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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Is feeding every 4 hours enough for a newborn?

21 replies

likessleep · 09/04/2009 12:46

My sisters baby is 6 days old and born three and a half weeks early.
Her DD is very sleepy and she was waking her every 3 hours to feed her. Her MW is concerned baby isn't getting enough rest (as it's taking an hour and a half to feed, burp, change nappy and then resettle) and has advised every 4 hours for feeds, which my sister is now doing. I am concerned I am sticking my oar in, but have suggested to my sister that she may need to feed more frequently to stimulate supply. She thinks every 4 hours is working for them and her dd actually woke just before the 4 hour thing last night.
Obviously 'demand feeding' isn't right at the moment as her dd is so sleepy.
I just wondered what others thought - thanks

OP posts:

georgimama · 09/04/2009 12:54

I'd be concerned that the baby is sleepy because he isn't feeding enough, espacially as prem. Demand feeding was the only way for me to get adequate supply. I'd be far more concerned about the baby getting adequate feeding that adequate sleep.

How much weight has the baby lost?

Original poster

likessleep · 09/04/2009 12:57

9%, but she had tongue tie (which is now solved), so was supplemented for 2-3 days with formula/expressed milk as she wasn't latching on.
her latch is now really good and positioning and she is feeding well.
so difficult, my mum thinks i shouldnt say anything as sister is very relaxed about it all. and i am known for being interfering! i have said that i think she should feed more often, which my sister is going on 4 hours as it is "working for them".
maybe i should leave them to it.

OP posts:

Original poster

likessleep · 09/04/2009 12:58

she's being weighed again tomorrow. i think i may leave until then and then suggest she feeds more often is weight isn't increasing.
i've sent a kellymom link to my mum.

OP posts:

foxytocin · 09/04/2009 13:01

every 4 hrs is not enough for any new born baby. your sister needs to keep this baby skin to skin as much as possible and to feed at least every 3 hrs during the day and every 5 hrs at night.

when the baby is feeding, she can also try 'breast compression'. look at google and in MN archives for it and also go to drjacknewman.com to see videos of it in action.

great to have a sister who can stick her oar in when it is necessary.

georgimama · 09/04/2009 13:01

Good idea to show her kellymom link, you can just guess where the MW is going next with this - cut BF down to 4 hourly, and then advise her to top up with formula because the milk "obviously" isn't good enough quality.

ilikeyoursleeves · 09/04/2009 13:03

My DS was born at 38 weeks and was 5lb 10oz, dropping to 4lb 12 I think. I was advised to feed him every two hours at the start (first few days) as he was so tiny and sleepy that he would have just slept through feeding times. I made a real effort to wake him up and keep him awake while feeding, this seemed to work as he then rapidly put on weight. Plus it helped my supply too. I would think 4 hours for a prem baby isn't enough. See how his weight is tomorrow but I would think she needs to feed more, what's important is that her baby gets enough for, not that 'it's working for them' really at this stage. HTH.

Original poster

likessleep · 09/04/2009 13:10

i've shown my mum the kellylink site, not my sister, as i feel like i am interfering. my mum thinks to wait until tomorrow, to see how her weight is then.
it upsets me to read your posts, as i agree with them all, but know my sister is getting 'advice' from all angles. i've said that mws aren't the best with bf advice.
it's so difficult to know when to say something and when not to isn't it.

OP posts:

Original poster

likessleep · 09/04/2009 13:22

ps thanks so much for advice. i am going to see what her weight is like tomorrow and then say it then if she's lost more.

i know i should say it now, but i feel like i keep making 'suggestions' and i have said already that i didn't think 4 hours was enough at this stage, but maybe to go to 3 hours in the day.

she obviously doesn't know how long i spend on mnet to know this info

OP posts:

ilikeyoursleeves · 09/04/2009 13:29

How would your sister be if you showed her this thread? There's nothing bad you've said, you are just a concerned auntie!

Original poster

likessleep · 09/04/2009 13:36

yeah, i will do. to be fair, i've said it once to her, in fact twice i think, so it isn't like i've said nothing at all.

i have to step back a little now though i think. i'll suggest going to a breastfeeding clinic just as a matter of course, as i'm sure breastfeeding counsellors will say what everyone here has said on this thread and she may be more 'convinced' by them.

OP posts:

gingerninja · 09/04/2009 13:47

My newborn got herself into a four hour pattern almost immediately and was back up to her birth weight after 10 days after dropping just under 10 percent. I have just gone with it as she seems happy and content and is growing. She is quite alert though which is different and she was born at 41 weeks so I can't advise on a premmie. If the baby is putting on weight and is feeding well is it a problem? I don't know.

Original poster

likessleep · 10/04/2009 16:26

It's difficult isn't it, if they are putting on weight, then yeah I agree, all is fine and dandy. But I thought the first couple of weeks were crucial to feed often, to establish breastfeeding.

Anyhow, my niece has been weighed and has put on an ounce since Wednesday, so my sister is continuing with 4 hourly feeds. I'm not saying any more, I asked whether she is going to feed more regularly and she said no. I am going to leave it now, which is difficult to do for me, but I've said what I think, it's obviously up to her now.

Interfering auntie is keeping schtum!!

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Tryharder · 10/04/2009 17:19

Further to previous posts, I had a friend who imposed a 4 hourly routine on her breastfed newborn son. He was quite a "good" baby and was happy to be fobbed off with a dummy between feeds.

But by the age of 4 months, his weight gain was hugely inadequate (I remember being secretly shocked by his appearance, he was really, really skinny and tiny after being a "bonny" baby initially) and the HCPs inevitably advised my friend to go down the ff/early weaning route.

Original poster

likessleep · 10/04/2009 18:18

Tryharder - your post makes me so sad, I totally agree with you. To think my sis will be in same situation upsets me so.

OP posts:

tiktok · 10/04/2009 18:46

likessleep, things may be ok. Four hourly feeds for a newborn are very unusual, and most babies need far more than this...the risk with actually imposing 4 hrs is that it appears to work for a while but fails to calibrate the milk production and supply, and there are problems later on. All new babies need to be close to the breast and for their early feeding cues to be responded to. Some laid back babies do not make very clear feeding cues and seem content to sleep - conserving energy, perhaps.

This baby's weight seems to be rising, which is good. I hope the baby starts demanding more milk, though, and that your sis responds and doesn't think it means she has to supplement with formula.

Original poster

likessleep · 10/04/2009 19:15

thanks tiktok, it's reassuring to hear your view. i am sure my niece will start 'waking up' soon and will be permanently attached to my sister. i guess either that will happen or her weight will start to drop and she will reassess then anyway.

i do hope she starts demanding more milk soon too. good news is that the latch is very good apparently and my sis is only experiencing a bit of discomfort at the beginning of each feed.

thank you for posting.

OP posts:

babyboos · 11/04/2009 00:32

we were a four hourly feed with absolutely no ill effects in fact 95%ile at 26 weeks when started weaning via BLW

MadamDeathstare · 11/04/2009 01:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nooka · 11/04/2009 07:02

My ds was two weeks early, but 6lbs 11oz, so a decent size. He fed every four hours from birth - not my doing at all, I just realized very early on that that was his pattern. I had a c-section, and was very sacred of moving at all whilst in hospital so he spent his first three days on my chest. I'm sure he would have fed if he had wanted to! When he did feed he was very serious about it. He is now coming up 10 and still has the biggest appetite dd on the other hand fed frequently and it felt like she was always at the breast, something I didn't appreciate at all.

doulalc · 11/04/2009 11:28

Odds are baby will start to wake more and want to be fed more often. Remind your sister to watch for hunger cues....waiting for crying means the cues were missed and possibly a few more feeds in a day were missed because of it.
Generally newborns should be fed about every 2-3 hours....more so if they show that they are hungry. You won't overfeed a breastfed baby, but you can underfeed them.
Look at weight gain and what the output is. At this age "rule of age" has passed and your sister should be getting at least 6-8 wet nappies a day, with some bowel movements. BMs should have transitioned by now as well.
If her latch and sucking patterns are good, she is moving the milk efficiently, and your sister feels a good supply is being established, all may be just fine. Just something to keep an eye on.

Original poster

likessleep · 11/04/2009 17:30

thank you for posting, it's appreciated.

OP posts:

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