How often should your 3 month old feed through the night?

[fashionlover]

My baby is about to turn 3 months. I have been co sleeping with her since birth. She sleeps in a swing for the majority of the night, when I hear her getting really whiny I put her in my arm in the bed with me. My husband is really paranoid that she is going to suffocate (even though there are no pillows or anything around) and is suggesting that I start putting her in a bassinet right next to the bed. I am game for this, other than the fact that she wants to feed every 45 minutes it seems. She wiggles and makes noises until she is fed. Not sure how I or she will get any sleep if she is not in my arms...any thoughts?

 

[FAB mama]

I fed LO every few hours at that age and still do if he wakes (he still wakes often), but I'm sure some of it is for comfort. 45 minutes sounds like too often to me for a 3 month old. At that age our pediatrician was saying that there's no need to feed more often than ever 2-3 hours.

 

[Katteh]

My little one has a feed at bedtime (7pm), a bottle of expressed milk - around 3oz - at 11 and then wakes between 3 and 4.

If you offer her food everytime she stirs then she will end up expecting it, I used to do and after starting to leave my LO until he actually properly fussed, I found he went back to sleep more often than not.

 

[meli1981]

My babe is three and a half months and still feeds every two hours or so at night

 

[w8ing4bean]

Phoebe goes to bed at 8, she'll sometimes sleep 9 hours solid, but last night woke at 3 and 6

 

[_Lexi_]

Jessica is 4.5 months and still waking every 2 hours to be fed. Be careful leaving her in a swing so long, mine states it shouldn't be used for extended periods of time. You also don't want her to get so used to it that when she's too big for it, she won't sleep without being rocked! Instead of a separate bassinet, you could try a co sleeper crib. Still in easy reach, but with her own space?

 

[Rachel_C]

It's pretty normal for a 3 month old to feed that often. I would completely ignore anybody suggesting that a baby so small SHOULD or MUSTN'T do this or that. Whether it's for nutrition or emotional comfort, she's teeny tiny so as long as you're okay with it, it's fine to go with what she wants. If she's sleeping in the swing for most of the night, are you getting her out to feed her every 45 minutes, or is she sleeping for a good chunk then she wakes to feed and THEN you're feeding her every 45 minutes after that? If it's only after you take her out of the swing, I'd have her co-sleeping properly instead of in the swing... it may be that the swing is rocking her back to sleep when she's actually a bit peckish, so she's sleeping quite a long time in the swing and then needing to feed often once she's in the bed to catch up. You may find that if you co-sleep fully, she will feed regularly through the night but more spaced out, like every few hours.

I would look into a co-sleeper cot so she has her own space. They're not necessary at all if you're following safe co-sleeping guidelines but it may help your OH get onboard.

 

[Dragonfly]

I think feed a baby as much as they want and look in to safe bed sharing. I wouldnt leave a baby sleeping in a swing.