that I should wait for LO to wake up to do the NF and then just adjust all his other Easy times around that NF. Or would I still feed him at 7 am?  Or should I just plan on feeding him at 3 am (thus 4 hrs after DF feed and 4 hrs before 7 am)- waking him if he has not woken?  Which is the best way to do this? 

[becj86]

Best to let him wake for the feed, otherwise you are likely to create an habitual waking. You can do a smaller feed at the NF to get him through to the wakeup feed, or do a topup at 7am, whichever works for you/him

[mama kg]

Thanks so much for your suggestions and advise. We have been feeding him at night and for the first few days it seemed to help a lot. and he only woke once or twice.  However, the past few days his night wakings are again increasing- in spite of feeding him at night. Also he rarely seems to make it to 7 am- usually he is awake shortly after 6 am and I have a hard time holding him off to eat until at least 6:30 am (even though he may have eaten at 4:30am).  The other thing that has changed these past several days is that when he wakes up in the middle of a nap or the night he is very upset. Usually we were always able to quickly settle him with his paci. However now, he screams and we always have to pick him up and do pu/pd for a while to settle him.  I am wondering if that is because we have restarted feeding him at night and now he is wanting to eat every time he wakes up.  Or could he be teething?  It seems a little early (just a week shy of 5 months).  He has been drooling a lot and chewing on his fist, but I haven't noticed any other signs other than the very unhappy nap and night wakings.

Is there something else we should try to help him get through the night?  I have been cluster feeding at about 5 or 5:30pm and then a top up at 6:30 or 7 before bed. Should we also add a 9pm feeding before the 10:45 DF? How else can I make sure that DS is getting enough calories to get through the night (or at least half of the night)? He is a good size- in the 50th percentile (about 15 lbs now) so I am not worried that he is not eating enough (except in the matter of getting though the night).

I was rereading BWSAYP today and it really seems that at this age she expects all babies to STTN without a NF.(i.e. see pg 120-121).  So why is it so many babies still need that additional NF? 

Thanks again for all the great advise.

[Erin M]

I was rereading BWSAYP today and it really seems that at this age she expects all babies to STTN without a NF.(i.e. see pg 120-121).  So why is it so many babies still need that additional NF? 

This is a little tricky -- STTN doesn't always mean what we want it to mean -- when you say it, people think that it means from BT until WU -- but really, I think the definition varies by age -- sleeping through the night can actually mean as little as sleeping 5 or 6 hours without a feed.  Also, keep in mind that Tracy wrote her books several years ago and due to her untimely death have not been updated at all -- a lot of research has been done in the area of breastfeeding in that time.  Some more good info on night feed in breast fed babies here: Night Feeds and the Breast Fed Baby

If you're concerned about the possibility of teething you could always try some Tylenol or other teething meds one night before bed and see if it makes a difference.