Hello! Should I be waking my baby up from their sleep to feed? I know feeding every 2-3 hours is recommended, but does that mean waking them up?
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Breastfeeding/Nursing & Pumping Mamas
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Hello! Should I be waking my baby up from their sleep to feed? I know feeding every 2-3 hours is recommended, but does that mean waking them up?
The quick answer is: it depends! 😉 Healthy, full term newborns who are feeding well will often show us hunger cues every 1-3 hours & can be fed on demand (offering a feed when they're showing hunger cues & continuing to feed until they're showing sign of fullness).
Some may have one 4-5 hour stretch between feeds in the early days. As long as they're feeding well (lots of swallows) 8-10 times in 24 hours (including once in the middle of the night) & having 6+ heavy wet diapers & 3+ dirty diapers daily, it's usually not necessary to wake them to feed.
When babies are extra sleepy in the early days or are struggling to feed efficiently, it may be recommended that parents not let them go more that 3 hours between feeds, to support their growth & the development of the lactating parent's milk supply.
If you have more questions about your specific situation, please reach out!