should i wake her? 8bf's in 24 hours

[lilisuze]

yesterday we started a proper easy pattern, and it went really well. But i had to wake dd from naps 3 times because it was 3.5hours since she last fed. She is only 6.5lbs and 3 weeks old. Full term, but 6lb at birth. I dont want to leave her asleep and then end up with her not gaining enough. She is eating well, one sided in 2 sessions each feed taking about 15 mins then 5 mins top up! A time is around 1hr 20. What should i do? Wake if the nap goes past 3.5hours from last e or leave her to sleep? Tia, lili xx

[~Emma~]

I would personally wake to get the calories in. 1 hour 20 is quite a high A for such a young bub but if it's working right now then I'd go with it. 

 Tracey recommends not letting a bub sleep past 2 hours in the day as it can rob from nightsleep.

 Congratulations on your wee bundle! 

[lilisuze]

thanks for that, i will wake her after 2 hours sleep! I think the a seems high because she is falling asleep on the boob so effectively taking a 15min nap in the middle of her a time! I am just so pleased to have her going to bed for naps. In fact today both children are sleeping together, i have 2 baby monitors on my patio table and couldnt be having a more lovely day. Xx

[~Emma~]

Ahhhhhh. Sounds awesome...long may it last for you hon. 

[Erin M]

Definitely wake her at this point because it also helps keep days and nights straight.
James kept trying to do his longest stretch of sleep in the middle of the afternoon.  . Awesome that they're both napping at once!  You should take this opportunity to pop in on the newborn - 3 month thread and tell us how you're doing!  

[lilisuze]

its quite hard to wake her, even with the normal techniques. I have been changing nappy, getting undressed, tickling, trying everything really. She woke today after getting a foam skittle launched at her by ds! Will come on birth club as soon as our broadband is fixed, on dodgy mobile phone connection right now! Xx

[lilisuze]

yesterday i tried real hard to wake her. But put her to sleep at 730. She woke at 10pm by herself. Then again at 215 and 605am. Just worried im not giving her enough to eat, with her being so small. But she is taking good feeds each time, so should i try and tank her up more? She is sometimes letting a little milk back out after a feed which makes me think she is full. Lots of dirty and wet nappies.

[shivi]

I would take the wet and dirty nappies as a great sign. Also, she's well above her birth weight at 3 weeks so she's doing well.

Was she jaundiced at all? Oscar was a bit and was very sleepy for the first 3-4 weeks until it left his system completely...and then EVERYTHING changed. Funny, because he was my ebf baby that actually gained very quickly despite the sleepiness. Emma lost a lot more and took 3 weeks to regain her birthweight...

I would feed every three hours during the day if possible....even clustering in the evening if possible. She seems, so far, like a baby who can do longer stretches and who is getting plenty of bm in each feed so this early even you could try and allow those longer stretches to be in the nighttime. For such a little one, going 4 ish hours at night is great at this age.

S x