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waking 3 wk at nite for a feed?

  1. #1
    joannek is offline Registered User
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    waking 3 wk at nite for a feed?

    My baby is 3 weeks old. 3 days ago she started sleeping for 5 hrs stretch at night. She's fully breastfed. At night she used to take 3oz EBM every 3-4 hrs. During the day, i nurse her at a feed or sometimes 2-3oz EBM on demand. She stays for 3-4 hrs stretch awake during the day. While she's awake, she would take milk every hour (sometimes 2oz/ sometimes 3 oz/ 15mins on the breast). 3 nights ago, she cried (or whimpered) once (2 hrs after she's fallen asleep) for about a min. I was too tired to get up to carry her, and then she quiet down & went back to sleep. She woke 3 hrs later, this time she really cried & woke up, so i gave her 3 oz EBM but she only took 2oz. That continued for 3 nights in a row.

    I'm happy that she's sleeping longer stretch, but my confinement nanny said I should wake her up to give her a feed or at least carry her at the first whimper to feed her, cos her body needs that milk to grow at night (??). I figured if she's hungry, & she cant continue sleeping & she won't quiet down, and she would continue crying.

    My confinement nanny has never taken care of fully breastfed babies. Mine is the first. I understand that breastfed babies cluster feed during the day & that mom's milk is creamiest & most filling around dusk, so if baby is getting enough creamy milk before night time, she's fine for the night.

    P.S. My first child woke every 3 hrs for a feed until she was 3 yrs old! I'm petrified that if I wake the new baby every 3hrs then we have conditioned her to waking every 3 hrs, then history will repeat itself.


  2. #2
    mel_g20 is offline Registered User
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    As long as your baby is growing well you do not need to wake her at night to feed her (some babies if you are lucky will sleep up to 8 hours - not mine though) - you should enjoy the time with a longer sleep. She sounds similiar to my fully breastfed babies. Go with your instinct. Good luck.


  3. #3
    aussiegal is offline Registered User
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    I would agree with your confinement nanny. You should really feed your baby whenever she needs it especially at such a young age, and three hourly is the longest you should go. It's not only a 'needs' thing (they have such tiny stomachs they need to feed constantly) but also a trust thing. Your baby needs to know she is safe and loved and her needs will be met.

    I know it's really hard with a newborn. You are so, so tired but you must sleep whenever you can at any time of the day or night so you can respond when your baby needs you. I have a one week old, (my third child) and have found that if you consider each 'day' as being a 24 hour period with no defined day or night, then it is a lot easier. My goal each day is to sleep 8-10 hours, even if it's 6 hours at night and 4 hours during the day.

    Your helper will simply have to do as much with your first child as possible so you can rest whenever you need to. Don't let your experience with your first child cloud your judgement with your next child. Each of mine have been so completely different. The child I responded quickest to, who I never let cry is the best sleeper and slept through from a young age. The one I let cry more took a lot longer to sleep through. For other friends it was the opposite so you just never know!

    Is there any reason you are not breastfeeding but instead giving EBM? I'm not expressing at all this time, only breastfeeding and it makes things so much easier. I just dreaded hearing the sound of the machine going on and on hour after hour!


  4. #4
    aussie mum is offline Registered User
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    as long as she is gaining weight well and has frequent feeds during the day - as you say she is - then i wouldn't especially wake her during the night after 3 hrs. At 3 weeks old she could be having a growth spurt which would explain the cluster feeding. A lot of babies sleep more when they are going through a growth spurt. they obviously need it!
    enjoy and congratulations!


  5. #5
    putput is offline Registered User
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    If she only woke for a minute, whimpered and went back to sleep, I don't think it's necessary to feed her. She'll cry when she's hungry and won't fall asleep again after a minute or two.


  6. #6
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    carang is offline Registered User
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    i agree, i would not wake a baby to feed unless the baby was not gaining enough.

    hunger is a primal instinct and your baby will not disappoint in letting you know when she's hungry.


  7. #7
    AndreaY is offline Registered User
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    I have read that why newborns need to be woken up every 3 or 4 hours is cos if they went for long stretches of sleep and not taking in the milk, they may get dehydrated. Don't think it's cos they will starve.


  8. #8
    joannek is offline Registered User
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    yeah, my confinement nanny said she'll get dehydrated with so many hours without a feed.

    o, & btw, she is full term plus 5 days overdue, born 8lbs 11oz, so she's big & technically she turned 4 weeks today. she's gaining weight well & as of 2 weeks ago, she was already 4 kgs. she's also outgrowing her newborn clothes. so i guess she's gaining weight well.

    aussiegal, thanks for your advice. i wish i didn't have to express. i love the feeling of nursing directly. but with my breast problem history (every problem you have in the book plus more)(it's a very long story), my lactation consultant & I agree it's best expressing every 4 hrs to avoid more problems. so yes, altho my bb sleeps for 5 hrs stretch, i still have to get up to express. =( if not, i can't sleep cos my stone hard painful breasts wake me anyway.


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