feeding on a schedule question...

sara1014

We are feeding our babies every 3 hours, and they usually take about 2.5 ounces and then quit on us.  About 98% of the time, they're already stirring from sleep to feed at the 3 hour mark, other times we have to wake them.

Our pedi told us at our last appointment that we could stretch one feeding (like in the middle of the night) to 4 hours, but at this point, we don't see the babies handling this since they DO wake up hungry at just about 3 hours on the nose (or 15-20 minutes early/late).

How long were you instructed to keep up a schedule like this if you were?  We don't go back to the pedi until the end of October, but I figure if the babies are showing signs of never being hungry at 3 hours, I'll call and ask...but I guess I'm also looking to find out that there IS an end in sight to the alarms going off and waking to feed.

 

 

Thanks!  

ncsubride

4 hours seems like a very long time for your age babies to go w/out eating.  It is very normal for them to eat 2-3 hours at a time for that age. 

Your babies will let you know when they are hungry and at this age feed them no matter how long it has been.

We were told at our 4 week old appointment that we didn't need to wake them for feedings anymore. 

macchiatto

I wouldn't set an alarm at night; I would let the babies wake you when they are ready to eat. During the day when they're that little I would wake them to feed, but not at night.

macchiatto

And I think one 4-hour stretch at night is possible at this age depending on the baby; one of ours tended to sleep from about 3-8 a.m. right off the bat. (Too bad our other baby couldn't go that long! ) And our pedi said even at their 6-day appointment, "If he'll give you a 5-hour stretch at night, take him up on it!" (Our boys were 38-weekers with good weights.)

Kim777

macchiatto:

I wouldn't set an alarm at night; I would let the babies wake you when they are ready to eat. During the day when they're that little I would wake them to feed, but not at night.

This is exactly what we did after their two week appointment since they had regained their birth weight and were gaining well. We continued to wake them to feed every 3 hours during the day. They seemed ready for the longer sleep stretches at night though. When we quit setting an alarm they immediately started going 4-5 hours between night feedings. If they continue to wake every 3 hours on their own then you know they just aren't ready for a longer stretch yet. Now at 5 weeks ours usually still eat every 3 hours during the day, maybe 4 hours and they do one long 5-6 hour stretch at night and a second 4-5 hour stretch. I don't know what they eat when I bf, but I pump and we bottle feed at night. They have slowly increased from 2-2.5 ounces at 2 weeks to 4.5-5 ounces now, so I guess that is part of why they go longer at night.

meldoo2002

Ours ate every 3 hours until they were 2 months old.  Then they started going longer stretches at night.  We just stopped waking them once they hit like 8lbs. and let them go as long as they would.  At first they made it like 5 hours, then 7, and then all of a sudden they were going like 10 hours.  They've been STTN for 10-12 hour stretches since they were about 3.5 months old.  They still eat every 3 hours during the day.

DEP

Yes, you feed on a schedule during the day, and on demand at night.  My mother in law even suggested stretching it with a pacifier once my DD turned 5 weeks and it worked!

jenn_darrin1515

we feed every 2-3 hours during the day and fed on demand at night...they were up every 3-4 hours the first 2 months and then occassionally went 5 hours until 3 months at which point they magically (mostly) STTN...good luck...the first 6 weeks were the toughest for us!