Bottle feeding through the night

[moomin35]

My baby is 5 weeks old and feeds (bottle fed) every 3 hours through the day and currently 4 hourly at night (11pm to 8am say). He's putting on weight at the right rate so no problems there. My question is do I have to wake him through the night for his 4 hourly feeds or if he sleeps past it is it ok if I leave him to sleep and just feed him when he cries eve if this is much longer than 4 hours? I'm confused as to what I should do. Obviously the less feeding through the night the more sleep I get but what's right for my baby?

[TheDetective]

Yes, it's absolutely fine :)

At 5 weeks it's great if your baby is wanting to go longer at night.

As your baby is gaining weight, and has no other issues, enjoy that unbroken sleep!!

[LittleBearPad]

If he's gaining weight and sleeping longer then don't wake him and enjoy the longer sleep.

[PenguinsHatchedAnEgg]

Absolutely. Enjoy the sleep! (Do beware that a lot of them go backwards around four months though, so don't assume you are permanently out of the woods!)

[moomin35]

What's the longest they should go without a feed or is this only relative in their first days/couple of weeks?

[theborrower]

moomin is your baby very small, orca good healthy weight?

With my first baby she was super tiny and we were advised to wake her every 3 hours to feed. She was on the 0.4 centile. When it came to our 8 week check, the doctor asked why we were still doing this - no one had told us to stop

I've just had my second baby, who is on the 50th centile, and is 2.5 weeks old. We've been told that as she's gaining weight and is a good healthy weight, just to be guided by her and let her wake us up when she wants fed

[moomin35]

Hi the borrower- no baby is normal weight etc (nearly 10lbs) at 5 weeks. I don't know what centile baby's on if have to check.
Tonight for instance baby has gone from 10pm until 3.30am between feeds but did not cry but was doing other feeding signs but my concern is that when I'm asleep I miss the subtler quieter signs unless baby cries so I'm concerned this is traumatic for baby.,

[Hedgehogging]

Aw don't worry Moomin- their usually still half asleep themselves when doing those subtle early hunger shuffles. I often do wake to shuffles from my LO but they quite frequently peter out and she'll go back to sleep. If she's genuinely hungry they get gradually louder and I rarely sleep through them! If she has to give a cry she's certainly never distressed because that would wake me instantly. No harm done- her needs are always met

[Hedgehogging]

Oh god "they're" not "their". I proofed it and everything. Facepalm.

[theborrower]

I wouldn't worry moomin, sounds like baby is doing ok, and five and a half hours isn't a massive stretch of time. We let baby wake us up with her shuffles and funny noises too. As long as you're feeding when they're hungry and reading their cues - and it sounds like you are - baby will be ok. You can always ask your health visitor at your 6-8 week check if you're worried.