Sleep/awake patterns

[ProudFTMum]

I might be completely overthinking things here..I have a 2wo DS who was born four weeks early - he is eating really well and putting on weight - he’s exceeded his birth weight by day 11! However, he doesn’t always wake for feeds, and also tends to drop back off to sleep straight after his tummy is full. Is this normal or should I be concerned? He spends very little time awake and alert - it’s just for his nappy change and feeding mostly, then he’s back to sleep straight away. I feed him on demand as and when he wakes (if he does) but I never leave him without a feed for longer than 4 hours.

I’m a FTM so any insight or advice is much appreciated!

If health professionals are happy with his weight and he's got plenty of dirty and wet nappies leave him sleep, it's normal for a newborn.

My DD was born 4 weeks early too and was very sleepy for the first 4-6 weeks. I was advised to wake her every 4 hours if she hadn’t woken herself which she never did - she started wanting 3 hourly feeds when she had ‘woken up’ more at about 6 weeks. Prem babies tend to be sleepier in the first few weeks IMO.

What was his birth weight? My DD was only 3lb 9oz which is why I had to wake her every 4 hours so might be worth speaking to your HV to see what they suggest.

He was born 2440grams (I believe that’s 5lb 5oz), went down to 2320g but by day 11 he was up to 2500g exactly! I have been doing the same, not letting him go longer than 4 hours if he doesn’t wake up. Initially he happily slept through his hunger but he actually started waking now so we are feeding more on demand - still sticking to the 4 hours though in case he doesn’t actually wake up.

I was thinking the same, that maybe the fact he was early means he needs more sleep to catch up on his development as technically he’s not meant to be here yet - I was just concerned as I have no frame of reference and I was worried he should be more alert and staying awake for longer periods rather than just sleep, eat, than straight back to sleep again.