Newborn feeding

[sweetangel7]

I've been breast feeding for a week (he's a week old today) and he has been eating up a storm...I've been in the hospital for him all week and the nurses and lactation consultant said he was doing well with the breastfeeding...typically he'd been eating every 2-3 hours sometimes going a long stretch of like 5 to 6 hours because he was sleeping and the nurses though it best for him to sleep.  He ate a ton earlier, and now he has been asleep since his last feeding which was like 2:30ish...he has been sleeping 6 hours.  I tried to wake him after 3 hours to feed but he was soo sleepy and just nuzzling my nipple and not really latching or he'd latch then not drink.  

SO the million dollar question is...do I need to wake him to try to get him to feed OR do you let sleeping babies sleep and trust they will wake up when they want/need to be feed or should he be woken?

[sweetangel7]

Great posts ladies...I know when I strip him he freaks or when I change his diaper he acts like it is sheer torture...as soon as he is in his new diaper he's a new man!  

Joy was right about him being up all night!  

[KeyD]

I would wake him (unless it's at nite). Your body is still adjusting to how much milk to produce and you don't want your milk supply to decrease. I often had to strip my baby when she was a newborn to get her to eat. Also newborns can dehydrate quickly.

[JoyRenee]

First, definitely contact your local La Leche League and if you are able to make some of the support groups.

You shouldn't wake a baby when they're sleeping at night and down for bed. However when they sleep 6 hour stretches during the morning/afternoon/evening then they will wake you up all night long.

So definitely wake him up to eat during "waking hours" so he knows that that is the time to eat, not the middle of the night.

What we did to wake our firstborn was undress her and/or change her diaper.  

[Gina209]

I've always been told to never wake a sleeping baby! :) So I never wake my lil man but remember he's still very new so the first 2 weeks all they do is sleep. Next week he will come too and his personality will really shine. During that week I bet you will never have to wake him because thats when they really start eating every 2-3 hours. But since he's still only a week old, their so exhausted from birth that they just sleep and sleep. I remember the first 2 weeks Caiden was here I thought OMG this is a piece of cake! All he does is sleep! Than the 3rd week he came alive!!
So I would let him sleep, he had a rough adventure, let him catch up on some sleep. Believe me, when their hungry, they will let you know!

Congrats again girl! So happy to hear everythings going so well!

[smjmekg]

When my son was born they told me to feed him every 2-3 hours, and he would not be awake to feed, so I'd wake him. He never really ate when I woke him up, and I'll tell you what my mom told me...he'll wake up when he's hungry, he'll sleep when he's tired, and he'll be awake when he's not sleepy. For the first six months that's what he did...but he was good and slept through the night. I stopped worrying about how many hours it was since he last ate. Even when he was only a couple weeks old. He was eating when he was hungry, and as much as he wanted, and was gaining weight. I personally would say, it's ok if he's tired, and sleeps...as long as he keeps gaining weight, I wouldn't worry too much. He knows when he's hungry, just like a baby will cry when it has a dirty diaper, he'll cry when he's hungry.

[amy0013]

LOL!  I was just having this conversation with a friend of mine who's coworker just had a baby on Friday.  The nurses TOLD her to wake the baby every 3 hours to feed.  I don't necessarily agree with that.  ESPECIALLY not in the middle of the night (which is what she was doing).  It STINKS his 6 hour stretch couldn't be tonight!  (or maybe he'll have another one!!)  :)  Again, I'm not an expert but I say let him sleep.  He'll wake when he's hungry.  :)  

[nsrchofbaby]

I'm not sure but I think it's something like if he isn't displaying symptoms of illness (fever, coughing, etc.) you're supposed to let him sleep. If he goes another hour or two without waking then maybe I'd try waking him up to feed. Hope someone can give you a better, more educated response. Hope this helped if for nothing more than to bump up your post. :)