Anyone else's baby have a very early bedtime?

[Melody74]

LO is 13 weeks and has been waking just the once in the night for a few weeks now. This can be anything between 3.30 - 4.30am and she only takes about 2oz and goes back to sleep.
I started back at work part-time last week, and it's a killer. Mainly because I can't get back to sleep after I've fed her as I am a terrible sleeper and no matter how tired I am it can take nearly 2 hours to drop to sleep. We are up at 6.30am and so I'm up from when she first wakes in the night.

However she sleeps a good 7-8 hours straight after her last bottle, which is FAB and I know I'm lucky in that respect. But it's at the wrong time for a working mum! There is absolutely no chance of her feeding anytime after about 6.30-7pm. She would actually probably prefer a last bottle around 5pm, as after this time she is cranky, fussy, grizzly and tired - very difficult to feed. She appears hungry, but it's a constant cycle of her crying for feed in hunger and then falling asleep the second the teat goes in her mouth. If we wake her, she's worse. So her last bottle has been getting earlier and earlier and earlier.... It used to be around 10pm, it's now around 6pm - and she will only take 2-3oz because of her sleepiness. A lot of this makes sense as her day starts at 6.30am - but she is only having half a feed.

She naps a lot, at least 4 times a day and for 1-3 hours each time. We have tried giving her a nap just before her last bottle, but she still is dead to the world whether she has had a good nap or not. We have tried dream feeding, but she won't take to it. She just likes an early bedtime.

Is there any way I can encourage or change her routine a little so that she has a full bottle at bedtime or her last bottle a little later? I really think that if she took 5-6oz then she might last till 5 or 6am. I wouldn't want to overfeed or keep her awake - but she definitely is the boss in our house come the evening and I wonder if we have just allowed her lead a little too much.

Anyone else have a very sleepy baby come early evening and won't feed after a certain time? xx

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I don't think there's such a thing as letting them lead too much at that age. I think you are doing well and probably the only way to help yourself would be by going to bed earlier yourself.
Her needs / routine may change soon anyway.

 

[twinklestar]

kane goes to bed at 6 and hes so tired he struggles with his last feed too

have you tried dream feeding before you go to bed, it may be enough to top her up untill the morning?

x

 

[_Vicky_]

the boys still go to bed at 6pm - they always have. I never dream fed and the length of time they slept just gradually got longer - they were waking at 1pm and 4am for a feed then dropped the 1am and slept 12 hours from 16 weeks old - HTH

 

[Gingerspice]

When LO is overtired and doesn't take a full feed before bed (they usually take 8 oz but don't sleep though) then I let them sleep for 45 minutes then give them a top up. This way it then doesn't impact the dream feed at 10:30 and they still take 3 -4 oz then, but they won'tt ake more then even if they only took 4 oz earlier. I know thats weird, I don't know why, so its better if I wake after 45 minutes in bed, give them a top up and then let them take the 4oz at the 10:30pm feed too.
Could you try this?
Alternatively don't wake them after 45 minutes but just do the dreamfeed and see how much they'll take then. LO has a feed and nappy change and back in cot without really waking properly, so they might not mind this option?

 

[Melody74]

Thanks girls. We've tried a dream feed but she rarely takes anything. It's like the doors are shut from 6.30pm to early morning!