When do you stop waking them?

[Twister]

LO loves her sleep, since around the second/third day (i didn't know any better at first and was leaving her for 4hours expecting her to wake herself) I've been waking her every 2/3 hours during the day and every 3/4 hours at night.

Because her weight gain is good and she's well above birth weight now I've stopped waking her at night (although i try not to leave her more than 5/6hours between feeds but she usually wakes before this) but I'm still waking her every 2 hours or so during the day. On the odd occasion she wakes herself.

My question is when can you stop waking them? And when is it 'ok' to leave them longer between feeds? I don't mind having to wake her as it helps my supply, I'm just curious.

 

[Jokerette]

I never really had that problem at night, as my little one woke pretty often himself. But on the occasion when he did sleep I let him sleep! I think if your LO is gaining weight fine and having proper wet diapers then don't wake her unless you really need to for engorgement During the day I would wake him every 3-4 hour because I wanted to encourage "daytime is for eating, nighttime is for sleeping".

 

[seaweed eater]

Every 2 hours during the day sounds like a lot. Maybe take it down to 3?

Our doctor said to let him go 4 hours starting at 2 weeks, and to stop waking altogether starting at 4 weeks. But I know some people don't think you should wake at all, ever.

 

[Maviyildiz]

When we visited the midwife at our 5 day follow up, our LO was already above her birthweight again so she said that it was fine to let her sleep for 4 hours during the day if she wants to. She suggested that we could have started this at day two or three, but we didn't know.

 

[Celesse]

I stopped waking when they were consistently gaining weight.

 

[Twister]

Thanks ladies, I think we will take it down to three now. It's not always exactly 2hours, sometimes it's 2 and a half, other times it's closer to 3. I'll see how we get on waking her every 3/3.5 hours

 

[Jinnah]

My little one is gaining plenty of weight, but I still wake him every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours at night. I even set the alarm at night to do so. I keep thinking if I don't he'll go too long! I know he probably won't, but I keep doing it anyway, lol.

 

[keela]

I quit waking my LO when he regained his birthweight. He always wakes up between 2.5-4 hours. I would wake him if he was sleeping 5 hours during the day but he has never made it that far. Babies will wake when they get hungry.

 

[Twister]

My little one is gaining plenty of weight, but I still wake him every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours at night. I even set the alarm at night to do so. I keep thinking if I don't he'll go too long! I know he probably won't, but I keep doing it anyway, lol.

That's exactly like me lol. I've become more relaxed about night times though . But I just worry about making sure she gets enough during the day to make up for the longer night stretches, the other night she slept for almost 7 hours! I forgot to set my alarm and panicked when I woke up and saw the time.

 

[Mia Evan]

I have to wake my daughter up to feed during the day because she has night and day mixed up! If only she slept so well at night During the day, I usually try to wake her up every 3 hours or so to feed. During the night, I beg her to please sleep so I can sleep haha.

 

[Casey3]

I never wake a sleeping baby, unless medically necessary.. But we also have a baby who never goes without milk and has never needed waking Personally if weight gain is going well and everything else is normal I'd just enjoy the sleep at night time!

 

[Lisa92881]

During the day I wake him if he goes more than 3 hours. There was a few days where I noticed that if he went too long during the day without eating, he would then eat every hour at night. So I do that during the day, but I let him sleep for as long as possible during the night!

 

[Mia Evan]

Out of curiosity because it's been mentioned in several of the replies in this thread, why shouldn't we wake up a sleeping baby? Is it bad to do so?

 

[Twister]

I'm not sure, I just thought it was something to do with enjoying the baby sleeping whilst you can and getting some rest/time for yourself?

 

[lau86]

I was always very baby led with my LO and left him to sleep. He VERY rarely slept for 5 hours in the early days but it was mostly 3 or 4. He was 9th centile so fairly small but did gain weight along that centile so I guess I was reassured by that. I would leave her be especially if she's a good weight, I don't think they go hungry for very long!! Obviously I'm not including prem/ low birth weight babies in that though