Waking 3wk old to feed at night? Or leave

[pollyr01]

My dc3 is 2.5 wks old. She was a big baby (9 12) but initially lost weight due to feeding issues. Tongue tie diagnosed and she's now been snipped - have also been topping her up with bottle as she couldn't latch properly. She's putting on lots of weight now. My issue is this: she's always slept well soft and simply doesn't wake much at night. I'm told by midwives/health visitors to wake her every 4 hrs for a feed at night given her age etc - but it's easier said than done; it can take an hour just to get her awake enough to feed properly...and is making me even more exhausted!
Given there is plenty of 'output' (wet and dirty nappies), should I leave it till she actually wakes up of her own accord? (And count my blessings...)

[pollyr01]

Oh and she's fed in demand in day but works out every 3/4 hours...

[thisismypassword]

I'd wake a baby of that age to dream feed. They lose weight too quickly.

[DangerMouth]

I wouldn't personally. Dd2 was going 6 hours at this age. I was expressing so had to wake up but it was bliss her sleeping!

Sadly at 6 months she's awake for freaking hours now at night the little brat

[YeahNotTooBad]

Mine was a 10lb + baby and some nights I simply couldn't wake her to feed. She wouldn't have it and wanted to stay asleep! I just stopped bothering in the end and took her lead. She always let me know when she was ready for a feed.

[pollyr01]

yeah I feel the same way - I wonder if she is larger she is more capable for going for longer? She's just SO not interested at night when I'm waking her it's a freaking nightmare as each night feed (2 of 'em) lasting 1.5 hours including waking up. I have to strip her, tickle her, our lights on, change nappy etc and all she wants to do is sleep!! I figure ill get more down her if she really wants it?

[YeahNotTooBad]

Mine would just purse her lips and turn her head away. Trust your instinct. I just instinctively knew she was alright and just wanted to be left alone to sleep.

I think bigger babies are able to take on more at feeds which helps them go longer.

The day she was born she fed on me for about eight hours straight and then slept all through the night!

[nelliestar]

Google dream feed. You don't need to wake her to do it.
Good luck!

[pollyr01]

It's dc3 - so have dream fed the other 2 (with mixed success tbh!)....will try again tonight though, an idea....

[Diddlydokey]

Not a chance would I be waking a sleeping baby!

[RavioliOnToast]

I would leave her, I'd wake if she was going around 7/8 hours but she'll wake and let you know if she's hungry

[user1458073802]

I personally wouldn't. My daughter slept for a straight 4/5 hours every night from being 2 weeks old. I was told to wake her every 3 hours at the latest if she hadn't got up herself but she would just end up grumpy & wouldn't eat so it was pointless. She ate a lot during the day, probably so she could have a longer sleep at night. She didn't lose any weight & is a lot happier because I let her tell me when she needs feeding rather than forcing her. She's now 4 months old, sleeps between 8-10 hours at night & is such a jolly baby. Loves her sleep as much as her mother!

[pollyr01]

user sounds very similar. Thank you !

[gunting]

I'd leave her. My son was big too (10lb6) and slept lots when he was first born. I left him to it and at about 5 weeks he learnt to load up on food to sleep.

[Hellohellohowareyou]

As long as she continues to gain weight and is feeding sufficiently during the day then I wouldn't wake her, I was advised the same by one HV when DD started sleeping 10 hours at night, then when I mentioned it to my usual HV she told me to trust my instincts and as long as weight gain was fine and she was having enough wet nappies then she obviously didn't need the night feed! Guess which HV I listened to

[suspiciousofgoldfish]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Congrats on having a good sleeper this early!

Agree with the PPs, unless there is concern about her weight gain I wouldn't bother waking.

Dream feeding worked for us but not all little ones get on with it.

You've probably got more experience than your HVs with three babies, I would just do what feels right.

I've hardly ever seen the same HV twice and some of them give me the most irrelevant advice, they have to give out standard advice to everyone of course. Sometimes you just have to listen politely and then do what you like.