NEVER wake a sleeping baby, right?

KahlansMom

I've heard the phrase "NEVER wake a sleeping baby", but it's been almost 3.5 hours and my LO is still sleeping away.  I'm a FTM and she's 3 days old and my milk has already came in.  I have been feeding with one breast, and pumping the other (alternating) due to engorgement, but normally once she starts feeding, the other one lets down too and I lose some so I don't want to start pumping and then not have enough for her when she wakes up.  But I'm seriously starting to get uncomfortable.   She's doing the hunger cues in her sleep (i.e., sucking, lip smacking) but she only wakes about half-way up and then drifts right back off.  Should I just nudge her awake to feed or let the sleeping baby lie and deal with the engorgement? 

taragene@gmail.com

Not speaking from experience, since my LO isn't here yet -

But, my sister has breastfed all 3 of her boys and she is the QUEEN of schedules.  She would tell you to wake that baby up during the day to eat.  She says this is the only way to get them on a schedule and sleeping through the night.

Good luck!

tlxh7

Is she back up to her birth weight?  Lila was tiny, so I had to feed her every 3 hours until she was 2 months.  But what I've heard is to feed at least every 3 hours until they're back up to their birth weight.  Did you doctor not say anything?  If you're really uncomfortable, and she's showing hunger signs, I'd just put her to breast and see if she'll dream feed.

catdwg83

Wake her up. Newborns need to eat at least every 3 hours. They can have jaundice issues if they don't.

My LO had a reaction to the Hep B vaccine & slept through three feedings in 2 days & we had to be admitted to the hospital for jaundice. Not saying it'll happen to you two, but just saying keep an eye out for too much sleepiness, not eating well, not enough diapers, etc. 

Anyway, wake her up to eat would be my advice  

MWoodside

I she back to her birth weight?  If not, I'd wake her.

There is no possible way to get a 3 day old on a schedule though, like the other poster was suggesting. 

KahlansMom

She normally eats like a champ, and she had only lost 5 oz. when my milk came in so I'm not worried about jaundice.  The pediatrician actually said she had some of the best color she'd ever seen, her jaundice screening was so low it was barely on the chart.  But what the hey, like PP said, it's impossible to get a 3 day old on a schedule anyway, I'm wakin her up.    I miss her beautiful blue eyes.

 One more thing, I've been trying for 30 minutes and I can't figure it out and I feel like a wee-tard, but how in the world do I update/change my siggy?  Geez la weez, I bet it's super easy too, I just can't remember how I got to it when I originally signed up.  Thanks Ladies!   

orleansgirl1

just in case it wasnt very clear...u should def wake her for a feeding. nursing will help protect ur milk supply. i would also alternate the side u pump and the nursing side. 

 one of my girlfriends was doing what ur doing but not alternating sides. she ended up having probs with her milk supply on one side and was lopsided more than usual. 

also u dont want to have too much milk and deal w engorgement.

 medela has a chat line if u wantd to get info from a LC.

 GL Mama!! 

tlxh7

KahlansMom:

She normally eats like a champ, and she had only lost 5 oz. when my milk came in so I'm not worried about jaundice.  The pediatrician actually said she had some of the best color she'd ever seen, her jaundice screening was so low it was barely on the chart.  But what the hey, like PP said, it's impossible to get a 3 day old on a schedule anyway, I'm wakin her up.    I miss her beautiful blue eyes.

 One more thing, I've been trying for 30 minutes and I can't figure it out and I feel like a wee-tard, but how in the world do I update/change my siggy?  Geez la weez, I bet it's super easy too, I just can't remember how I got to it when I originally signed up.  Thanks Ladies!   

Jaundice doesn't always have to do with color - Lila had great color and ended up under bili lights for about 8 hours.

Changing your sig: click on your screen name, then choose "change my avatar and sig."

Also, I realize you were just being flip, but the bolded is really offensive.  There are many other terms you can use that aren't.

kathrnn

Personally, I never followed a schedule with my daughter. I follow her cues and feed on demand, and have not had any issues so far.

Plus, I would not worry about pumping. Next time you find yourself in this situation you can always pump for 5 minutes or so to relieve some of the engorgement. A pump is not as efficient as your LO and will not completely "empty" your breast, like she would, so no need to worry about there not being enough. You may end up just pumping the foremilk and leaving mostly hindmilk (which is fattier and more filling) for her.

hsal

kathrnn:

Personally, I never followed a schedule with my daughter. I follow her cues and feed on demand, and have not had any issues so far.

Plus, I would not worry about pumping. Next time you find yourself in this situation you can always pump for 5 minutes or so to relieve some of the engorgement. A pump is not as efficient as your LO and will not completely "empty" your breast, like she would, so no need to worry about there not being enough. You may end up just pumping the foremilk and leaving mostly hindmilk (which is fattier and more filling) for her.

All of this. I NEVER woke my LO up to feed, not even in the hospital, and I had NO issues whatsoever with my supply. LO is EBF'd.and was back to her birthweight within a week.  The nice thing about working around her schedule, instead of every 2/3 hours is that she got used to sleeping longer spurts.  The first night home, at 3 days, she slept from 10 pm until 4 am and at just over 6 weeks she consistently sleeps from 8/9pm until 5 am. Im not guarenteeing your LO will do the same but that was my experience!

And dont worry about pumping right now! Feed LO and your body will adjust! the first day or 2 after my milk came in were terrible but my dr said if I pumped Id be telling my body to keep producing that much which would keep leading to engorgement.  Use some ice packs, take a warm shower.. it will get better!

SweetyPy17

MWoodside:

I she back to her birth weight?  If not, I'd wake her.

There is no possible way to get a 3 day old on a schedule though, like the other poster was suggesting. 

This,  I also had to wake Sam since she had jaundince. Good luck!

KahlansMom

tlxh7:

KahlansMom:

She normally eats like a champ, and she had only lost 5 oz. when my milk came in so I'm not worried about jaundice.  The pediatrician actually said she had some of the best color she'd ever seen, her jaundice screening was so low it was barely on the chart.  But what the hey, like PP said, it's impossible to get a 3 day old on a schedule anyway, I'm wakin her up.    I miss her beautiful blue eyes.

 One more thing, I've been trying for 30 minutes and I can't figure it out and I feel like a wee-tard, but how in the world do I update/change my siggy?  Geez la weez, I bet it's super easy too, I just can't remember how I got to it when I originally signed up.  Thanks Ladies!   

Jaundice doesn't always have to do with color - Lila had great color and ended up under bili lights for about 8 hours.

Changing your sig: click on your screen name, then choose "change my avatar and sig."

Also, I realize you were just being flip, but the bolded is really offensive.  There are many other terms you can use that aren't.

 

I am really sorry if I offended anyone.  I guess I just forgot I was talking to strangers, and not my close friends who know I'm kidding.  I honestly apologize if I offended anyone on here.

And fyi, I woke her up, it only took a couple strokes of her head and she ate like she was starving.  Now shes peacefully snoozing next to me all swaddled up and perfect.  No harm, no foul in my opinion.

kacelle

MWoodside:

I she back to her birth weight?  If not, I'd wake her.

There is no possible way to get a 3 day old on a schedule though, like the other poster was suggesting. 

This.  DD got back to her birth weight within the first couple of days, so the pediatrician told me at her one week appointment that I could stop waking her to eat.  Before that, I was told not to let her go more than 4 hours between feedings.  

I feed entirely on demand now.  I'm not too keen on trying to force a schedule on a tiny baby. 

lindsay.lou

I typically say "never wake a sleeping baby" ... but I don't think this applies until 3-4 weeks. A newborn needs to eat every 2-3 hours, period. (Tempting as it may be to let them sleep!)