BFing schedule ?

[Ami]

When is it OK to let the baby sleep through a feeding?

My daughter is 7 weeks old and she will sleep 5-6 hours at a time if I let her. Is he old enough to let her wake up on her own when she gets hungry?

[Tamara]

Ive never woke Rebecca up to eat. she is 3 weeks old, sleep 5 hours straight at night, I feed her when she says she is hungry.

My thoughts are dont wake a sleeping baby.

[AllyRae]

I don't wake Brandon either. I had to wake him up only for the first 2 weeks because he was losing weight, but after that, I let him sleep--he's 4 weeks now and sleeps 4 1/2 hours at night...but he cluster feeds for a few hours before that so he's not hungry. If she's not waking to eat and she's a nice weight, I wouldn't wake her. :)

[ArtsyMom]

I've heard for the first few weeks that you shouldn't let your baby sleep more than 3 hours without feeding them.

However, 7 weeks seems long enough that she'll know when to wake up herself.

[Mom2Alex]

I would say it really depends... If you are regularly feeding on demand, you are probably fine at 7 weeks. However, if your baby is not gaining weight, then you might want to be waking from a nap. If your baby is healthy and gaining weight, and you are otherwise feeding on demand, your baby will be just fine. :)

If you have nice long nursing sessions, nursing on both sides and not limiting the duration of the nursing, then you will be fine. :)

[Ami]

Thanks girls! I have been letting her sleep up to 5 hours at a time, I wake her if she sleeps longer than that because I am about to explode :lol: I just wanted to make sure that was OK.

[Mom2Alex]

I was just going to come back and type that YOU may be ready to feed before she is, and in that case, you might want to wake her up to feed her! :lol: Nothing like engorgement to screw up your milk supply and possibly cause a plugged duct/mastitis... and cause overactive letdown which also doesn't help the nursing relationship. :)

[Mandi]

Ami, I always fed Melayna on demand. I'd let her sleep. The only time that I woke her up was when I was engorged and couldn't stand the pain any longer. :lol:

[Cortney]

Ami, I always fed Melayna on demand. I'd let her sleep. The only time that I woke her up was when I was engorged and couldn't stand the pain any longer. :lol:
Same here! But insert Morgan instead of Melayna.

[JenM]

Since I used to want a bottle for DH every day... if DD would sleep too long I would go pump to relieve engorgement and let the baby sleep.

[Martian Lullaby]

Maya would sleep for 4-5 hours at a time right from the beginning. I never woke her up to feed her. I figured when she was hungry. She's now ten weeks old and sleeping 8-9 hours at night ( :woo: ) so obviously we're not waking her up to feed her now either. If I'm engorged I pump rather than wake her. A sleeping baby is a precious gift. Let them sleep. :lol: