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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

How often does your baby feed?

22 replies

Writerwannabe83 · 10/04/2014 21:21

I have a 3 week old baby who is exclusively breast fed.

I do feed on demand but at the same time I'm also guilty of waking him for feeds because I get anxious about how long babies should be allowed to go in between feeds.

When 3 hours have passed since the end of his last feed I find myself clock watching and getting anxious if he isn't showing signs of waking for another one.

I've had advice not to wake a sleeping baby and I tried to do that this morning but after he'd gone 4.5hours since the end of his last feed and was showing no signs of waking for another my worry got the better of me and I woke him to feed him.

What does everyone else do??

OP posts:

ilovepowerhoop · 10/04/2014 21:23

I did tend to wake (for bottle feeds) during the day as it makes it more likely for them to sleep better at night.

legoballoon · 10/04/2014 21:33

I think it depends a bit on how much your LO is feeding during the day, and how big he is. If he is over 8lbs his tum will be bigger and therefore he might be able to go through for a longer stretch. At the same age though, my DS1 (who must have been about 9 lbs in weight) was feeding once every 2-3 hours in the day, then 7pm, 10pm, 3am and 7am. He seemed to fit a fairly regular pattern.

TBH, I demand fed DS2 far more erratically, just offering the breast whenever he twitched! He was smaller and fed more frequently (about once every 2.5 hours day and night) in the first couple of months. I was far more baby led with him, and if he was napping in the day I wouldn't have woken him for a feed, but then he never went more than 2 hours without waking. In the case of a 3 week old baby sleeping for 4.5 hours in the day, I would probably have cracked and woken him up after 2.5-3 hours and offered a feed.

On this very reputable website, they advise that a young baby be woken to nurse once every 2 hours during the day, and at least once at night.
kellymom.com/ages/newborn/bf-basics/hunger-cues/, which sort of concurs with my own experience.

HTH, and good luck with it - very hard work in the first few months, but so worth perservering.

Original poster

Writerwannabe83 · 10/04/2014 21:49

I just looked at the website and it says to wake them every 2 hours in the day? That sounds exhausting. I use the time he sleeps to catch up on my sleep.

I don't understand why it says they have to be woken every 2 hours in the day but only 4-5 hourly overnight? What's the difference between day and night feeding?

He weights 8lb and 15oz.

When he feeds he typically feed for 20-30 minutes at a time.

OP posts:

AndIFeedEmGunpowder · 10/04/2014 21:59

Writer I think the general rule of thumb is to aim for at least
8 good feeds a day, (more if they are hungry/prem/little/like to feed little and often) so if it's better for you and your DS to do 3 hourly feeds throughout a 24 period, of course that is fine. I think Kellymom is suggesting that you can feed two hourly during the day if you want a longer stretch at night.

Fwiw I think 3 weeks is absolutely the hardest part where feeding is concerned. Once they are 4 weeks old you can let up a bit providing they have regained their birth weight and have no other probs. Though of course be lead by your HV on this.

Promise it all gets easier though.

NoodieRoodie · 10/04/2014 22:00

What's his weight gain like?

How often is he doing "long" sleeps? Is he having one period when he sleeps for 4ish hours, then the rest of the day shorter sleeps so more frequent feeds?

Original poster

Writerwannabe83 · 10/04/2014 22:25

His weight gain is actually very good.

At birth: 8lb 7oz
2 days old: dropped to 7lb 11oz (we had a lot of breast feeding issues)
11 days old: 8lb 5oz - so a gain of 10oz in 9 days
18 days old: 8lbs 15oz - another gain of 10oz in a week.

The weight of 8lbs 15oz was 2 days ago. The HV was just hoping he'd be back up to his birth weight so was really happy that he's actually 8oz over that.

Last night we had the most horrendous colicky night, he was constantly screaming for almost 3 hours.....he was shattered!! He eventually fell asleep and when he hadn't woken again 4 hours later I woke him for a feed. I assumed he'd slept so long because he'd worn himself out. He had a good half hour feed and fell straight back to sleep - I then woke him 4 hours later for a feed as he hadn't stirred himself. I assumed he was still catching up on his sleep. Since that feed he woke up 3 hourly during the day. He had a 30 minute feed at 6.30pm but then I had to wake him again for a feed at 10pm (so 3.5 hours later) where he fed for 20 minutes and fell asleep at the breast.

I'm just a little concerned that he's feeding a little less today and has just been a bit more sleepy.

OP posts:

rosiedays · 10/04/2014 22:58

Hi, how long is he awake between feeds? Is he alert? Wet nappies?

If he's fit and well and gaining weight then it's probably just his natural rhythm. There's a book called the wonder weeks (hopefully someone will know who its by ) talks about how babies needs change week by week. My lo has sleepy days and feeding days :) she seems to grow on sleepy days.
I've always feed on demand or when my boobs tell me it's time :) do what feels right for you.

TheScience · 10/04/2014 23:29

Some days my 5 week old feeds 3 hourly, sometimes hourly. Couldn't tell you how often he feeds at night tbh.

I have always woken after 3 hours in the day time but that is a sleep thing rather than feeding.

tiktok · 10/04/2014 23:35

Babies who are growing well - as yours is - and feeding well - as yours is - don't need to be 'clock watched'. They can be responded to and this often means irregular timings - and that's ok. Most healthy thriving new babies will feed often.

nolongerbumpieorlumpie · 11/04/2014 05:44

I am smiling as I send supportive thoughts as I felt the same but never woke mine. He is now almost 11 weeks and feeding every 2 hours max day and most nights after an initial 4/5 hr stretch!

The difference between night waking is so a. you get more sleep and b. lo starts learning day and night differences.

Try to relax, he is growing well and soon you'll wish you'd left him and he'd sleep longer

Original poster

Writerwannabe83 · 11/04/2014 08:03

He fed every 2.5-3 hours overnight, waking himself each time. He's a little monkey. I think he enjoys watching me getting stressed out

OP posts:

rosiedays · 11/04/2014 08:19

Bless you is he your pfb? :)
Yes they are little monkeys, just when you think you've got them sussed they mix it up again! !!
Try not to stress and just enjoy your baby days. They pass quickly. Xx

rosiedays · 11/04/2014 08:23

Bless you is he your pfb? :)
Yes they are little monkeys, just when you think you've got them sussed they mix it up again! !!
Try not to stress and just enjoy your baby days. They pass quickly. Xx

Original poster

Writerwannabe83 · 11/04/2014 08:45

Yes he is my first and he's super, super precious
Mine seems to want to stock up at night and sleep through the day - lucky me!

OP posts:

rosiedays · 11/04/2014 15:13

Lol they all do that. It's a bf thing. Has been described on here as 'putting their orders in for the next day'
Can you co-sleep? Dd has always fed all night but i have no idea how much as i just slept topless with her under my bingo wing.
The art of womanly breastfeeding is another highly recommend read.

Original poster

Writerwannabe83 · 12/04/2014 01:32

Co-sleeping isn't something I'd feel comfortable doing - I understand it can be done safely and why some women choose to do it, but it's not an option for me.

DS was feeding really well yesterday, every 2.5-3 hours and so when I put him to bed after his 10pm feed I decided not to set a nighttime alarm and to just let him wake when he felt hungry enough to do so. He woke after 2 hours and is feeding now I'm hoping he goes a little longer before his next feed though!

OP posts:

AndIFeedEmGunpowder · 12/04/2014 06:45

Hope your night went well.

Original poster

Writerwannabe83 · 12/04/2014 11:47

He woke up every 3 hours on the dot, 1.20am, 4.20am and 7.20am.

He's now been cluster feeding all morning until he eventually fell asleep at 11.00am.

I know they say you can't over feed a breast fed baby but I just don't know where he's putting it all! It will be interesting to see what his weight is on Wednesday when we have an appointment with the HV

OP posts:

PeaceLillyDoge · 12/04/2014 12:02

I could have written your posts word for word! My LO is five weeks abs at the start was very very sleepy and lost 13% bodyweight. We were told that unless she put on weight fast then she would need to be admitted for review.

We had lots of support and went out and got a breast pump and started on a feeding regime of washing her every three hours for feeds, with one four hour gap over night. All feeds had to be topped up with expressed Breast milk which she managed to eat in her sleep remarkably.

Soon put the weight back on, latch improved and top ups were stopped. Lots of wet and poo'y nappies and baby gradually woke up more.

She now trends to feed along the same pattern although last night she decided to go for 10 minute feeds every hour. This has driven me ever so slightly insane so I've just expressed a load and handed her over to DP so I can get some sleep.

Oh the joys!

legoballoon · 19/04/2014 22:54

Sounds like it's going well. He's feeding regularly, I assume there are wet nappies etc., and you're knackered. All this will pass :)

By 12 weeks, or thereabouts, it'll be 3 hours between feeds but he'll clear both breasts in about 5-10mns apiece, so you won't feel like you're being milked continuously.

for you!

TheScience · 19/04/2014 22:57

No one told my DS he should be doing 10 minute feeds every 3 hours Few babies do as they're "supposed" to.

nolongerbumpieorlumpie · 19/04/2014 23:47

12weeks today, when can I look forward to a 3 hr gap?!!!

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