Do you wake your baby to feed?

[VodkaCranberry2]

I have a seven week old and ever since I have been feeding him every 2-3 hours 3-4oz. The hospital told us at the time to wake him to feed but is that just when they’re new? Baby currently asleep right now after 2 hours and pretty sure he’ll sleep another 2-3. WIBU to leave him until he wakes or do I wake him up? As you can tell I’m a new mum!

[ScarfLadysBag]

Never did after she regained birth weight and was gaining well. Certainly not necessary at seven weeks unless you've had weight gain or feeding issues.

[TeddyIsaHe]

God no! A hungry baby will wake up themselves. Dd slept well from 4 weeks onwards, and I never woke up her (ebf). She just had bigger feeds in the day time. Much more preferable!

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

I used to feed mine on purpose every 3 hours between 7am and 7pm. So I'd wake to feed or lift and feed.

I'd then do the same at 11pm if theyhadbt woke before then.

Any feeds between 11pm and 7am were up to them to wake me.

[BumpBundle]

They told us to wake him up for a feed if he didn't wake up on his own. We didn't and he slept through the night from six weeks onwards. I don't understand how they expect to wake a baby every three hours and then get surprised when they won't sleep through the night. If your baby is hungry then they'll wake up.

[WithIcePlease]

Oh god lord no
I was told this and ignored it
Mine were good sleepers
I read the Ferber book which is probably loathed on MN but this was years ago and he said not to wake a sleeping baby as they need to learn to sleep

[WithIcePlease]

Actually that's not right - I woke mine if they were asleep at about 1130-midnight to give them a feed so I wouldn't be woken in the small hours
Did this until they were 15-16 weeks then just left them to it to sleep through

[Herbie0987]

I had a sleepy baby and was told to let her go no longer than 6 hours, slept through the night from 7 weeks.

[Shmithecat2]

If they've regained any lost weight and are maintaining their centiles, producing wet and solid nappies, and have no other issues etc - HELL NO! Never wake a sleeping baby.

[nameisnotimportant]

Once they've reached their birthweight, then no way! let them sleep at night. In the day however, I didn't let mine nap longer than two hours, so I could get enough day feeds in. I would wake them in the day, then they did their long stretch of sleep at night

[AlpacaGoodnight]

No, I wouldn't do this unless advised by the hospital due to weigh/health conditions. Both of mine were sleeping 12-14 hour stretches by that age and my youngest slept in two 7 hour stretches overnight from birth before that

[MamaDane]

Our twins were born week 34 and obviously had a low birth weight, so until they reached their birth weight as well as their due date, we had to feed them every 3 hours.

But if your baby was born on time, passed his birth weight, which wasn't low, then I don't see why you should wake him up at night unless he's losing weight of course.

It may affect your milk supply (in case you're breastfeeding) however if you don't feed at night.

[Aquamarine1029]

Unless your baby is failing to gain, waking them to feed is ridiculous. A hungry baby will wake themselves and make their needs known quite clearly. I never once asked my children to feed because it wasn't necessary.

[MustShowDH]

I was told this too. Se my mobile alarm to wake me to feed.
If I had another, there is not a chance in hell I would wake a sleeping baby that was otherwise healthy.

[Saracen]

I used to do a "dream feed" when I went to bed, or if I happened to wake in the night, so as to get a longer stretch of sleep for myself before the baby woke up hungry and woke me up.

[caringcarer]

If baby is gaining weight and well it will wake when hungry. I would never wake a sleeping baby in the night. If baby slept for more than 5 hours I might wake during day. All of mine slept well at night and no way would I have woken them up even when breast got really hard with milk.

[LucaFritz]

My DS is breastfed and we co some nights before i go to sleep ill give him a little dream feed and he stays asleep a few hours more because of it but if he's hungry he'll stir slightly and start rooting but id never wake him specifically for a feed even if i was leaking

[Laserbird16]

If there are no concerns about his weight or feeding then let him sleep. He'll wake you up when he's hungry. Unless you're breastfeeding and about to explode and need a comfort feed for your poor boobs.

Get thee to bed yourself and enjoy the sleep

[Whichoneofyoudidthat]

If mine hadn’t woken after their early evening feed, I always fed them before going to bed myself. They all were very easy to ‘dream feed’ though. Best piece of advice I ever got!

[Oysterbabe]

I've never woken one of my children on purpose.

[nasalspray]

I never woke mine. I fed on demand.

[2007Millie]

Hell no
Are you crazy

[HeyDuggeesCakeBadge]

My first DC lost a fair bit of weight when first born and I was really anxious - they told me to feed her every 2 hours and that was every 2 hours from when I started. She took approximately 45 mins to feed so you can imagine what a wreck we both were. It was hell and they have never slept well and they are now 5.

My second I refused to do that, he woke up himself when hungry and slept through from 5 weeks. He did gain weight really quickly though.

[starfish18]

We only had to wake our little boy when he was first born as he had jaundice and would sleep for hours without a bottle...some people wake at a certain time for the night for a dream feed...if ur concerned about what to do ring ur health visitor...any concerns we have we find them very helpful x

[snowybean]

I woke to feed mine until she was a few weeks old (4, I think) as she was born so tiny.

I now only wake her if my boobs are full of milk and I really want to get rid of the discomfort 😅

[Oysterbabe]

What is your baby's weight like? My first was a tiny scrap of a thing who barely slept at all and wanted tiny amounts very regularly. My second was lovely and chunky and would have a big belly full of milk and sleep for hours from day 1.
At 7 weeks the baby will definitely let you know when it needs something.