Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I feel like for about most of the feedings, I am waking my DS up to nurse him. Now that things have improved (appropriate number of wet diapers & weight has increased), I am feeding him every 3 hours. At some points, he is passed out & I have to wake him to nurse. There are times when he is stirring and I know he is getting up when 3 hours hits. There are also the times where he is fussy and doesn't sleep much between feedings.

I read about 'nursing on demand' but sometimes I think he would go 4 - 5 hours but I always wake him. He is 2 weeks today - am I doing the right thing? There are other times when he is fussy and I feed him, and then feed him again 1 1/2 hours later b/c he is crying and fussy.

Do I always wake him? or let him sleep these long stretches?

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

If there are no weight issues, I'd let him sleep, especially at night. You may not want to let him go too long between feedings during the day b/c he could end up waking frequently to nurse at night. Except for the first 2 weeks when the doctor was concerned about DS gaining enough weight, I always nursed on demand. He typically ate every 3 hours, but if he had a 4 or 5 hour stretch, I wouldn't wake him.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

i agree - i nurse on demand and dd'sturning into a real chub! (she was a preemie too) as long as there aren't any other issues just nurse on demand. dc will tell you when they're hungry and it'll make your life easier.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I think waking baby during the day to eat is fine, but never ever at night. Helps establish the day/night routine better.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I agree with NOT waking at night, unless there are weight issues or the doctor tells you different. Heck, I never woke during the day either. I let him tell me when it was time to feed.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

newborns love to sleep! i remember those days! i would let my baby sleep but would wake her around the 3.5/4 hour mark to feed her.


eta- at night i would let her sleep as long as she would go...

Message edited 6/11/2009 2:35:25 PM.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I don't wake DS. Sometimes he goes 4.5 hours. SOmetiems he goes 1.

I wouldn't wake her. It seems to me that if she needs her sleep, she needs her sleep and if she needs to eat, she'll wake up.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I think I woke DD up till about 3 weeks then I asked the same questions as you and I stopped waking her. This is DD #2 and I still dont know it all. No weight issues then wake during the day not at night. My DD will go 3-4 hours then 2 then 1 she cluster feeds at night before bed but now at 7 weeks tomorrow she sleeps 5-6 hours at night after the cluster feedings...

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I never woke DD up to feed her. She nursed on demand and never really went more than 4 hours without eating - although sometimes it would get to three hours, and I would think that she would just sleep forever, and then like 10 minutes after the thought popped into my head she would wake up and eat.

If the weight is good, the wet/dirty diapers are good - no need to wake up baby.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I never wake DS at night. I would only wake him during the day if he slept for more then 3 hrs. As long as your feeding every 2-3hrs during the day, I don't see the reason on waking a baby during the night. If he is anything like my DS, he would wake me every 3 hrs to eat anyway.

Re: Nursing & waking baby for feedings...need advice from BF moms

I only nursed on demand. The only time I woke DS was during the day when it was four hours since I fed him.