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BFing 'on demand' question

VivaAmoreVivaAmore
in Parenting

So what do you do if your baby is a sleeper? Do you hold out until they're ready to eat or wake them up after so many hours so you can establish your supply? If you wake them up at first for supply purposes, how long do you continue with that (a few weeks)?

Mia (6~24~06) & Jillian (6~29~09)
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Re: BFing 'on demand' question

  • JayleaJaylea
    We had to wake DD every two hours for the first week or two. She wouldn't wake up to eat. But this was more to get her to gain.
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  • momintnmomintn
    I have nursed 3 children on demand.  I have never woke them up to eat.  I have always had more than enough milk though...
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  • KoriBrettKoriBrett

    Both of mine were/are chubs so there was never a worry about them sleeping through a feeding. 

    I just let them both sleep and eat as needed, didn't wake them up or anything.  They were both fairly regular about it, though.

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  • KersbearKersbear
    I always let him sleep, but the first 3 weeks I HAD to wake him up every 4 hours during the night because of weight issues.  Other than that I let him sleep.
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  • JennRJennR
    when they are newborn, if they sleep more than about 3 hours, especially during the day, I would wake them up to feed.  Eventually, they'll figure it out and they'll take care of waking to eat without any help from you!  It will also help them to figure out the day vrs night thing if you wake them to eat during the day.
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  • ZenyaZenya member
    I woke him every 2 or 3 hours during the day until my milk was in and I could hear him gulping.  He was peeing a lot, etc.  Basically until I felt like things were good.  Then I let him sleep.  But he never really slept that much during the day (he did sleep all night though so that was good). 
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  • HeidiseanHeidisean member
    I never woke dd up to feed her.  When she was hungry she would wake up but with that said she was a big baby and didn't need to gain wt or anything like that.  It never affected my supple and if you feel really full I would pump a little to relieve yourself and freeze it. 
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  • Maybride2Maybride2 member
    I only had to wake DS up once for a feeding - otherwise, he was awake and wanting to nurse every 2-3 hours like clockwork for the first 2.5 - 3 months.
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  • Mrs.JRFMrs.JRF
    in the first 2-3 weeks, I woke DD to eat. She would often fall asleep while eating so I struggled with that. Then abour the 1 month mark it all worked out and I just fed on demand and it worked great.
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  • LanaMLanaM
    I can only tell you what my friends did, since my kids never slept for more than 30 minutes at a time (even at night J's up every hour-2-3 at best).
    they woke them up to eat every 3-4 hours and let them sleep at night 6 hours or more if babies were gaining weight.
    My cousin's son was not gaining weight at all and she was waking him up to eat every 3 hours around the clock....
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  • VivaAmoreVivaAmore
    Thanks ladies. I just remember Mia being literally unwakeable those first few weeks. I wonder if I had just let her sleep until she was ready, if she would have been a better eater but all I could hear in my mind is the LC saying she needs to eat every 2-3 hours, wake her up (even though I could have dunked her in ice water and she still would have slept!).
    Mia (6~24~06) & Jillian (6~29~09)
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