17 week old with sleep issues

Thanks for your question!
This is a complicated series of questions, so I’ll try to cover several things in this post. For those of you that didn't catch the question, check out the comments on my first post.
You asked if you should be concerned about your baby’s day schedule since he’s getting “a solid 11 or so hours at night”. Well, the thing is, he isn’t getting 11 hours of sleep as he still wakes to eat twice at night. In my opinion, he’s definitely old enough and big enough to go 12 hours at night without a feeding.

So, when it comes to the Gibson method of sleep training, there are 3 critical ingredients; predictable routine, an environment that’s conducive to sleep and consistency.
The routine for a 17 week old should include feedings every 4 hours during the day. For babies that start on a routine from the beginning, it’s very easy for them to transition from a 3 hour to a four hour routine. Your little guy may need to ease into a four hour routine. You would do this by implementing a firm 3 hour routine then stretching it to 3 ½ hours and on to 4 hours. Be sure to offer full feedings in less than 30 minutes. No grazing! I suggest you start your day at the same time every day, like 7 am.
Then you feed at 7 am, 11 am, 3 pm and 7 pm. Until he has been trained to sleep through the night, you may also need to offer a “dream feed” at 11 pm.
It’s important to remember to follow feedings with activity/awake time and then keep an eye out for sleepy cues. A 4 month old should only be awake 1 ½ to 2 hours at a stretch (including feeding). Most critical is to NOT nurse or rock your baby to sleep.
Following his awake time, he should nap for 1 ½ to 2 hours. On a 4 hour schedule, he’ll likely be up for 2 hours and down for 2 hours, giving him two 2 hour naps plus a 45 minute cat nap before dinner.
To ensure that his environment is right for sleep, keep his nursery dark during sleep times. Also check the temperature. I recommend 68-72 degrees. A good white noise machine is also imperative. Until his naps are under control, I would also swaddle using a large square blanket or a miracle blanket to avoid startling himself. Consider using a security blanket or snuggle buddy for transitioning. Visit www.gibsonnewbornservices.com for many of the products I recommend.
So, give these suggestions a try and let me know how it goes! If you would like more specific information and a detailed plan of action, please call or email and we can set up a consultation for you. Best of luck with your little guy!
Cortney