Do U Wake a Newborn to Feed
Sleep is a precious resource when you're a new parent.
So when your baby is giving you a lengthy break it's natural to want to make the most of it.
However if your newborn is has been snoozing like, well, a baby for several hours you may be wondering whether you should wake them for a feed.
The answer to whether you should wake your baby to feed is it's a judgement call based on the following factors:
- Have they been producing regular dirty and wet nappies?
- Are they growing well?
- Did they eat well at their last feed and earlier in the day?
- If you're breastfeeding how uncomfortable (engorged) are you?
- Have you been struggling with milk supply if you are breastfeeding?
- Is it the middle of the night or the middle of the day?
We're going to talk about these factors further in this article, as well as the NHS advice on whether to wake a newborn baby to feed.
You may also like: Newborn baby schedules
Should I wake my newborn to feed NHS advice
The NHS does not tackle this question head-on on its website.
However it does advise that newborns need to feed little and often. Many new babies lose weight in the first few days and it's important to help them regain this and continue to grow.
If you are breastfeeding the NHS says you should nurse your baby at night as this is when you produce more of the hormone prolactin to build up your supply.
When it comes to breastfeeding your supply is very much based on demand. The more you put your baby to the breast, the more milk your breasts will produce.
In the early weeks, when your supply is building up, the NHS advises new mothers to nurse their baby as often as the baby demands.
Many babies will cluster feed, especially in the evenings, which is where they feed almost constantly for several hours. This is a very natural behaviour which stimulates the milk supply, and can also be related to growth spurts.
So some newborns may be feeding every two hours during the day – for example – and then sleep for longer bursts between feeds at night.
Putting this together if your newborn baby has been asleep for 3 to 4 hours you may want to consider offering them a feed.
In the early days after birth some babies will continue to doze through a feed, so if it's daytime it can be worth unwrapping them from cosy blankets and tickling their feet to ensure they get a proper feed rather than snack in their sleep.
What do other experts say?
The Mayo Clinic advises to wake a newborn baby if they have slept for more than four hours.
La Leche League advises new mothers to nurse their baby as often as your baby demands.
The La Leche organisation also suggests nursing mothers should wake their baby to feed if they have been asleep a few hours, with the aim of feeding around 10 times in 24 hours.
The NCT advises that it is normal for babies to wake frequently to feed at night in the early weeks.
Kelly Mom advises to wake a baby who is less than four weeks old every 4 to 5 hours at night to nurse if they do not wake on their own.
How often does a newborn need to feed?
The NHS advises a breastfed newborn baby should be feeding roughly 8-12 times in a 24 hour period during the first few weeks.
Going by this your baby may feed every 2 to 3 hours. However breastfeeding is not an exact science, especially in the early weeks.
Even formula feeding babies may wish to feed a little more frequently or a little less frequently than this over the course of a day. The CGA Baby website suggests bottle-fed babies may need six feeds per day in the first two weeks of life.
If you are formula feeding your baby then you can follow the same guidance in terms of how many feeds your baby needs per day.
However you may not need to worry so much about spacing the feeds out every two to three hours as you don't need to maintain breast milk supply.
Your baby will let you know when they are hungry with cues such as these as outlined by the CDC:
- Puts hand to mouth
- Turns head towards breast or bottle
- Puckers, smacks or licks lips
- Has clenched hands
- Crying – this is generally a last resort cue
So your newborn will often let you know when they are hungry and the NHS advice is to feed them on demand as often as they need.
However if they are sleeping through a time when typically they will feed, or they have not fed for more than three to four hours, you may want to consider waking them so that they don't miss a feed.
How much milk does a newborn baby need?
If you are breastfeeding you won't be able to measure exactly how much milk your baby is taking. However as a general rule they should be feeding 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period.
Your baby may take just 0.5oz of colostrum (which is the first milk your breasts produce for your baby when they are born) at each feed in their first 24 hours. Then they may be consuming 1oz per feed by the time they are 72 hours.
This may increase to 2.5oz to 3oz or more per feed by the time they are a week old.
If you are expressing breast milk or bottle feeding with formula milk then as a general guide your newborn baby may be drinking between 1.5oz to 3oz (45-90ml) at each feed in the first six weeks.
By the time your newborn is two months they may take 4oz to 5oz (120-150ml) per feed.
How long should a newborn sleep?
Newborn babies need 14 to 17 hours of sleep over a 24 hour period. This will be broken up into small chunks. A newborn may only manage to stay awake for between 30 minutes and one hour before they become tired and need to nap again.
Their wake window will gradually become longer over time.
A newborn baby will likely be extremely sleepy in the first few days or so. Both of my babies lulled me into a false sense of security with their sleepiness in the first week.
Once they hit around seven days old both were waking three to four times at night.
So if your baby is less than a week old waking them to feed is likely to be necessary to ensure they're getting enough calories in a 24 hour period. Once they reach a week old they will likely be waking of their own accord to get the milk they need in the night.
How to wake your newborn to feed
Babies are born with no internal clock – they have no idea about the difference between day and night.
You can gently show them this even when they are tiny and waking often by making day feeds and night feeds different.
When waking your newborn in the day to feed you can:
- Ensure they are fully awake – a nappy change may help to rouse them before feeding
- Feed them in a light room
- Speak to them at normal volume
When waking your newborn in the night to feed try:
- Keeping lights down low
- Speak in soft, soothing tones
- Don't play or get out any toys that stimulate them
- Avoid nappy changes unless absolutely necessary
When should you wake a newborn baby to feed?
So putting the advice above together it's a good idea to wake your newborn for a feed if they have slept for four hours or more, or have not fed much in the previous 24 hours.
You may also want to wake your newborn to feed under the following circumstances:
If your doctor or health visitor advises it
Always follow the medical advice from your healthcare provider. If your baby was born prematurely or jaundiced or has lost a lot of weight since birth then a professional may advise you to ensure your baby is feeding regularly.
To establish breast milk supply
Your milk supply is based on demand and putting your baby to the breast frequently is the most effective way of building up your supply, especially in the early weeks.
When baby has not yet regained their birth weight
Always speak to your health visitor, midwife or GP if you are concerned about your baby's weight. You can keep track of their weight at regular checkups, where you should be told if your baby is still tracking along on the same centile line for growth.
When can you stop waking a newborn to feed?
Once your baby gets to around 12 weeks you will find that breastfeeding and bottle feeding – whichever you choose – has become easier as you recognise your baby's hunger signals and have a handle on their natural routine.
They are also able to take larger feeds and so can get the bulk of their calories in the 12 hours of daytime.
By this age your baby may be sleeping for a little longer – with some able to go five hours or more between feeds.
My first baby was sleeping through by the time she was six weeks old, however my eldest did not sleep through until she was one.
One of the reasons it is difficult to decide whether your newborn needs to be woken for a feed is they don't have a solid routine in the early days and weeks. Trying to force a strict regime at this age may be impossible as they change so rapidly.
However a baby of three months or more is much more predictable and is able to go slightly longer stretches between feeds.
Your baby may continue to wake wanting to feed at night until they are six to nine months or older. Most babies are sleeping through a solid 10 to 12 hours at night by the time they are one without needing to wake for a night feed.
Source: https://themummybubble.co.uk/should-wake-my-newborn-to-feed/
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