Letting your preemie sleep through feedings?

[sunnylove]

Any thoughts from the preemie moms out there? My son is 4.5 months old and is 1.5 months adjusted. We were instructed to feed him every 3 hours, and we've more or less stuck to that schedule since that's when he usually wants to eat. However, he's been sleeping through the night a lot more now. He'll sometimes go up to 7 hours without waking up (but it's usually around 5-6). I usually just let him sleep. Am I starving him?? I asked my pedi about this and she said he shouldn't go "on demand" with his feeding schedule until he gets to about 4 months adjusted age IF he's gaining okay. I think that's kind of ridiculous personally, and as my preemie is gaining really well, I'm not too worried about it, but was wondering what you moms do (primarily when your LO was 1-3 months old).

 

[Jalanis22]

Any thoughts from the preemie moms out there? My son is 4.5 months old and is 1.5 months adjusted. We were instructed to feed him every 3 hours, and we've more or less stuck to that schedule since that's when he usually wants to eat. However, he's been sleeping through the night a lot more now. He'll sometimes go up to 7 hours without waking up (but it's usually around 5-6). I usually just let him sleep. Am I starving him?? I asked my pedi about this and she said he shouldn't go "on demand" with his feeding schedule until he gets to about 4 months adjusted age IF he's gaining okay. I think that's kind of ridiculous personally, and as my preemie is gaining really well, I'm not too worried about it, but was wondering what you moms do (primarily when your LO was 1-3 months old).

I personallu think its ok to let him sleep as much as he wants. Baby is gona cry if hes hungry, dirty, or etc. so more likely you will know when its feeding time. Its just like if somebody tried to make you eat but your not hungry yet...well my opinion.

 

[Fleur29]

I agree with the pp. my preemie was a late one, so a little different but sounds like your son is thriving so I would let him feed on demand and sleep longer stretches at night if he wants to. Good luck! X

 

[L4hope]

I too have been told to feed my little guy every three hours. I'm not stopping yet since mine is only 7weeks old 1week adjusted. But I have been wondering when we will be able to feed on demand.

My other question on the subject of waking to eat. Did anyone else's premie have to be woken up for ALL feedings? Even during the day I'm waking him up to eat. The only time I'm not per se is in the early evening or as I like to call it, his witching hour when he's fussy and wants to eat nonstop. But just curious if others have this experience and when he will wake on his own?

 

[lanaross]

mine is a late premie (35+1), I moved to on demand as soon as we left NICU - six days after he was born. At the hospital he lost quite a bit of weight and barely started gaining: he was at 5.9 when we left, born 5.14. Guess what, little dude is now 13.5 pounds at 2 months. He's exclusively breastfed, completely on demand and eats about every 2-3 hours during a day and about 4-5 at night. There is no way I'd wake him up to feed, he'll eat me out of the house! I think as long as they are gaining, why keep them on a rigid schedule? I was talking to nurses at NICU, where he was kept on every three hours schedule and they were convinced once he gets home and starts feeding on demand, he'd gain much much faster and they were absolutely right.

 

[lanaross]

I too have been told to feed my little guy every three hours. I'm not stopping yet since mine is only 7weeks old 1week adjusted. But I have been wondering when we will be able to feed on demand.

My other question on the subject of waking to eat. Did anyone else's premie have to be woken up for ALL feedings? Even during the day I'm waking him up to eat. The only time I'm not per se is in the early evening or as I like to call it, his witching hour when he's fussy and wants to eat nonstop. But just curious if others have this experience and when he will wake on his own?

generally they start having more awake time at around their due date. I think two weeks after the due date is when my guy found his "loud" voice and started to be more demanding. Before that he'd just open his eyes, say ah-oh and gets a boob shoved into his mouth he was happy though I never woke him up once we got home since he was pretty hungry as is.

 

[AP]

We woke to feed at night every 3 hours until about 9 weeks corrected (22 actual) We stopped when she seemed to be gaining well. We still stuck to 3 hours for a long time but this was often down to her reflux too. It helped to spread it out.

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

I've come to this part of the forum literally to ask an almost identical question lol !

She's 9w adjusted 19w actual and I'm sat here worried as her 4hrly feeds have gone to pot today, plus she's on meds. She's had what I consider her most important ones (Urso acid & vit K the others are sytron & vitamins that all the prems come home on). Basically her 6pm was at 8pm and I was going to wake her at around 11 for her 10pm, but we've decided to let her sleep as she seemed more sleepy today. It's now half past midnight. So effectively missed her 10pm.

I'm hoping as she's gaining well it's not going to affect her. Maybe ages getting ready to sleep longer at night?

Sunnylove-is he taking more at his feeds? Skylar is taking 4oz instead of 3 now but only when it's boob juice-she hates the Caprilon formula she's been prescribed-she def knows the difference!

 

[sunnylove]

Foxy: yes, my LO is taking quite a bit more milk (anywhere between 4-6ozs). He cluster feeds right before he goes down for the night too because I think he's playing catch-up from not eating through the night before. He is sleeping ALL day now, so I think he's going through a growth spurt. The only time he's really ever awake for any extended period of time is between 7pm-12am.

 

[L4hope]

Lanaross thanks! Maybe I just need to be patient and he'll be there soon!

Sunnylove my lo is the same. Sleeps all day and is fussy/hungry nonstop in the evening!! From the sounds of it that might last a little while tho. Guess we'll find out!

 

[sunnylove]

Thankfully he is almost always down by 2am (usually it's 1am) and I can always bet on him sleep until the morning, anywhere between 7-9am. So it's not TOO bad. Last night he didn't fall asleep until around 1:30am and I woke him up at about 6:30am to eat again. I figured letting him sleep in doesn't help him going to bed at night any sooner!

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

Well I ended up waking her at 3am and she took 3.5oz then was wide awake for a few hrs oops! She only had a few hrs during the day but reverted back to 2,6 & 10 feeds herself. So did the 4 B's (bum, bath, bottle & bed) at 9:30 and she was out like a light for 10pm. Slept till 4am and took another 3.5oz. Think she's definitely getting ready to STTN, although I'll still have to get up to express

 

[holdontohope]

My little one started sleeping through the night at 10 weeks old. She gradually increased herself from 6 hours on up. I never woke her!! Why in the world would you ever wake a sleeping baby? Lol I understand with babies who are having weight gain issues, but if a baby is not, then let them sleep.

Now she is 3 1/2 months sleeping 9-10 hours at night!! We both love it