Newborn won't feed unless she wants to? Normal??

[FlowerTots13]

My LO is a week old tomorrow, and she had trouble feeding the first couple days, due to finding out what teets suit her better, and the midwife advised us she had tongue tie reason why she wasn't suited well to the teets we had for her. She also had a lot of mucus, and we hope and think its finally cleared. So her feeding has been better now.
Any who, she won't accept a feed unless she's awake and 'wants' it.
Midwife says to wake her up and make sure she feeds about every 3-4hours, but she doesn't always want to wake up for a feed, and ends up bringing some of it back up if she doesn't want it, and closes her mouth tight. So can go more then 3-4 hours without feeding, then she'll cry every hour for half an ounce to an ounce for a couple hours.

Any suggestions please??

 

[amy1234]

My Lo had lots I mucus and te spit up helped to clear the lungs. If she carries on not drinking more than the ounce I'd take her to get checked tomorrow to make sure blood sugars okay - I had to do that with my son as his had dropped too low.

No advice on the bottle as I BF but I basically went nearly 16 hours without him feeding which caused the drop.

Just get them naked before feeding and use skin contact, even when using the bottle. Change the nappy part way through to take back up - all good ways of making then more alert to feed

 

[Nessicle]

I have only ever fed my babies on demand the same as you would when breast feeding the midwives all said to me that in the first weeks they can go 6 hours without wanting a feed but to try feeding by 6 hours if baby hasn't woken by then for a feed themselves.

1oz is perfectly normal a breast fed baby would take less than that x

 

[veryfondoftea]

Has your baby been weighed yet? I was told that as long as she has regained her birth weight you can feed on demand, otherwise try what others have said - skin to skin, undressing for a nappy change etc

 

[L.A Mommy]

Max does the same thing. He feeds every 3-4 hrs. I dont bother waking him, I figure when he's hungry he'll wake up. That works the best for him, he'll finish his bottle and wont fall asleep mid feeing. Im breast feeding and formula feeding. I think what your LO is doing is normal.