new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

Hi everyone! This is my first post here but I had my son michael a month ago! He was born one month early. For the first 1-2 weeks he ate every hour!! Now, he is almost 5 weeks old and he eats every 2-2 1/2 hours! Is this normal? What can I do to make him go longer? It takes him 30+ minutes to eat so I'm lucky if I sleep one hour at a time! Interestingly it doesn't seem to matter how much he eats -- he can eat 2-5 oz at a time and he will still wake up every 2 hours!
Any advise/suggestions would be great! I'm super sleep deprived!
Thanks!!

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

first of all.. CONGRATS MOMMY!!!!

ok it seems you are doing everything right.. they usually only sleep about 2 hours at a clip at this point.. keep doing what you are doing..ALWAYS offer more then he is drinking (if bottle fed).
it gets better but it's really difficult the first few months.
Make sure he's comfortable.. swaddle if needed.
Hang in there!!

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

I was wondering where you were! Congratulations!!!

Are you BF? That sounds pretty normal at that age for BF. DD is FF and she goes between 3 & 4 hours between meals except in the evenings when she goes about 1-2 hours up until 10 pm, then she'll go one stint of 6 hours.

If you're concerned or want to see about introducing a pacifier to try to stretch a tiny bit longer between feedings, give your pediatrician a call and I'm sure they'll advise you.

DD is just 9 lbs now and eats about 25 oz a day.

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

Thanks ladies!
When can I expect him to start sleeping a bit longer 3-4 hours between feedings? I just need to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel because I'm soooo tired
THANKS!!

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

My friend's son is 16 days older than DD (they were due the same day but he was early) and he goes 6.5 hours overnight. I'm hoping around 2 months or 10/12 weeks it gets easier. It has to do with tummies getting bigger from what I understand.

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

on "average" at about 12 weeks they get easier.. but every baby is SOOOOO different... and YOUR baby will change schedules A MILLION times!!!
hang in there.. you WILL make it through this!!!

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

Your baby was a preemie so his body is trying to adjust and put on that extra weight he did not gain in the womb...also the first 3 months is called the "fourth trimester." I believe my boys started to slow down with eating once they doubles their birth weight-they were also preemies

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

My DS was about 2 months old when he started going 3-4 hours at night between feedings. Hang in there... I know it's so hard!!

Re: new mommy here with feeding/sleeping question

DD is almost 8 weeks and she has been for the past week or 2 sleeping for at least 4 hours overnight withoug needing to eat. i have been getting a few 6-7 hours overnight! i will say though during the day she does not go any moer than 4 hours without being hungry usually she barely lasts 3 hours without wanting to eat!