So about a week ago, my daughter turned four months...at that point she was just about on a three nap schedule...and nursing about every 3 hours....now it seems like she is all thrown off...sometimes she eats a little and then wants to eat again in an hour....or sleeps a bit and then wakes up...it seems like i am now constantly (for the past week) feeding her or putting her down for a nap...is it unrealistic to have any kind of schedule for her? what did you do with yours??? I know a rigid schedule is nonsense at this age but any guidance in this department would be great! thanks guys!
Most babies go through a major sleep transition around 4 months of age. This is very normal! Go with MR's advice -- I learned so much about sleep by reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby!"
typically at that age it's up for 2 hrs and then nap... then up for 2 hrs and nap. and then bedtime after that. 3 naps is alot. i think their schedule changes when they grow. but typically its every 2 hrs nurse and then goes to 3. I say i don't care about the schedule for eating... they tell you. sleeping i'd try to be consistent so she knows what to expect and can sleep better : )
It is not crazy to try to establish some sort of 'pattern'. You're right on the money with not being rigid; just follow your baby's cues as far as feeding/sleeping is concerned.
It will help to write down/journal feeding, sleeping, and diaper changes. You will be able to see some sorts of patterns emerging and this can guide your decisions. At 4 months I attempted this and, while things were all over the place it really did help once he hit 6 months. Things for us really fell into place at that time.
She might have been on a 3-nap schedule and is transitioning to 2 naps. This could explain things being a little jumbled up. Try a 2-nap schedule and see how that works. You might wish to try "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth to learn about typical sleeping patterns at 4 months. In a nutshell, you could try to shoot for a morning wake up around 6:00 - 7:00 (feed), then a nap around 9:00 and 1:00, with a bedtime between 6:00 - 8:00. Again, be flexible and respect her needs and cues. Some babies take to this 'schedule' wonderfully while others need a little bit more time to work it out.
Good luck to you! A baby who has a predictable routine is less anxious than one who is constantly guessing and stressing out over what comes next. Clearly don't withhold meals or sleep *just* to stick to the schedule, but setting up a routine/pattern will help you immensely.
You need to have a schedule and at the same time be flexible. She is most likely going through a growth spurt or starting to teeth and this throws off the best of schedules. You know her best so just go with her cues when you are scheduling her. Her schedule will change about every three months until she is about 18 months old and she is down to one nap a day.
i say "go with the flow for sanity". we're flexible people and have never had a schedule and it works! if you don't have to work outside the home, following your baby's cues might make all of you happy. take care. ;-)
You want to try and find a happy medium with some kind of flexible schedule. No, it's not unrealistic to want to try and get into a schedule with her. Sometimes in her life, that schedule will go haywire for a short time, due to teething, illness (stuffy nose) or the desire to eat more. She's becoming more alert now - at 6 months, you'll be amazed at her advances. I know it is frustrating. Please make sure that you are still getting the rest that you need, too. In a month, you'll be able to take her for long stroller walks and have her (and you) outside more and her schedule may change for a while for the positive. She may be starting to cut teeth now, too. She also may be hungrier now or looking for that comfort and security from your loving embrace. My son had his first rice cereal at 4 months - he was just always ravenous! I consulted my dr. and we decided not to wait until the 6 month recommendation. That little bit of food helped him while still maintaining a good nursing schedule.
Perhaps if you can ease her into two longer naps, this may help, too. Good luck.
I too think you should go with the flow. Respect your child's needs, she is the only one who knows when she needs to feed, when she needs to sleep... I followed my son's schedule, didn't make him follow mine. Your daughter will put herself into a schedule, you don't need to do that for her. And she might be going through a growth spurt right now, that's why she's constantly feeding and sleeping. Another thing to consider, sometimes we feed our babies because we think they're hungry, when actually they just want to be changed, or comforted, or in need of something else. They will take the bottle (or breast) if you give it to them, even if they are not hungry... be careful not to overfeed your baby. Good luck :)
