waking babies to feed them?

SpartanChick88 · September 2010

I've heard that it is suggested that you wake a baby every two hours or so to feed them. What is the logic behind this? As far as I'm concerned, if a baby is hungry, they will wake up and ask to bed fed. If they are sleeping, let them sleep!!! Thoughts?

ambermum5 · September 2010

I don't post here often but I did. With DS I woke him every 4 hours, if I didn't he would had just slept straight through and would have gone without eating which would have caused him to lose weight which obviously isn't good. It's what works for you though.

roxyrulz512 · September 2010

the pedi will tell you to wake your LO every 2-3 hours to feed them if they havent yet met their birth weight ( some LO's leave the hospital weighing less than when they were born ) Once my son was back up to his birth weight we didnt have to wake him any more

wife1014 · September 2010

Unless my baby is of low birth weight or not gaining enough, I will not wake a baby to feed.

Mama_SAS · September 2010

I never woke DS to feed him. He started sleeping through around 7 weeks and so we just fed him before bed and when he woke up.

hayatiggs · September 2010

I can only say that each baby is different. I'm sure that if your ped. tells you to wake to feed, then there's a good reason, but I'm no ped.

mom2amelia · September 2010

we only woke Amelia up to eat during the day. Our pedi said every 3 hours during the day but not to wake her at night. Worked for us! She was sleeping throught the night at 3 weeks old!

SpartanChick88 · September 2010

Well shoot, that explains things! This made zero sense to me but regaining birth weight definitely clears it up. Thanks, ladies! It really does help to have experienced moms around to help out on the stuff that seems far fetched!

SuperThat1006 · September 2010

Ask your pediatrician, but if you get in 8-12 feedings during the day, you should be fine.

Babies will lose some weight initially because milk doesn't come in.

mom2hay · September 2010

I never woke my daughter up and won't with this baby either unless a reason arises to do so.

J+MS · September 2010

It depends on if you're FF'ing or BF'ing... FF babies can go 4 or 5 hours...BF babies eat more often and the first week, you need to be establishing a supply, etc.

SpartanChick88 · September 2010

J+MS:
It depends on if you're FF'ing or BF'ing... FF babies can go 4 or 5 hours...BF babies eat more often and the first week, you need to be establishing a supply, etc.

Ah ha! I get that...

BabyS2008 · September 2010

I wouldn't, unless the baby is a preemie and needs to put on weight. DS STTN at 6.5 weeks and I never woke him to eat (BTW...my perfect, STTN angel stopped STTN at 10 months when he started daycare...totally sucked!!). He ate PLENTY when he was awake. My friend, who's daughter was born 8 weeks early had to wake her daughter in the night to eat, per doctor's orders.

1CINCYGIRL · September 2010

My son was born at 35 weeks, he didn't have the "hunger reflex" yet(it took about 6 weeks). I had to wake him every 3 hours to feed him. One time I set my alarm for 3 hours later but forgot to turn it on. I woke 5 hours later freaking out-he was still sound asleep. Babies can easily drop their blood sugar and have problems if they dont receive enough. I would check with your ped doctor to see what your baby specifically will need.

saturdaynightdoubletree · September 2010

My theory "Never wake a sleeping baby"...

In the beginning though, it is good to keep the baby's weight in check, and make sure they are getting enough of what they need. Newborns stomachs can only take so much at a time, it's not like they can sleep through a meal and just have double at the next feeding.

Mjmksb04 · September 2010

I always LOL'ed at the "wake them to feed them" idea because my DS never slept more than 3 hours at a time prior to 6 weeks old, so waking him was never an issue.

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