How often to feed a newborn ?

ProudMomma2Be · Mar 28th, 2012, 13:02 PM

Hello ladies

I know I am going to find out after my baby is born , but everybody tells me different ...
How often should I feed a newborn ? My doctor tells me he should not be without food for more than 3 hours

that probably means I should wake him up if he sleeps more than 3 hours

But my mom is saying she never woke us up ( all three of us ) . She said when the baby is hungry he will tell you , why should I try to feed him while he is sleeping ?
And now I just don't know so I was just wondering for those who are expecting what is your plan and for mommies with experiences ... how did u do that ? waking up or waiting for cry ?

Bumbled Bee · Mar 28th, 2012, 14:02 PM

I breastfed, and just fed the baby whenever he wanted it. If he slept more than three hours (yeah right!) then i'd let him sleep.
Just my experience. I don't know if it's the same for formula feeding or not.

ProudMomma2Be · Mar 28th, 2012, 14:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bumbled Bee

I breastfed, and just fed the baby whenever he wanted it. If he slept more than three hours (yeah right!) then i'd let him sleep.
Just my experience. I don't know if it's the same for formula feeding or not.

My mom was breastfeeding also with each of us , but she told me I was sleeping from 11pm till 6 am and my sister even longer . I just think its too long for that little baby without food but we did not have any problem with health or anything

Bumbled Bee · Mar 28th, 2012, 14:25 PM

I dunno. I guess you'll see when the baby gets here. With my son, he was up every two hours for at last the first 3 weeks, then maybe sleep for a bit longer as he got older. By the time he was 6 weeks old, he was sleeping for about 5 straight hours. I think if they get plenty of milk during the day, they might sleep a bit longer in the night.
Also, newborns "cluster feed", so they might feed for three solid hours before bedtime. My son used to do huge stretches of nursing between 7 and 9ish every evening, but it's totally normal. It doesn't mean you're starving them at any point during the day or night.

bubbles123 · Mar 28th, 2012, 14:38 PM

With a newborn, you often get told conflicting things. Once every 3 hours or more if they want it is the ideal but often babies are born just not very hungry for the first 24 hours. My LO was not hungry at all the first day and slept right through the night with just 3 feeds during his first 24 hours. Gradually, they will be more awake and interested in feeding by day 2 and then you can go to feeding whenever they want it (usually works out about every 2ish hours when they are tiny). Hospitals generally are obsessed with feeding babies every 3 hours right from the start but if they are just not interested in the early days it can be very disheartening trying to get them to feed if they don't want it (especially if BF). Once your milk comes in (day 4 ish) baby will become very interested in feeding and want to feed a lot more. If BF'ing too you should aim to feed baby as soon after delivery as you can X

fifi-folle · Mar 28th, 2012, 14:48 PM

as long as weight gain is established you can leave them to sleep. If you have a newborn who sleeps enjoy it!!!

NuKe · Mar 28th, 2012, 14:56 PM

i dont like the whole "routine feeding" thing, we fed on demand (when she was hungry) and was sleeping through for 8 hours a night @ 8 weeks. i bf for a week and ff after that.

fifi-folle · Mar 28th, 2012, 15:43 PM

There are a few situations where a baby should be woken (jaundice/failure to gain weight) but generally feeding on demand is the way forward whether you are FF or BF as NuKE says.

Aidan's Mummy · Mar 28th, 2012, 15:45 PM

My son was formula fed and I fed on demand so he was basically fed when he wanted it. Sometimes he would go 4-5 hours (sleeping) but I didn't wake him. He gained weight really well and thrived

x

ProudMomma2Be · Mar 28th, 2012, 16:15 PM

Thank you all for sharing your opinions and experiences

I guess I am going to have to find out by myself ... Let him sleep but if he is not going to gain enough weight I am going to have to wake him up .
Will see how everything goes

Mar 28th, 2012, 13:02 PM	#1
ProudMomma2Be Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 507	How often to feed a newborn ? Hello ladies I know I am going to find out after my baby is born , but everybody tells me different ... How often should I feed a newborn ? My doctor tells me he should not be without food for more than 3 hours that probably means I should wake him up if he sleeps more than 3 hours But my mom is saying she never woke us up ( all three of us ) . She said when the baby is hungry he will tell you , why should I try to feed him while he is sleeping ? And now I just don't know so I was just wondering for those who are expecting what is your plan and for mommies with experiences ... how did u do that ? waking up or waiting for cry ?

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Mar 28th, 2012, 14:02 PM	#2
Bumbled Bee Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 716	I breastfed, and just fed the baby whenever he wanted it. If he slept more than three hours (yeah right!) then i'd let him sleep. Just my experience. I don't know if it's the same for formula feeding or not.

Status: Offline

Mar 28th, 2012, 14:25 PM	#4
Bumbled Bee Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 716	I dunno. I guess you'll see when the baby gets here. With my son, he was up every two hours for at last the first 3 weeks, then maybe sleep for a bit longer as he got older. By the time he was 6 weeks old, he was sleeping for about 5 straight hours. I think if they get plenty of milk during the day, they might sleep a bit longer in the night. Also, newborns "cluster feed", so they might feed for three solid hours before bedtime. My son used to do huge stretches of nursing between 7 and 9ish every evening, but it's totally normal. It doesn't mean you're starving them at any point during the day or night.

Status: Offline

Mar 28th, 2012, 14:38 PM	#5
bubbles123 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 2,534	With a newborn, you often get told conflicting things. Once every 3 hours or more if they want it is the ideal but often babies are born just not very hungry for the first 24 hours. My LO was not hungry at all the first day and slept right through the night with just 3 feeds during his first 24 hours. Gradually, they will be more awake and interested in feeding by day 2 and then you can go to feeding whenever they want it (usually works out about every 2ish hours when they are tiny). Hospitals generally are obsessed with feeding babies every 3 hours right from the start but if they are just not interested in the early days it can be very disheartening trying to get them to feed if they don't want it (especially if BF). Once your milk comes in (day 4 ish) baby will become very interested in feeding and want to feed a lot more. If BF'ing too you should aim to feed baby as soon after delivery as you can X

Status: Offline

Mar 28th, 2012, 14:48 PM	#6
fifi-folle Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 2,973	as long as weight gain is established you can leave them to sleep. If you have a newborn who sleeps enjoy it!!!

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Mar 28th, 2012, 14:56 PM	#7
NuKe Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: N. Ireland Posts: 13,888	i dont like the whole "routine feeding" thing, we fed on demand (when she was hungry) and was sleeping through for 8 hours a night @ 8 weeks. i bf for a week and ff after that.

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Mar 28th, 2012, 15:43 PM	#8
fifi-folle Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fife, Scotland Posts: 2,973	There are a few situations where a baby should be woken (jaundice/failure to gain weight) but generally feeding on demand is the way forward whether you are FF or BF as NuKE says.

Status: Offline

Mar 28th, 2012, 15:45 PM	#9
Aidan's Mummy Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hull Posts: 12,264	My son was formula fed and I fed on demand so he was basically fed when he wanted it. Sometimes he would go 4-5 hours (sleeping) but I didn't wake him. He gained weight really well and thrived x

Status: Offline

Mar 28th, 2012, 16:15 PM	#10
ProudMomma2Be Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 507	Thank you all for sharing your opinions and experiences I guess I am going to have to find out by myself ... Let him sleep but if he is not going to gain enough weight I am going to have to wake him up . Will see how everything goes

Status: Offline

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