7 month schedule?

TheAnalyticalMommy

So i think my LO's schedule is all out of wack and it's probably my fault. My first was on a similar schedule with no real problems but he was also formula fed. This one doesn't seem to be doing well on it and i want to try and fix it. 

Currently:

Wakes around 4:30AM - Nurse then down for another 1-1.5 hours.

Wakes again around 6

8:15 Solids (at daycare)

10AM bottle

Noon solids

1 PM Bottle

4PM Bottle

6:30 Nurse and some food (we give him bits of food while we have dinner)

8-10 Cuddling/nursing (he will usuallyfall into a light sleep and then wakeup again during this time)

10 the fight to get him to sleep starts (as of a couple weeks ago. He used to just fall asleep)

2:30am wakes up / nurse

This schedule has gotten progressively worse. I wasn't doing anything to fix it because i figured his extra nursing was probably good but I can't take the new nightly battle to get him to sleep. 

I'm thinking that I'll try to nurse him around 6:30 and put him to bed then. In theory, if he were to fall asleep for the night and not wake up until say 5AM, he'd be drinking much less at night. Would that be bad for him? Would he just drink more during his other nursing sessions instead?

What might be a better schedule? (keeping in mind that it would be tough to change his schedule at daycare between 8AM and 6PM because he ended up on that schedule after seeing everyone else's. If someone else is getting food, he usually wants it at the same time!). 

Thanks!

sarahandeddiejune212008

Could you try upping solids at dinner and try a new routine after to buy you some time before he nurses and goes to sleep? I'd try some playtime and then a bath (doesn't have to include soap every night - just play). Maybe the extra playtime will help make him more tired. I might also throw in another nursing session just before daycare.

TheAnalyticalMommy

How many times a day should he be nursing/having a bottle at this point? I"m always so worried about him not eating enough or giving him too much solids. He LOVES food but he is also very easily distracted so it's easy for him to go a while without eating if he is distracted.

TheAnalyticalMommy

Thanks! He does sometimes nurse before we leave the house but it's kind of hit or miss if he wants to. This morning for example, he nursed at 4:30, 5:30 and 6! haha

I can hear the milk squirting when he drinks so i have to think he's pretty efficient though sometimes it seems that he's just drinking for a minute, gets distracted, and then wants to get awy and play. 

I try to avoid feeding him much around our dinner time so that he'll nurse instead and let him have his solids at daycare. 

He does feed himself a little at the dinner table, but it's not much. He just naws on things.

When you give your LO a bath, does it calm them? Mine lvoes the water so it tends to hype him up. I usually avoid doing it at night because of that.

TheAnalyticalMommy

Thanks!! I think my LO must have a magic window too but i seem to keep missing it. I find it hard to get to bad early enough and still spend time with my 4 year old. I have a late work meeting tonight but will try again tomorrow.

Last night went "better" but not perfect. I picked a song to try and associate with bed time and played it on a loop. Kept all the lights low and just tried to help him wind down. He usually screams when i'm not around but I got him to lay and fuss in his bed for a while and gave him a chance to try to sooth himself to sleep. He didn't all out scream which I consider a win! but I did have to eventually pick him back up, nurse him again, and then get him to sleep in our cradle swing. 

I tried to really help him work it out himself and not pick him up the minute he cried. I was surprised at how well he did.

Will try to do the same sort of thing again tomorrow night.

Only problem is, that the song I picked puts ME to sleep! (the "stay awake" song from mary poppins! lol)

Also, LO LOVES food. I know "food before one, mostly for fun" but he eats like a champ and has since the first time we offered him food so I do worry about my supply which is why I avoid having him eat much at home when he's with me so he'll nurse instead. I try to only give him solids at daycare and on weekends.

Thank you everyone for your inputs! I find it really helpful to see your schedules and suggestions! Would love to see more. I learn a little bit from everyone!

nebraska84

I have a 7 month old, and his schedule is as followed.

7:30 nurse or bottle (5oz)

10:30 5 oz at sitters

1:30 5 oz at sitters

4:30 nurse or bottle of 5 oz

5:30 solids

7:30 nurse to bed

He awakes between 3-4:30

Back to sleep until 6:30 and start schedule over at 7:30 am

I am hoping to add a solid in the morning, I am trying to establish a nap schedule first