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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Should I wake my baby up?

56 replies

incogneto · 06/05/2019 21:44

My DS is 6 days old and has been asleep since half 6. He drained a 3oz bottle then and went down and hasn't really roused since.

Should I wake him for a feed now? Sorry I'm new to this so I don't really know Sad

OP posts:
Famalamaringwrong · 06/05/2019 21:45

No no no. Never wake a sleeping baby. He's fine dont stress x

StickyBlisteredAnus · 06/05/2019 21:46

I would

AnguaUberwaldIronfoundersson · 06/05/2019 21:46

I think anything up to around four hours is fine for a tiny baby. Just remember to sleep when they do!!!

incogneto · 06/05/2019 21:47

Thanks @Famalamaringwrong I'm just not sure. He's very peaceful right now and don't want to disturb him.

Midwives in the hospital were telling me to wake him every 2 hours to feedConfused

OP posts:
user1493413286 · 06/05/2019 21:47

I would by half ten

incogneto · 06/05/2019 21:48

I wish he would sleep like this during the night. It's as Though he comes alive at nighttime when me and DP go to bed

OP posts:
ferntwist · 06/05/2019 21:48

Yes, the advice I received from all the midwives when DD was newborn is that you mustn’t let them go more than four hours between feeds. If they’re sleeping you should wake them up to feed, as otherwise there’s a risk of their blood sugar dropping too low. One midwife told me that if a newborn baby’s blood sugar falls too low that they will be less likely to have the energy to wake up as their body slows down.
Newborn tummies are tiny so they need to feed little and often.

N0Time · 06/05/2019 21:49

Has he lost much of his birth weight? That would be how I’d decide.

dementedpixie · 06/05/2019 21:49

Has he lost weight/ regained birth weight? I wouldn't let him go over 4 hours at only 6 days old

incogneto · 06/05/2019 21:49

@N0Time he lost 80g so 2.8% I think it was

OP posts:
Fatted · 06/05/2019 21:50

Unless there are health problems, I wouldn't wake them up at night to feed. He's only been asleep about three hours. See how he is in about an hour. Chances are he'll wake up himself wanting fed.

littlemissalwaystired · 06/05/2019 21:50

Babies should have 8-12 feeds in 24 hours. Often babies don't work in a 3 hourly feed routine, so they may cluster feed a bit and then go for longer stretches, but I wouldn't let a newborn that tiny go longer than 4 hours before starting to wake them.

incogneto · 06/05/2019 21:51

I think I'll wake him at 10 for a feed, don't want to leave it too long. I just hope he settles tonight.

He gets terrible wind that we struggle to get up

OP posts:
Reallybadidea · 06/05/2019 21:51

Never wake a sleeping baby.

Why not?

Yes, I would wake him for all the reasons others have given. Hopefully he will have a feed abs then go back for another few hours!

Thatsnotmyotter · 06/05/2019 21:51

What was his weight yesterday? If he hasn’t lost more than 10%, he’ll be fine to go for 4 hours, possibly even up to 6.

Stayawayfromitsmouth · 06/05/2019 21:52

If you're both confident at feeding you could try a dream feed at the 4hr mark. I wouldn't go much past 4hrs at that age. Has he been having lots of feeds and wet nappies throughout the day?

Orchidflower1 · 06/05/2019 21:53

Has your little one woken yet op? I’d give it another 30 min then wake feed if he hasn’t woken by then. That would be four hours. Then after this feed I’d head off to bed yourself ( if you’re not already).

ferntwist · 06/05/2019 21:54

A lot of newborns are lively at night because in the womb that was their active time as you were asleep and lying still. During the day, they would have spent much of the time snoozing as the movement of your body rocked them to sleep.
DS will soon transition to sleeping more during the night, especially if you keep night feeds and changes very quiet and as dark as possible, and day feeds chatty and lively.
Congratulations!

stucknoue · 06/05/2019 21:54

Sorry can't help, mine thought feeds were hourly, 2 hours at a stretch! But they were breastfed and I think it doesn't fill them quite the same.

StickyBlisteredAnus · 06/05/2019 21:54

Just wake him up, what’s the worst that could happen

Orchidflower1 · 06/05/2019 21:55

Re the wind - have you tried rubbing his tummy gently clockwise after he’s eaten. That can help if he’s constipated too.

BertieBotts · 06/05/2019 21:57

Yes at 6 days I would wake him. Change his nappy if he won't feed - feels so mean but they probably need a change anyway. 3oz is a nice big feed for a newborn so I wouldn't be overly concerned but would def wake after 4 hours in the "day" (I'd count 7am - 11pm as "day" at this stage really).

Once he is back up to birth weight I was told you can leave them a bit longer in the night. So I'd do a feed at say 10.30 and then let him sleep as long as he wanted, rather than setting an alarm for 2am. But if he is still regaining that weight or has had any jaundice or other issues it would be best to do that. And obviously if he wakes up offer milk.

SoyDora · 06/05/2019 21:59

My BF 16 week old has been doing 4/5 hour stretches at night since birth. He never lost an oz in weight (had gained 6oz by his 5 day check). Midwife said it was absolutely fine and not to wake him, as he was obviously getting plenty of milk during the day.

pacempercutiens · 06/05/2019 22:09

I was told to make sure to wake every 3ish hours when newborn until back at birth weight

Abetes · 06/05/2019 22:11

I’m in the “never wake a sleeping baby camp”. Mine could easily sleep like that at the age. I would let him sleep.

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