How long to let 8 week old sleep for.

[Chickenfillets]

My 8week old ds currently sleeps from around 10/11pm until 4/5am. I always have to wake him up for his last night feed, as from 8pm he's always fast asleep, takes me a good half hour to wake him up, but now a few people have been telling me to let him sleep through from his 7/8pm feed. Is this ok to do? Im worried that he may sleep too long without having a feed. Either that or he will wake up about 2/3am and that's not something id be too happy about I know I'm very lucky that he sleeps through already and I'm happy enough to keep it this way, but is it really necessary to wake him?

[Diamondsandpears]

Bump for you. No advice but nice to hear your DS sleeps well

[BeautifulBatman]

Is he alert/happy/filling nappies during the day? If his weight is fine and all the other things are happening, I wouldn't wake him. A sleep is as good as a feed. I'm a firm believer in that. It worked for my nan and her 13 children.....

[Hero1callylost]

Mine was like this. Just go with it and enjoy the sleep!

[humlebee7]

At that age I'd just leave him if he's putting on weight fine.

[icklekid]

You could try and see what time they do wake- would they take a dream feed so you don't need to wake fully but they shouldn't wake up any earlier? !

[nottheOP]

Do you have to wake him up to feed? From 10 weeks we dream fed so we'd pick him up and stick the bottle in his mouth and he'd take the feed. I think you can do the same with a Boob but not sure.

He's likely to be going to 4 because of the 11pm feed as it's unlikely to be habit yet.

[cleoteacher]

I had this with my dd. I stopped doing the 10/11 feed at this stage and she slept through until 6/7. I was worried about it but increased the number of feeds I was giving her during the day to compensate so she wAs having the 6 feeds she should be having.

It's trial and error really. I would leave the 10/11 feed tonight and see what happens. If she wakes at 2/3 then you know she needs the 10/11 feed. Like you I would rather do the 10/11 feed than a feed in the middle of the night. If she sleeps through then increase the number of feeds in the day. Personally I would rather feed lots during the day so I have a good nights sleep. I still do this with dd and she's 16 weeks.

But, you need to keep an eye on her weight. If it continues on the right track when you aren't feeding her at 10/11 then fine but if she starts to drop weight or not piton enough go back to the 10/11 feed.

[stressbucket1]

I think we carried on with the 11pm feed until we weaned but it depends how much they are having in the day. That sounds like a great routine with an 8 week old I would be tempted to carry on as you are

[lexyloub]

Wake him in the day but never at night, I used to wake mine after 3 hrs in the day but left them as long as they could at night. If he's hungry he'll wake himself

[Artandco]

I would keep the 11pm feed, mainly as I would rather they extend the 11-5am feed to 11-7/8am. Compared to 8pm -4/5am

[coolaschmoola]

My dd slept through from 10pm to 6am from 5 weeks. She cluster fed from 6pm to 10pm, every 45 - 60 mins every evening though which was clearly her filling herself up for the night.

She gained weight steadily and was fine. I was always told never wake a sleeping baby if they are otherwise healthy, they will wake when they are hungry.

When I was pregnant I never had a sleepless night - she'd be lively all evening and the minute I lay down in bed and it went dark she was quiet until about 7am. As long as she wasn't hungry she was the same after birth.

[Chickenfillets]

He doesn't really sleep through the day just has 10 minute naps here and there. He was born 8lb8 and was weighed two week ago at 11lb1 so is putting on weight really good. I think I'll just try leave him tonight, if he wakes during the night I'll go back to my old routine. Thanks for the advice

[Chickenfillets]

Oh and he is always very alert, always happy and give cute smiles and has a lot of wet nappies.

[BeautifulBatman]

You lucky lucky thing!!! At least try it for one night and don't wake him.

[lexyloub]

Chicken I'm the opposite I'd leave the 11pm feed out he seems to be in a good routine now going down about 7/8ish if he does wake at 3 for a feed then goes back down til morning I'd ride it out eventually that 3am feed will turn to 4am then 5am then 6am etc. Long term advantages your dc will be used to going to bed at a reasonable time giving you your evenings back and won't be expecting a feed. If your only getting up once in the night with an 8wk old that's fantastic but look at the long term rather than short term benefits of the good bedtime routine you've got him in.

[Elledouble]

Just to give the other side of the argument - I was letting my son (10weeks) sleep through the night, but when he was weighed last week for the first time in four weeks (whoops) he'd fallen right down the centiles - he'd gained weight but only a tiny bit. The BF counsellors told me quite sternly that I should be waking him at 1 or 2am for a feed. Not what I wanted to hear

[StarlightMcKenzee]

Let him sleep, but try and cram some extra feeds in during the day.

[Chickenfillets]

Well he had his last bottle at 7:30 last night, fell asleep about 8:30. Had a full 7oz, normally has 5/6.... Then woke up this morning at 5:30 and has just finished another full 7oz so I'm quite happy with that

[Anotheroneofme]

Yay congrats:)

[BeautifulBatman]

Yay!

[lexyloub]

That's brilliant

[coolaschmoola]

Fabulous.

[Chickenfillets]

Another quick question, is 7oz 5 times a day enough? Then sleeps all night?

[BeautifulBatman]

Plenty. Of course it different for each baby but a rough calculation of 2.5oz per lb of baby Wright is a good guide.

[BeautifulBatman]

Wright?? Weight!