confused?! Do i still wake her ?

[mummytobe]

My LO is 17 days old now and will mostly wake up after every 3 to 4 hours for a feed (usually 3 1/2 - 4oz) but if she doesnt wake up before 4 hours am i still meant to wake her ? I was told by mw that i was but that was a week ago and i dnt know whether im to carry on doing that or to let her wake when shes hungry? Any ideas ? x

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

You'll get mixed views on this one.

I would wake her and offer feeds every 3-4 hours, but only during the day, to get her into a habit of drinking in the day. They're all different, but babies who sleep all day and hardly take any feeds are often very hungry during the night, as they need to make up for the lost feeds somehow.

 

[mummytobe]

Thats exactly what my mw said, so i think ill stick to it just didnt know whether i was meant to stop at a certain age

 

[kelly2903]

it all depends really.... was your small birthweight?

are your demand feeding?
or are you in a routine?

i had a routine so i would wake her...

but if you arent using a routine and are demand feeding and her weight is fine let her telll you cause she will wake when she is hungry its all up to you hun... my midwife told me not to wake as lilly slept through the night she said to leave her she will wake up when she is hungry... so every modwife is different as is every child do what feels best and right for you and baby xxx

 

[mummytobe]

She was quite small.. 6lb 2oz and a week late, she lost 14% of her weight so more than the 10% they should loose. Not really in any routine, the past couple of days she wanted feeding every 3 hours but today she seems to be going 4 hrs (thats when i wake her) shes drinking a good 3 1/2 - 4oz each time

Its so hard to know whats best for her, dnt want to overfeed her but defo dnt want her to starve espesh after all the weight she lost at the beginning

 

[suzib76]

i never woke mine, in fact i got told off in the hosp coz jack went 6 hours without a feed

 

[shaunanicole]

I'd wake the baby. Sometimes they get into such a deep sleep they don't realize their hungry.

 

[dali]

i never woke my lo for a feed, i demand fed and he got himself into a great routine fairly fast and when the routine needed shuffling ( to drop bottles etc..) he did that himself too

it is upto you hun, she is your baby, and you know what she needs better than anyone else does. i was told not to bother waking him unless he went for like 7 hours or something, but he always woke when he was hungry

 

[Lazy Leo]

Its personal choice tbh. I've only wakened my LO when she's gone 6 hours as I felt thats just too much. Now at 9 weeks I don't waken her at all. But it's good to know that they can go that long, because you will soon be wanting your baby to do a sleep like that at night and if you know they can do it, its easier to relax when they do. I believe if they are hungry they will wake. I know if someone wakened me because I hadn't had my dinner, well they'd get their head in their hands to play with lol!!! But if you chose to waken your wee one that's fine too, she's your baby and you do what you think is best for both you and him/her and don't feel guilty about whatever decision you make. Someone somewhere will always tell you that you should have done the other!

 

[britt1986]

I don't wake my son up. He is pretty much on his own routine now. During the day he eats every 3 hours and after his feed in the evening he will sleep anywhere from 5-6 hours (usually 8pm-1 or 2am) and then every 3 hours after that. There has been times where he would go past 6 hours and I would wake him because I think at almost 2 months old anything over 6 hours is too long. Do what you think is right for your LO. If she is gaining weight and peeing and pooping right, then I wouldn't worry about waking her to eat. Your choice though.

 

[lexy604]

I don't wake my son up. He is pretty much on his own routine now. During the day he eats every 3 hours and after his feed in the evening he will sleep anywhere from 5-6 hours (usually 8pm-1 or 2am) and then every 3 hours after that. There has been times where he would go past 6 hours and I would wake him because I think at almost 2 months old anything over 6 hours is too long. Do what you think is right for your LO. If she is gaining weight and peeing and pooping right, then I wouldn't worry about waking her to eat. Your choice though.

Same here mine eats every 3 hours except at night he goes about 4 or 5 i have never woken him either except the one time he slept 6 hours that was wacky

 

[mummytobe]

Thanks for your advice girls, Alyssa is in more of a routine now. Did check with the HV and she said during the day try not to let her go longer than 5 hours without a feed (she doesnt go this long anyways) and during the night dont wake her, let her wake on her own but leave it a max of 7 hours (again she doesnt go that long either)
Its good to know theres a forum where people can share advice and tips. Thanks again