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Original poster

When to stop waking breastfed baby for night feeds?

19 replies

Poppypopkins · 26/09/2023 11:04

I wasn’t sure where to post so apologies if this isn’t the correct board.
I have a 4 week old baby who is exclusively breastfed. When he was born he was very sleepy and I had to wake him every 2 hours for feeds at the suggestion of my midwife. He is much better in the day time and will let me know when he is hungry so I no longer need to wake him during the day.
However at night he doesn’t make it clear he is hungry so I continued to wake him every 2-3 hours to feed. He doesn’t ever cry so I have no prior warning. If I didn’t wake him I think he would sleep the night without a feed which I know isn’t safe at this stage.
My older child slept through at 6 weeks old having his last feed at 11pm and waking at 6-7am. He was bottle fed which I know makes a difference.
When would you recommend I stop waking baby for feeds and let him chose when he is hungry? I will be going to my local clinic on Friday so I will of course get professional advice, but I’m wondering from other breastfeeding mums what you did as I’m admittedly a breastfeeding novice. TIA

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 26/09/2023 11:05

When they’re back to birth weight you can stop waking them to feed. By 4 weeks you’ll be there so… tonight!

ShirleyPhallus · 26/09/2023 11:06

Oh and it’s definitely safe to let him sleep the night at this stage. Let him wake you when he’s hungry.

(unless he was very premmie or other health issues)

HippeePrincess · 26/09/2023 11:09

Do you think you misunderstood the midwife? Did she not just mean every 2 hours in the day and possibly 4 hours overnight until baby regained birthweight and or wasn’t jaundiced?
It’s not normal to be waking a healthy baby to feed past the sleepy stage/birthweight regained point.
Yes I breastfeed all 3DC exclusively, I was never given advice to wake them beyond them being very sleepy in the first few days nor to feed 2 hourly in the day to be honest.
I’ve always gone enough wet and dirty nappies rule = enough milk.

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Original poster
Poppypopkins · 26/09/2023 11:10

Thank you both, he’s more than birth weight he’s gained 3lb! Reassuring to hear it’s safe now, he doesn’t always want a full feed anyway and prefers to cluster feed through the day so I’m sure he’s getting enough milk to keep him full.

OP posts:
Original poster
Poppypopkins · 26/09/2023 11:12

She was insistent that breastfed babies are hungrier as they digest the milk quicker so 2 hourly feeds with a max of 3 hours for day and night until introducing solids. I did think it was far fetched but having no experience of breastfeeding I assumed this was correct.

OP posts:
HippeePrincess · 26/09/2023 12:10

Gosh no, it can be normal for them to want to feed this often at times but it’s recommended to feed on demand not on a schedule. I would flash this with maternity services as this is incorrect information they’re telling people and could lead to women not breastfeeding because of it.

DangerFrog · 26/09/2023 12:43

If you're happy that he's gaining weight then I'd let him sleep. Looks like you've got 2 good sleepers - lucky you!

I had to wake my oldest to feed him when the midwife put us on a 4 hourly feed cycle, but that was only until he regained his birth weight. Plenty of on-demand feeds through the day/evening and he gained weight perfectly. He's now 15, 6 foot+, eats us out of house and home, and sleeps for hours 😂.

I've breast-fed 3 babies and they were all fabulous sleepers so I was never convinced that the bottle feeding improved sleep. Anecdotally, me and my sisters were breast-fed, all slept well. DH was bottle fed and refused to sleep. I suspect genetics and/or luck have more to do with it than feeding method.

Justgonefishing · 26/09/2023 12:45

I would have gone even more insane if I had to continually wake up every 2 hrs at night!!! You need your sleep too!

Justgonefishing · 26/09/2023 12:48

Reading what you wrote above, ie. That this needs to continue until you are introducing solids, I’m certain this can’t be correct and I think you haven’t heard her right as that would mean another 6 months of waking yourself and baby up every 2 hrs!!!

Freezingcoldinseptember · 26/09/2023 12:48

Tell he you will ring her to come feed him then! 2 of mine slept from 2 weeks old. 1 is now well over 6 foot.

Bookish88 · 26/09/2023 12:50

Poppypopkins · 26/09/2023 11:12

She was insistent that breastfed babies are hungrier as they digest the milk quicker so 2 hourly feeds with a max of 3 hours for day and night until introducing solids. I did think it was far fetched but having no experience of breastfeeding I assumed this was correct.

Until introducing solids?! No, she's definitely got that very wrong...

OneMoreCookieMonster · 26/09/2023 13:03

As others have said once they have regained their birth weight, let them sleep. Rule 1 - never wake a sleeping baby! Baby will let you know when it's time for a night feed.

It's normal for them to cluster feed during the day to stock up on calories and during growth spurts.

Mine is mixed fed and went from every 3 hrs during the night to 3 x a night, to 2 x and now at 16 wks we have one wake up after about 6 hours ish and db has even slept through on a couple of occasions.

Treat yourself to some sleep! It may take a few days for your supply to even out as well. You may get leaky again for a couple of days, during the longer sleeps.

OnGoldenPond · 26/09/2023 13:06

DD was a big baby at nearly 9lb at birth. She took to breastfeeding well and never went below her birth weight, putting on weight hand over fist from the start. Always alert and happy in the day.

However, she slept through the night for up to 7 hours at a stretch right from birth. When the midwife asked how many times she fed at night I told her never, she had always slept through. Cue much concern on her part as she tried to insist that I must wake her and feed her every 3 hours throughout the night as "she's probably too weak to cry!"Confused

This was a baby putting on loads of weight and holding firmly to 95th centile who was as we spoke crying very loudly for a feed!

I ignored her. DD has somehow survived to adulthood.

OP, unless a baby is small, prem or has other health concerns you can rest assured that a baby will let you know in no uncertain terms if they are hungry! No way should you be waking a sleeping baby who is thriving and putting on a healthy amount of weight. Your baby seems to have got this sleeping business cracked and all this waking her at night could be setting up artificial sleep problems.

Let her sleep and thank your lucky stars that you have a healthy baby who sleeps! Smile

(note: this is no smug mummy boast, DS was a completely different story, he didn't sleep through for a year! Shock)

Esssa · 26/09/2023 13:09

I'd say now. Over birth weight is the usual cut off. If it'd make you feel better just start extending how long you leave him between night feeds. 3 hours, 3.5, 4. At some point he will start waking up and then you can just follow his lead.

Notagains · 26/09/2023 13:15

Poppypopkins · 26/09/2023 11:12

She was insistent that breastfed babies are hungrier as they digest the milk quicker so 2 hourly feeds with a max of 3 hours for day and night until introducing solids. I did think it was far fetched but having no experience of breastfeeding I assumed this was correct.

Are you in the UK.
That is very strange advice. I can understand it if the baby has jaundice and is unusually sleepy, underweight or has health issue. But if everything is well then let him tell you when he is hungry.

Sprogonthetyne · 26/09/2023 13:27

I stopped once they had regained their birth weight, at maybe a week. But mine were both very good at waking me

Wrongsideofpennines · 26/09/2023 13:36

Heck no not for 6 months! If he has gained 3lb then stop now and let him wake you. He will wake you when he needs it.

And the thing about bottle fed babies sleeping better is a myth. Unfortunately it continues and I imagine puts some people off breastfeeding. Particularly with the advice that for the first 6 months you need to be setting an alarm to wake every 3 hours.

HerMammy · 26/09/2023 14:06

Going by her advice you'll be feeding every two hours for 6 months!!
You'll be exhausted, very odd advice.

Original poster
Poppypopkins · 26/09/2023 16:48

Thank you everyone I really appreciate the reassurance as I’ve been so nervous this time. The midwife brought it up as he was such a sleepy baby he barely opened his eyes until nearly a week old and then only woke for a few minutes at a time. He’s absolutely fine now but when she signed me off she said to continue waking him and the health visitor agreed so I didn’t like to question it. I completely see why women give up breastfeeding or don’t bother at all with false information circulating. I didn’t produce milk with my first son so I’m still learning this time and sadly haven’t had any real support from professionals.

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