Big baby (three weeks) and night feeds

[timeforgin]

My three week old son was 10lb11 at birth (was not expecting that!). He lost only a little bit of birthweight (about 5%) and though it took until day 14 to get back (and over birthweight) he put on almost 10 ounces between days 10 and 14.

He is still sleepy in the day and I am waking him every three hours to feed between 7 and 7 ish in the day. He is quick (as was my first son, who I fed for 16 months) and can be done within ten minutes but will also take longer feeds of up to about 25 mins. I have a fast letdown which he sometimes gags with.

He has done a couple of long stretches at night - 5 hours at which point I have woken him. However the last few nights he really isn't taking much between midnight and 6/7am - wakes but really just seems to want to be held as opposed to fed; will take 3/4/5 mins (which I guess could be quite a lot) then fall asleep.

Should I be worried? Should I wake him three hourly in the night too? Will this ruin my supply given he is still so small (in age at least!)?

I hope the answer is no but I am doubting myself...

Anyone? TikTok?!

My DC2 Was 10lb 4 at birth and a fast feeder, much quicker than DC1. I also had longer stretches overnight to start with.

I stuck to demand feeding for the most part and didn't wake in the night, thinking that baby had the food stores anyway from being that bit bigger at birth. I wouldn't worry and just stick to what you're doing if you want to stay 3 hourly in the day and get some sleep at night. He'll wake up more if he wants more milk I think.

I would happily feed him more in the day, but is a nightmare often to get him awake enough three hourly! And sometimes he is awake too long - really hard to hit the right window for getting him back to sleep with a toddler. Midwife suggested I leave him 4 hrly in the day if he would take more milk but think this is too long? Tho sometimes we do have a 4hr gap if out and about and he is sleeping / we are running late.

Tbh I was in the same situation with a toddler too, I haven't been able to track times of feeds as much as I did with DC1 and went as far as 4 hours on occasion too. Baby is 4 mo now and going 4 hours pretty consistently. It may be because he's bigger so has a bit bigger tummy and can take more milk and last longer.

It's definitely harder with a toddler too.

Does he wake and cry for milk when you wake him up yourself?

If he is continuing to gain weight

If nappies are still wet and dirty regularly

I wouldn't worry, I don't think... I had a 10+ baby too, iirc he fed less at night than my other (smaller) babies did for 1st 3m. He went for v long stretches at night - his considerable chub kept him going, I think

Was bf as well

Should be when you don't wake him yourself

I virtually always have to wake him three hourly in the day. Often I just unwrap his swaddle and he will wake up and cry and then I feed him.

Perhaps try without the swaddle one time if he'll still settle to sleep and see if he wakes himself, it could be that he's just too comfy

I had large at birth babies x 3, I woke them up regularly during the day to feed and they all slept very long stretches at night from a few days old. Perhaps really is because they have much larger stomachs?

DD was 9 15 and fed approx every 3 hours, day and night, for a couple of months. I never had to wake her, though, and just let her fall into her own routine, which she did.

I don't think it's necessary to wake a baby if they are gaining weight well. I personally prefer to let the baby wake naturally. So I would leave him to it.