Let baby wake or put dummy back in?

[PurpleRain25]

Random question! If your baby is starting to fidget and stir in their sleep and you know they are due a feed, would you keep putting their dummy back in so they doze off, or let them just wake up?

My daughter is 13 weeks, great sleeper (still actually asleep from around 10.30pm last night) and she starts stirring and hunting round for her dummy with her eyes still closed, never know if I should just keep giving it to her for her to fall back to sleep or let her wake for an actual feed?

Hoping that makes some sort of sense!

Thanks 😊

Reading it back it almost sounds like I dont want to feed my baby, not the case at all! Lol if she opens her eyes at all I just let her wake up for her feed, I just mean when she is still half asleep and due a feed looking for her dummy 😊

Personally I would put the dummy back in and see if I could lengthen how long she can go between feeds at night (unless there are any weight issues that mean she needs to feed more often). If she’s hungry and wants a feed then she’s unlikely to settle without that feed and if she settles with the dummy I’d think that it’s not a feed she needs but just something to soothe her back to sleep

well, I was going to say put the dummy in, but she is 13 weeks and has gone without a feed from 10:30-9 am?
She needs feeding!

I did do the dummy thing in the night, stretch the time between feeds to encourage them to sleep through, but once it is past about 7am, I would feed.

After all, more feeds during the day usually means fewer at night too

@user1493413286

Personally I would put the dummy back in and see if I could lengthen how long she can go between feeds at night (unless there are any weight issues that mean she needs to feed more often). If she’s hungry and wants a feed then she’s unlikely to settle without that feed and if she settles with the dummy I’d think that it’s not a feed she needs but just something to soothe her back to sleep

Definitely no weight issues (currently around 18lb at 13 weeks!) So I dont think it is a feed she is looking either most of the time. Usually when she does eventually wake, she is happy to lay and just look around for a few mins, even after a good 10 hour sleep!

@steppemum

well, I was going to say put the dummy in, but she is 13 weeks and has gone without a feed from 10:30-9 am? She needs feeding!

I did do the dummy thing in the night, stretch the time between feeds to encourage them to sleep through, but once it is past about 7am, I would feed.

After all, more feeds during the day usually means fewer at night too

I wouldn't even say she is properly waking either though, like quite often even if I don't give her the dummy she will just go back off to sleep herself. Would you wake the baby for a feed in that case?

She is currently about 18lbs at 13 weeks so I'm not at all concerned that she isnt getting enough thankfully! I really think she just loves her sleep lol

Well, mine are all older now, and I do usually roll my eyes at posters who insist on waking up a baby to feed, them. I spent all my time encouraging my babies to sleep!

But for a 13 weeks old, that seems like a huge time between feeds.
If it is normal for her, then she obviously manages to get enough during the day, especially as she is a good weight.

But if this is not normal for her, I would want to be sure that it is genuine sleep, as a poorly baby can present as a sleepy baby.

@steppemum

Well, mine are all older now, and I do usually roll my eyes at posters who insist on waking up a baby to feed, them. I spent all my time encouraging my babies to sleep!

But for a 13 weeks old, that seems like a huge time between feeds.
If it is normal for her, then she obviously manages to get enough during the day, especially as she is a good weight.

But if this is not normal for her, I would want to be sure that it is genuine sleep, as a poorly baby can present as a sleepy baby.

To be fair last night was definitely a longer stretch than usual! Normally she would have a feed around 11.30 and then wake around 7.30.

Shes been sleeping right through since about 8 or 9 weeks so it is fairly normal anyway, and I have no other concerns about her. Has a few naps during the day but definitely wouldn't say she was a sleepy baby during the day, very active and loves a bit of fun! 😊

Also just to add I did mention to the health visitor about her sleep when she was out a couple of weeks ago and she seemed to think it may be a growth spurt, which could be possible I suppose!

Normally she would have a feed around 11.30 and then wake around 7.30.

that is more like what I would expect. 2 of mine slept through from 8 ish weeks too, and fed like this, so it sounds the same.

(one of them did that from 5 weeks, but on baby feeding threads people throw their hands up inhorror if you say a 5 weeks old went 11-7 without a feed )

@steppemum aw that's good, I'm a FTM if you didnt already guess so sometimes it's good to ask the silly questions! Haha

Sound like dream babies if you ask me!

Although I was called bragging on here I will still answer honestly but ds slept through from 8 weeks 6pm to 6 am he had a dummy with him when we put him down then let him sleep we did not give it to him again once he was down, hope this does not upset anyone

@seayork2020
That's helpful, thank you!
Not bragging at all if you are just being honest.

I think the message I would take is:
if she is healthy and gainaing weight, she is eating enough
if you are happy with her sleep pattern, trust yourself
every baby is different, you know your baby best
don't compare, it makes you worry!
if anything changes in her routine and timings, eg if this long sleep was really out of character, THEN double check all is OK.

In the meantime, enjoy having a laid back baby that sleeps well no. 2 might not be so easy

@steppemum
Thank you for your help!