When do you stop waking your baby up for night time feedings?

~♥Little Miss - posted on 01/16/2012

Just realized how very old this is. Locking, feel free to start a new updated thread!



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~♥Little Miss - posted on 01/16/2012

I have not read any posts yet, but DO NOT wake your baby up. Let your baby wake YOU up. If your baby is not waking up, they don't need food.

Leah - posted on 01/16/2012

I also never woke mine up from birth i woke with him when he cried for a feed during the night

Mia - posted on 08/28/2011

I wouldn't be unless you've been told you need to by your doctor for poor weight gain or something like that, just like the old saying goes never wake a sleeping baby!

Brianna - posted on 08/22/2011

ive never heard of someone waking there baby up for feedings at night? unless of course the baby was premature or had a medical issue. let ur baby sleep if hes hungry he will wake u up

Ciara - posted on 08/21/2011

i was induced 2 wks early with my daughter and i never woke her from a sleep day or night for a feed..if she was hungry she would wake! she was on a 3-4 hour routine with night feeds at 2 and 6 at the start which she established herself then slept through the night from a few weeks old waking around 8/9 am last feed at night 10/11.. her weight gain is fine considering what she weighed when born so had no reaon to change it

Dawn - posted on 08/19/2011

Whenever he stops waking up by himself. As long as your baby isn't a preemie or doesn't have some other health problem that requires more feedings, most babies sleep through the night when they are ready to drop the night feedings.

Romy - posted on 05/08/2009

i wouldnt wake your baby up to feed, only feed him when he wakes up by himself otherwise you tell him its ok to wake up at night and it gets much harder to get him to sleep through.

Mel - posted on 05/08/2009

from day 1 as long as they are born at a sufficient weight and gaining a good amount of weight. as long as baby is making up the feeds during the day then its ok to let him sleep as long as he wants to. I only did demand feeding for a week or two but when my baby slept 10 and a half hours i freaked and msged my friend who's a nurse. they said you are very lucky and as long as baby is making up the feeds in the day it doesnt matter at all. no need to wake a baby if hes happy and at a good weight. When i was trying to get weight on mine as a newborn my child health nurse said dont let her go the 4 and a half hour mark and id set my alarm and sure enough every time like 5 mins before it went off she'd wake for her feed. i got into a habit of it and just couldnt let her sleep without setting my alarm because i didnt want her to go too long even though i knew it was perfectly safe. try not to worry if your bub is hungry he will tell you

Sandi - posted on 05/07/2009

Quoting Amy:

Never awaken a sleeping child!!

I've heard this wives tale before, but I don't understand why.  Now, if I were taking a nap and this could be applied to Mothers (in general) I would be it's greatest advocate (yes, I lack sleep).  :)

Amy - posted on 05/03/2009

Never awaken a sleeping child!!

Natalie - posted on 05/02/2009

my little girl is 4 and half months (breastfeed), at the moment she goes to bed at about 8 ish i dream feed her around 10.30pm, then again about 12ish then she would prob wake up about 5 to 6, but this can change by and hour or so either way ( as in the feed could be 11, 1 and 7 type of thing, but thats the approx gap).

although i think your great for waking your baby, i would say be careful you don't create a rod for your own back, as in your little one will get used tho that and may start to wake whether they need a feed or not, but it's a habit.

good luck xx

Doreen - posted on 05/02/2009

My doctor had us waking every 3-4 hours in night until nearly 2 months. Our doctor said babies should be getting at least 24 oz of breast milk/formula a day. As they get older, the frequency can be spread out further. But a lot will depend on how well they gain weight too.



We are at 3+ months, and have 4 - 5 feedings of 5 - 8 oz per feeding.

Erin - posted on 05/02/2009

Quoting Sandi:

If you are trying to establish a good milk supply this is a good idea...in the first 4 to six weeks. Going more than 5 hours at night without feeding baby can affect your milk supply. Fortunately, babies become better and better at forming a sleep, eat play routine and eventually will synchronize their little clocks (starting at about 3-4 months).

So, if you feel good about your milk supply and if baby is older than a month as is able to sleep 5 hour or more stretches at night...than ENJOY!!!!

I totally agree with the concerns for the milk supply. Because my daughter slept through from the beginning my supply never established and I had a lot of problems, eventually leading to me putting her on the bottle at 6 weeks :( Being a first-time mum, I had not been aware that having such a good sleeper could jeopardize my milk supply.

Erin - posted on 05/02/2009

My daughter was always a good sleeper at night, sleeping 7-8 hours straight from the time we came home from hospital, and I never woke her for feeds. In saying that, she was 9lb 6oz born, cluster fed like crazy all afternoon and evening, and had no problems gaining weight. As far as I'm aware the only time it's necessary to wake them for a feed is if they are premature or have weight gain/feeding issues. Otherwise I'd let him sleep. He might surprise you!

Melissa - posted on 05/01/2009

My pedi told me once my son was back up to his birth weight, then I could stop waking my baby to feed. And that was at about 4 weeks.

Gillian - posted on 05/01/2009

Unless theres a health reason YOU NEVER wake a sleeping baby during the nights lol

Bri - posted on 05/01/2009

I believe that I stoped around 3-4 months, the doctor told me that if he was hungry that he would wake me up. Does that help you figure out when you can stop waking your baby to feed?

Darlene - posted on 04/30/2009

I just woke her up once or twice in the beginning but I stopped doing that because every single time woke her up for feedings. She would be fussy, so I just let her be. If she is hungry, she will wake up on their own. Since then, its been working out. Her last feeding would be around 830-930 pm and she be asleep until 830-900 am. If I put her to sleep any eariler than that she would wake up early too. She gained tons of weight so far. So, I dont worry about feeding her. Try to let him sleep thru the night and see what happens... You will enjoy your sleep!!!

Amanda - posted on 04/30/2009

Quoting Amanda:

what a nice mommy you are waking your baby to eat! Young infants should be woken up at least every 5 hours in the first weeks of life. If you have a older infant (not sure exactly but I am going to say over 4 months) than do not wake him. just let him wake himself.
He knows when he needs to eat so unless there are weight concerns or your doctor tells you other wise ,I would let him sleep until he wants to wake up.

I should clarify what I worte. an infant should drink every 2-4 hours depending on weather you are formula feeding or breast feeding. If you are formula feeding it is ok to let baby sleep 5 hour stretches at night but no longer than that. and feed every 2-4 hours during the day

Sandi - posted on 04/30/2009

If you are trying to establish a good milk supply this is a good idea...in the first 4 to six weeks. Going more than 5 hours at night without feeding baby can affect your milk supply. Fortunately, babies become better and better at forming a sleep, eat play routine and eventually will synchronize their little clocks (starting at about 3-4 months).

So, if you feel good about your milk supply and if baby is older than a month as is able to sleep 5 hour or more stretches at night...than ENJOY!!!!

Ashley - posted on 04/30/2009

"they" say not to go over 3-4 hours for the first little while (not sure what that would be exactly, I would imagine past a month is a bit much)... but I never did it, never had to, my son woke up every 3 hours on his own. If he had slept better, I wouldn't have woke him up at all during the night.

Amanda - posted on 04/30/2009

what a nice mommy you are waking your baby to eat! Young infants should be woken up at least every 5 hours in the first weeks of life. If you have a older infant (not sure exactly but I am going to say over 4 months) than do not wake him. just let him wake himself.
He knows when he needs to eat so unless there are weight concerns or your doctor tells you other wise ,I would let him sleep until he wants to wake up.

Vanessa - posted on 04/30/2009

i never woke mine, let them wake on their own at night time or they will never learn to sleepthrough! then you will have problems. I used to wake my little girl for her last feed at 10.30pm but when she started taking only 4 oz i just bit the bullett and stopped. she now sleeps from 7.30pm until 6.30/7am ( this was from 3 months)

Carolina - posted on 04/30/2009

I admire that you have...I never did. If she was hungry, she'd wake up on her own. She has slept 9-5 since she was a month old. There are nights when she wakes up at 3 to eat but she is fine otherwise. See how it goes for a night. Especially if he is over 12 lbs, docs say it is fine to let them sleep.

Laura - posted on 04/30/2009

I believe you should never wake a baby in the night time but I stopped nighttime feedings at 9 weeks. I put her on a baby bootcamp at 6 weeks and she learned to sleep thru the night at 9 weeks. 8:30 pm until 7:00 am.

Rosy - posted on 04/30/2009

Ive never woke my baby from birth, he woke up at 3-4 by himself for a feed but then i read about putting him to bed about 7pm i then cut out the 3-4 am feed by rocking and soothing him and now he doesnt even bother to wake 3-4 so he sleeps from 7-7 :) and hes gaining good weight born 9lb5 x

Shelley - posted on 04/30/2009

I agree with Emily I also never woke my baby up. She use to wake up herself ... and then at 10 weeks started sleeping through. I was told by the midwife that if baby is gaining sufficient weight and isn't a prem baby - you NEVER wake a baby for a feed during the night ... during the day yes as this will also help them distinguish between day and night ... but if baby is hungry he will wake up :-) Good luck!

Karen - posted on 04/30/2009

As long as the baby is gaining good weight - about 3/4-1 oz a day - you can probably stop waking them up. I was able to weigh my baby weekly at a Mommy and Me group. Once I saw him consistently gaining 1/2 lb a week, I stopped waking him up.

Emily - posted on 04/30/2009

Wow! You are a good mom! I never woke my babies up. Dylan nursed around the clock every two hours until three weeks then she slept through the night. She was eating a lot during the day though. Ava woke up every two hours for a long time. I would just say if he's over 4 weeks old don't wake him and just see what happens.

Romy - posted on 05/08/2009

i wouldnt wake your baby up to feed, only feed him when he wakes up by himself otherwise you tell him its ok to wake up at night and it gets much harder to get him to sleep through.

Melissa - posted on 05/01/2009

My pedi told me once my son was back up to his birth weight, then I could stop waking my baby to feed. And that was at about 4 weeks.

Bri - posted on 05/01/2009

I believe that I stoped around 3-4 months, the doctor told me that if he was hungry that he would wake me up. Does that help you figure out when you can stop waking your baby to feed?