frustrated and overwhelmed

Hello! I know many of you are probably thinking, geez, I think I read a post from that same crazy woman before regarding sleep schedules. Well, its me again and I am still going out of my mind on what to do for my girls. Here's the scoop. . . they are just over 3 months old and eat approx. every 3 1/2 hours throughout the day, with their first bottle usually around 7 - 7:15 am. With this type of schedule, it makes their last bottle at around 9 pm. I know that sounds late for a lot of you, but I don't know what else to do. They seem to wake during the night every 5 - 6 hour stretches. Usually we feed them at around 3 am or so. What can I do to help them sleep early and for longer stretches? I would love for their last bottle to be at around 8 - 8:15 and have them sleep until 6 or so. I wouldn't even mind feeding them at around 11 or midnight before going to bed myself. Every night we try to change something in their schedule, I panic and leave it how things are. What can I do? I do see the girls getting cranky and tired at around 7:30 or so, but I want to make sure they get enough in ounces for the day and they are very picky and fussy eaters. Thanks for listening and reading this horribly long post.

Thanks again,
Jen

 

Well - I guess you could try feeding every 3 hours during the day - 7, 10, 1, 4, 7 or you could keep the 3.5 hour schedule 7, 10:30, 2, 5:30 and then top them off at 7:30 and put them to bed. We had their late afternoon bottle and their bedtime bottle about 2 hours apart for a long time. You can also try increasing the amount in each bottle during the day (if they are finishing them).

 

That actually sounds very normal to me. That is the exact schedule my guys were on. Now, they go to bed at 9 PM every night, and wake at 9 AM in the morning. That gives me a chance to either sleep in with them, or to get up at 7 and get some things done around the house.

 

At 3 months adjusted age mine were going to bed around 9 pm as well. Sometimes even as late as 10 pm. It is only now that they are getting closer to 4.5 months adjusted that they seem to want to go to bed earlier. The last few nights they've been down by 7 or 7:30. Also the pp said I also cut the time short between the evening feedings so would have one around 5 and then another around 7. I was feeding every 3 hours during the day (bf'ing). In the transition time to get to an earlier bed time they would fall asleep around 7 but then wake up 45 mins or so later. Sometimes I'd give them a little extra to eat and get them back to bed. Now they usually stay asleep once they are down for the night, though we do let them cry some if they wake up before they really need to be fed again.

 

Are you breastfeeding or bottle? If you are bottle feeding you could try and increase the amount they get at their last feeding. I also suggest going ever 3 hours during the day. We do 5:00, 8:00ish, 11:00, 2:00, 5:00 and then 8:00. They sleep from 8:45ish to 5:00ish straight. (my girls are about the same age yours) I breastfeed but when I work during the day they are getting almost 5 oz. But every baby is different and it really depends on weights etc.

Good Luck!! Hang in there and don't panic! you can do it!

 

I don't want to discourage you but... we didn't get anything like a schedule before approx 8 months. I have heard of people who did it though. I personally think you just have to have similar babies and that definitely wasn't the case for us.

GL
Sherry

 

My guys are a few weeks older than yours - they're 16 weeks now. I feed them every three hours during the day, usually at 7, 10, 1, 4 and 7. Right after their 7 p.m. feeding I give them a bath, a massage and put them to bed. They sleep until 7 in the morning with any luck! Evan sleeps through (for the last couple of weeks, knock on wood) and James has slept through the last 2 nights, but had one feeding at around 3 a.m. before that. At 12 weeks we were still doing a midnight feeding and a 4 a.m. feeding, but gradually they didn't need to be fed at night (I stopped waking Evan when James was hungry at around 13 weeks and I'm glad I did - turns out he doesn't want to eat at night!). I really think the three hour sched. during the day is helping. They get enough food to last then through the night. I also think a good nap schedule helps. My guys are never up for more than 2 hours during the day, which prevents them from getting overtired (which results in poor quality sleep for my guys). This means they take 4 naps a day (about 45 min to an hour each time) - I wish it were 2 or 3 longer naps but evidently they're not ready for that yet.

I don't think "sleeping through" should be an expectation until 9 months though, to be honest - it's just a bonus if you manage it before. Until 9 months some babies will need ONE feeding (I've read).

I was able to develop a schedule with my guys at an early age, thankfully, but I know many mums have said their babies weren't ready until much, much later. Every baby is different, I know. For me, consistency has been the key. The boys eat and sleep at regular intervals all day and our nightime routine is set in stone. Even though we've had to deal with colic, reflux, and a few other bumps along the road, I'm glad I stuck with a schedule. I know a twin mum (hi heather!) with boys 2 months older than mine and I've learned a lot from her, even though her guys are exclusively breastfed and mine have been on bottles of formula since once month.

Good luck. It feels like things will be crazy for ever and then one day you catch yourself sitting down on the couch, drinking a cup of tea, with your babies sleeping soundly upstairs, and you think "I NEVER THOUGHT I'D GET HERE!". You sound like an ultra caring Mum who is doing her best, so be proud of everything you have accomplished already!! You'll get there. And then they'll start teething...

 

at 3 mo i think it sounds like a great schedule and it sounds lik you're doing a fantastic job. I know mine were about 6 mo old or so when they started going down at an earlier bedtime. I think you're doing great, but i hope you find a routine that works well for everyone.

 

That sounds like a good schedule for 3 months. Maybe try feeding them every 3 hours during the day, that's all I would change.