Waking new baby to feed in the night

[dueat44]

I did not dare let my DS wake for a feed in the night when he wanted to - the midwives had made such a point of 'every 2 hrs' I used always to wake him. And went on doing so for quite some months ...

I also used to spend ages trying to get a burp out of him, so much so that he was thoroughly wakeful by the time I gave up (burp almost never came) but I felt i really should persevere.

What would you do ....

[tigertiger]

i never woke ds...figured he would wake in the night when he was hungry (he did tend to wake during the day every 2-3hrs) I never burp at night...think it was in the baby whisperer book that said babes are so relaxed during night feeds that they don't tend to need it (can give them terribly loud farts in the morning though !!)

[hana]

how old is your baby?
I wouldn't wake them up to feed them - maybe a dreamfeed if it's about time that they would have a feed

my baby is 5 months - she goes to bed about 8, I dreamfeed her when I go to bed at about 11/12, then it's as and when she wakes up through the night. I don't set a clock though

[hana]

oh yes - she never seems to need to burp at night and I'm too tired to bother. it's not a problem fo rher

[dejags]

I never, ever woke mine for a feed in the night. They woke up themselves but not every two hours.

Sometimes there are medical reasons a baby would need to be woken (I think if they are very jaundiced this is one reason).

[clairemow]

I have never woken either of mine in the night apart from to feed them when I went to bed - they both woke me when they needed to - neither ever woke up more than twice a night . Sounds like crazy advice from your MW to me - are you sure she meant in the night as well as in the day? Or were they worried about your DS's weight and wanted to be sure he was feeding often enough? FWIW, during the day I used to wake mine if they hadn't woken after 3 hours from the start of the previous feed, but I know lots of people don't do that either.

You must have been very very sleep deprived, poor you!

[Mumpbump]

Ds used to feed every two hours during the day and every three at night. I wouldn't wake your ds as he might get into the habit of it and you'll be pulling your hair out that he's still waking every two hours later on down the line...

[maewest]

My DS was fairly jaundiced (back into hosp at 1 week old) and when we came out we were advised to not let him go more than 4 hrs at night and 3 hrs during the day. I think we set alarms for 1 or 2 nights when we came home (anxious first time parents) but then left him to it as he seemed to have figured out waking when he was hungry by then.

[adath]

I only ever woke ds in the night when he was tiny and jaundiced as he was very sleepy but I woke him in the day as well.
Once the jaundice sleared up I never woke him at all although I was told by mw that in the very early weeks probably best not to go over 6 hours but that rarely happened anyway.

[maewest]

And now he's 6.5 months old I feed him in the night, dump him in the cot and dash back to bed before he has chance to wake up properly and try and grin at me, no night burping here

[tigertiger]

my hv also said to wake him during the night as he was sleeping from 9-7 with a dreamfeed at 11, but i didn't bother. I was so proud of myself that i had managed to get him to sleep thru the night that i didn't want him to start waking!

[dueat44]

Thanks all! I think i'll be a bit more relaxed this time round ...