Newborn schedule...

DS is almost 3 weeks old and a great sleeper. He is pretty much on a 3 hours schedule during the day for feedings and sleeps most of the time in between them. I find myself waking him for most of his daytime feedings, should I try and let him go 4 hours?

At night he will usually give me 4 hour stretches sometimes 5 if i give him an extra .5 ounce.

Just not sure when I should let him sleep a little longer?

ETA: He is on formula

Message edited 3/11/2008 11:27:28 AM.

Re: Newborn schedule...

Is he formula/bottle fed? I would let him sleep the 4 hours during the day then. He will tell you when he's tired. No longer than that I would think. 5 hours at night? That's wonderful!

Re: Newborn schedule...

When I saw the title "Newborn Schedule" I thought....that's an oxymoron!!!!

I was told never to wake a sleeping newborn but also not to let them go more than 3.5-4 hours without a feeding....

I would honestly let him sleep.....wake him at 4 hours....

Re: Newborn schedule...

Depends on his weight gain -- if he isn't gaining fast enough, the doctor would tell you to wake him.

Re: Newborn schedule...

My DS is 4 1/2 weeks and at the beginning I was wondering the same thing. I BF, and there were times during the day that he slept 3-4 hours. I never woke him up! He slept most of the day, which is nice at the beginning because I could get organized and sleep. there were a couple of times I supplemented with formula at night and he slept 5 hours. I never woke him up - never realized that he was sleeping so long because I was sleeping too! I would not wake him, unless he was consistently sleeping 5 hours at a clip. Just keep checking the number of wet and dirty diapers. As long as he has the appropriate number of those, he is getting enough.

Re: Newborn schedule...

If your baby is bottlefed, you can go 4 hours between feedings, unless your little one lost a lot of weight or isn't eating much at each feeding. I would let him sleep that long. If your pediatrician is happy with weight gain and he is eating enough all day (about 2 to 2.5 ounces per pound), you may be able to let your baby sleep longer at night if he wants.

That's great he's sleeping so much!

Re: Newborn schedule...

Yay to the sleeping!

I asked a similar question and was told my most moms not to wake a sleeping baby, but not to let him go more than 5 hours without a feeding.

I bottle feed, but it's exclusively breast milk, and my little one usually eats every 3-4 hours during the day and every 4 at night. On the RARE occasion will he sleep 5 hours at night.

Learn to treasure those 5 hour stretches.

Re: Newborn schedule...

The ped told me before I left the hospital that I should be feeding her every 4 hours during the day (to wake her up if she was sleeping and obviously feed her more often if she is hungry), but not to wake her up at night to feed that she will wake up when she is hungry. We did not have to wake her up ever to feed her.