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Sleep

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Original poster

Would you wake newborn at night?

26 replies

ttcnumber2x · 04/05/2024 01:13

We're on day 6 today and I'm often having to wake my son in the night to feed. Would you do the same?

He's lost only 1.8% of his birth weight so far and was a bit jaundice but below the level for treatment. The jaundice is clearing now. He's exclusively formula fed and is getting a good amount in the day.

Please don't hate me I definitely did not ever have this issue with my son who hated sleep...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Fr7fr6 · 04/05/2024 01:24

I wouldn't unless you've been told to by a medical professional. I regret waking my baby to feed her when she was a newborn, they'll wake soon enough when they need it.

MumOfHals · 04/05/2024 01:26

They say 'wake your newborn if they're still below or at birthweight' - you don't need to wake a sleeping baby at night if they are 'over birthweight' - through the day, wake them if they sleep - but if over birthweight, it's okay to leave them at night. Also helps with their day / night body cycle

Applesandpears23 · 04/05/2024 01:27

Not unless you have been told to. Are they sleeping in the same room as you? Would you hear them if they were awake but not crying loudly?

spannered · 04/05/2024 01:27

Yes I was advised to by all the midwives I saw in the newborn period (my community midwife was on leave so I saw a different one each time!)

Similarly my baby was jaundiced but was just under the treatment line. I was advised to wake her every 2-3 hours overnight to feed her. Feeding is super important to help get rid of jaundice. Jaundice made my girl super sleepy so I would often have to strip her down to a nappy to wake her enough to feed, it was draining but it wasn't forever!

Noyokymum · 04/05/2024 01:32

Absolutely not. Unless underweight for age.

Engaea · 04/05/2024 01:34

Certainly not sooner than a 6 hour stretch.
But I never had this problem with my (beloved) demon babies.
Congrats on the baby OP!

SeriousNotions · 04/05/2024 01:35

No I wouldn’t lift him. I’d probably start to panic if he hadn’t fed for close to 6 hours though.
I remember when I had my first, he was also formula fed. When he was 2 weeks old, we were at a family function. A family member ask if he was almost sleeping though yet. I explained that I was told formula fed babies has to be fed every 4 hours. I would set my alarm for 4 hours from his last feed religiously. Go and prep his bottle and then wake him and encourage home to feed.
all my aunts and mum laughed at me.

he slept for 5 and a half hours. Then cried for his feed. Drank it easily, and went back to sleep.

I never woke him again to feed. He went through times when he was hungrier and fed mor often, but over all he slept through from an early age.

keep an eye on what he’s taking over 24 hours and make sure you don’t let him dehydrate. He sounds like he’s a good weight. I wouldn’t panic when he’s gaining

PoopingAllTheWay · 04/05/2024 01:42

Yes i would.
Or not longer than 5 hours
He is still under his birth weight and is jaundiced

How many ounces is he on in the day? What have you been doing so far?

Bringonthesunforthewashing · 04/05/2024 01:43

Nope

Original poster

ttcnumber2x · 04/05/2024 01:50

Such mixed answers, still not sure what to do moving forwards.

He is a big boy, 9lbs 11oz at birth and lost only 2oz in 5 days.

The amount he feeds is a bit all over the place but the last few days has been an average of 20 oz of formula a day.

NHS guidelines say he should be taking around 22oz in a 24 hour period by the first week of his life based on his weight.

His biggest feeds are during the day and then at night I'm waking him after a longer stretch 4-5 hours and only getting around 2oz a feed in him

OP posts:

Original poster

ttcnumber2x · 04/05/2024 01:52

The process of waking him to feed 2oz to then settle again is like an hour to an hour and a half so it just seems silly but if that is what's recommended then I will persevere

OP posts:

thirtyseven37 · 04/05/2024 01:55

Definitely wouldn't wake a sleeping child... !!

sugarplum33 · 04/05/2024 01:57

I'd carry on just until he's at birth weight and has fully cleared the jaundice which sounds like it might only be a few days. If he's too groggy to feed much try taking his clothes off and changing his nappy to wake him up.

My DS is struggling with weight gain so we are on 2-3 hourly wakes day and night and I too cannot wait to leave a sleeping baby to sleep!

Autumn1990 · 04/05/2024 02:04

I had babies who lost weight so yes I would wake every 3 hours in your case until the weight is gained and jaundice has gone.
Ask your midwife would be the best option.

Brbreeze · 04/05/2024 02:05

I just woke mine, but she is 5 days today, so haven't checked how much weight dropped and she had 36 hrs under lights for jaundice.

In your position I probably wouldn't! Unless he is rooting in his sleep etc?

abeeabeeisafterme · 04/05/2024 02:11

If you are breastfeeding at all, yes, definitely wake every 3-4 hours. Bottles it's easier to space out and up until a month old or so maybe every 6 hours is plenty. Even then, if he continues to thrive (well done!) allow him to naturally lengthen out those bits of sleep.

Topseyt123 · 04/05/2024 02:17

I wouldn't. I always left mine to sleep for as long as they possibly could at night. They were also exclusively formula fed.

I used to give them a late feed between 10pm and 11pm and put them in the cot. They then frequently slept until 6 or 7am. They then fed well throughout the day at about 4 hourly intervals.

MalibuBarbieDreamHouse · 04/05/2024 02:40

Best to ask HV. Might be worth trying to dreamfeed?

DD2 wanted to sleep through the night at 3/4 weeks but she was a dink weighed 5lb9 and as she was breastfed she had lost some weight, HV advised us to try dream feeding her, I would latch her without waking her and the suck reflex just kicks in.

DramaAlpaca · 04/05/2024 03:04

Goodness, no! Rule no. 1: never wake a sleeping baby. Use the time to get as much sleep yourself as you can.

(Disclaimer: unless advised otherwise by a medical professional.)

TheShellBeach · 04/05/2024 03:09

ttcnumber2x · 04/05/2024 01:52

The process of waking him to feed 2oz to then settle again is like an hour to an hour and a half so it just seems silly but if that is what's recommended then I will persevere

There is no need to wake a healthy full term newborn baby!

WhenTheRedRedRobinComesBobBobBobbingAlong · 04/05/2024 03:18

I was told to wake my eldest to feed her. I never had to as both mine woke every 2 hours maximum through the night 😳 (breastfed so probs different - not judging!!). Honestly, if your LO is healthy I wouldn’t worry, unless they’ve gone 4-5 hours without feeding xx

pambeesleyhalpert · 04/05/2024 03:51

No way. I have a newborn and a 2 year old and would only wake if they were on a feeding plan

Peanutsalty · 04/05/2024 03:58

Westillaremadeofgreed · 04/05/2024 04:47

But you don't need to wake a baby to feed, assuming you can just do a dream feed?
We used to do a dream feed around 11pm/midnight as that's when my partner would go to sleep. Baby would stay asleep throughout, and would 9/10 also sleep through the nappy change done straight after the dream feed. This would usually enable me to get a better night sleep, rather than being woken up at 1/2am for a feed. It worked wonderfully for us.

Ponderingwindow · 04/05/2024 05:14

We were advised to feed dd every 3 hours on the dot. We could feed more often, but never let it go longer. Measuring from start of feed to start of feed. We did have some weight issues.

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