newborn feeding times- strict or flexible?

[Anonymous]

Wanting some feedback on how strictly you adhered to newborn (first 1-2 weeks) feeding window of 2-3 hours? I have been doing 2-3 hours during the day. Pediatrician said we could let baby go for 3.5-4hr stretch at night. Twice I have set alarm for 4 hr from beginning of last feed and then fallen back asleep after alarm went off. This resulted in one 4.5 and one 5 hour interval between feeding. I am feeling guilty, so wanted to get some feedback if others followed the “set” newborn feeding times as strictly as I am? In both instances baby received 10 feedings in 24 hr period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wanting some feedback on how strictly you adhered to newborn (first 1-2 weeks) feeding window of 2-3 hours? I have been doing 2-3 hours during the day. Pediatrician said we could let baby go for 3.5-4hr stretch at night. Twice I have set alarm for 4 hr from beginning of last feed and then fallen back asleep after alarm went off. This resulted in one 4.5 and one 5 hour interval between feeding. I am feeling guilty, so wanted to get some feedback if others followed the “set” newborn feeding times as strictly as I am? In both instances baby received 10 feedings in 24 hr period.

No need to wake a sleeping baby. They’ll let you know when they are hungry, and when they are ready for a longer stretch. As long as they are gaining weight it’s ok. You are doing a great job!

[Anonymous]

for the first couple of weeks, I wake the sleeping baby to eat every 4 hours. once the baby is steadily gaining weight, I let the baby sleep until he wakes. to each her own!

[Anonymous]

Ask your pediatrician. DS was a good weight and I didn’t wake him to feed him. DD was petite and sleepy so I had to wake her to nurse every two hours to get her weight up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:for the first couple of weeks, I wake the sleeping baby to eat every 4 hours. once the baby is steadily gaining weight, I let the baby sleep until he wakes. to each her own!

This was what I did -- I asked my lactation consultant and ped when I could stop making sure to wake the baby to eat and I think it was between 1-2 weeks when we had consistent weight gain.

[Anonymous]

Newborn Care Specialist here. The concern with going too long is a baby not getting enough to eat overall, not at any one feed. If a newborn is only eating every 4 hours all day, that makes 6 feeds a day. Their stomach capacity is only about 2-2.5 ounces max. 12-15 oz of formula or breastmilk will likely not be enough to sustain the kind of growth they need. For comparison, eating every 2 hours would put them in the range of 24-27 oz in a day.

All that is to say that having ONE 4-5 hr long stretch with no food, even if it is daily, is fine. I actually encourage clients to try to cluster feed in the afternoons to achieve just such a schedule because that one long stretch makes such a big difference for your mental and physical health as the parent.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, as a first time mom I would set an alarm to wake up to feed the baby, but not with my second. Instead I focused on getting in 8 feedings per day, so offered feedings more often during the day to make up for longer stretches at night. I honestly feel that my sleep and sanity are at least as important. I say this after having pretty severe PPD after my first and being so sleep deprived I could barely function. I felt a million times better during my maternity leave with my second, who slept longer stretches and gained weight exactly on track with his older brother.

[Anonymous]

10 feedings in a 24 hour period sounds good OP. Two questions: (1) is the baby gaining weight? (2) are you seeing enough wet diapers a day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Newborn Care Specialist here. The concern with going too long is a baby not getting enough to eat overall, not at any one feed. If a newborn is only eating every 4 hours all day, that makes 6 feeds a day. Their stomach capacity is only about 2-2.5 ounces max. 12-15 oz of formula or breastmilk will likely not be enough to sustain the kind of growth they need. For comparison, eating every 2 hours would put them in the range of 24-27 oz in a day.

All that is to say that having ONE 4-5 hr long stretch with no food, even if it is daily, is fine. I actually encourage clients to try to cluster feed in the afternoons to achieve just such a schedule because that one long stretch makes such a big difference for your mental and physical health as the parent.

This is the answer

Also, how can I become a newborn care specialist? I have 3 kids so I'm practically an expert.