Ways to Work Toward STTN?

res932 · February 2012

Overall, DS is doing better with his sleeping. Most nights he starts his bottle (pumped BM) around 9:30 and finishes around 10:30 and then will sleep until about 3:30 before wanting fed again. After we feed him and get him back to bed (usually around 4:30) he will sleep until 7 or 7:30 but most days after he eats we can get him back to bed for another hour or two. I'd really like to start working toward STTN, but I'm not sure if there is anything I can actually do to help him get to that. We sort of have an evening schedule but nothing really concrete. Just I play with him in the evenings and then at 9:30 he will get his bottle. Halfway through the bottle I change him and put him in his sleep sack and then after the bottle will rock him to sleep.

Right now he eats a 5 ounce bottle every 4 to 5 hours. Some nights in the evening he will act hungry but I don't know if I should be feeding him or holding him off until the 4 or 5 hour mark. On Tuesday he wanted to eat ALL DAY and ended up having an absolutely miserable night. I don't want him to get used to eating just a little bit every 2 or 3 hours because then he wants to do that at night too.

He will also often take a 2 or 3 hour nap in the afternoon, although it is not consistent. Is he sleeping too much during the day? Sometimes he will fight against his swaddle sack trying to get his arms up and out. I've also thought about feeding him a bottle of formula before bed, but the couple of times I have tried a formula bottle or a 50/50 bottle he seems to have gas at night, although it could be a coincidence...I don't know.

What do you ladies suggest I try? Or do I just wait and be patient and let him change on his own? I guess I am just desperate for a good night's sleep and have this fear that he will be 8 or 9 months before it happens.

res932 · February 2012

I had been doing tummy time with him in the evenings, but not every day. Sometimes it is just holding him and singing or talking to him.

Ashley&Scott · February 2012

I can't believe you're on a 4-5 hour feeding schedule all day. My DS eats every 1-3 hours during the day & every 4-5 hours at night.

res932 · February 2012

Ashley&Scott:
I can't believe you're on a 4-5 hour feeding schedule all day. My DS eats every 1-3 hours during the day & every 4-5 hours at night.

Actually, this is sort of him initiated often he will go this long without wanting to eat. My question is though, when we went through the wanting to eat every 1 or 2 hours and just eat 2 ounces or so he slept much worse because he wanting to wake every 2 hours in the night and eat 2 ounces. How do I get him to eat more in the day and not wake up every 2 hours at night?

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · February 2012

That's pretty much the exact same schedule dd sleeps on and I think it's great. Only getting up once is a blessing compared to how ds was. In fact, ds still is up once a night. When they are that young, you can't really force it. Just give your baby time. Chances are if he is already sleeping that well, it will be sooner rather than later.

KateLouise · February 2012

res932:
Ashley&Scott:
I can't believe you're on a 4-5 hour feeding schedule all day. My DS eats every 1-3 hours during the day & every 4-5 hours at night.
Actually, this is sort of him initiated often he will go this long without wanting to eat. My question is though, when we went through the wanting to eat every 1 or 2 hours and just eat 2 ounces or so he slept much worse because he wanting to wake every 2 hours in the night and eat 2 ounces. How do I get him to eat more in the day and not wake up every 2 hours at night?

babies go through growth spurts. If you're BF it's also their way of stimulating your supply so that they have the milk they need as they grow.

mben1119 · February 2012

A common indicator that a baby is ready to STTN is that they will increase the amount of food they eat during the day, as to not wake during the night. So, when LO is hungry during the day, FEED HIM.

MrsT2008 · February 2012

You can't make him sleep longer at night. if he's ready to, he will.

and I agree that 4-5 hours between daytime feedings is a lot. I know you said he did that on his own, but it just seems crazy to me that he isn't hungry sooner than that and even though you claim it didn't work, they should eat more frequently during the day if you have any hope of getting them to sleep longer at night.

when DD started sleeping 7-8 hours at a time, she started eating every 2-2.5 hours during the day

res932 · February 2012

Right now this is what our feeding schedule looks like:

He will get up somewhere between 2:30 and 4 a.m. to eat then he will sleep until about 6 or 6:30 a.m. and want to eat again. After he eats he goes to sleep until about 8 or 9 a.m. but he usually just wants to be up and not necessarily eat. He will eat again at around 10. Then he usually naps for about an hour, wakes up, and then eats again around 1:30 or 2 before he takes an afternoon nap. His afternoon nap is about 2-3 hours long so he will wake up hungry around 5:30. After that sometimes he will start acting hungry around 7 or 8, but I'm not always sure if he is actually hungry. Sometimes he will smack his lips and put his hands in his mouth but if i hold him and give him a pacifier he stops. Then he eats at 9:30 and gets ready for bed.

I'm not sure what the "schedule" should be. Like I said before, I also have a major fear of just feeding him a little bit every 2 hours or so because on Monday and Tuesday when he just wanted to eat all the time he would only eat 1 or 2 ounces, and then didn't sleep well during the night (waking every 2 hours wanting 2 ounces) whereas when he eats on the schedule above he eats a full 5 ounces and only gets up one or two times during the night.

I EBF DS but I have to pump and feed it through a bottle. That is how I know exactly how much he is eating.

mben1119 · February 2012

res932:

Right now this is what our feeding schedule looks like:

He will get up somewhere between 2:30 and 4 a.m. to eat then he will sleep until about 6 or 6:30 a.m. and want to eat again. After he eats he goes to sleep until about 8 or 9 a.m. but he usually just wants to be up and not necessarily eat. He will eat again at around 10. Then he usually naps for about an hour, wakes up, and then eats again around 1:30 or 2 before he takes an afternoon nap. His afternoon nap is about 2-3 hours long so he will wake up hungry around 5:30. After that sometimes he will start acting hungry around 7 or 8, but I'm not always sure if he is actually hungry. Sometimes he will smack his lips and put his hands in his mouth but if i hold him and give him a pacifier he stops. Then he eats at 9:30 and gets ready for bed.

I'm not sure what the "schedule" should be. Like I said before, I also have a major fear of just feeding him a little bit every 2 hours or so because on Monday and Tuesday when he just wanted to eat all the time he would only eat 1 or 2 ounces, and then didn't sleep well during the night (waking every 2 hours wanting 2 ounces) whereas when he eats on the schedule above he eats a full 5 ounces and only gets up one or two times during the night.

I EBF DS but I have to pump and feed it through a bottle. That is how I know exactly how much he is eating.

Why are so you so worried about a schedule? Babies can be hard to predict, especially if they are going through a growth spurt, or teething. Also, sleep begets sleep. If he naps well, chances are he'll sleep better at night.

noahchristopher · February 2012

It's too early now. But start reading Healthy Sleep Habits Healthy Child, Baby Whisperer, Baby Wise, Sleep Lady. I took bits and pieces from each. It works. But for now, it's too soon. There are a few things you can do now, like (eat, activity, sleep) in that order. And try to get them used to only sleeping in a basinette or crib instead of swings or car seats or other devices.

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