should I wake my sleeping 6 wk old to feed him?

[awalsh8]

Hi all,
As this is my 2d boy I have decided to be more strict with routines to ensure my second boy is better then my 1st boy. Main problem with number two is that a lot of the time he is sleeping through the 3 hour routine and now I'm wondering should I wake him and feed him to ensure that his last feed and then DF happens at a similar enough time every night?
Also sometimes I find it difficult to read the difference in his tired and hungry cries? A couple of times I think he's tired but when he hasn't settled for me I think maybe he is hungry- he'll take an ounce and then fall asleep??? I'm afraid he will start using an ounce as a prop to go asleep....or am I just bring too hard as he is only nearly 6 wks old?

[*Jo*]

Hi there. My boy was and still is a big sleeper but the short answer is YES, wake him to feed him. at this age especially they need the food. If hes only taking an ounce and falling asleep I would say hes not really hungry but does he drain his earlier bottle or is there some left in it when hes done?

[awalsh8]

Hi,
Thanks a million for getting back to me. He generally does finish all his bottles no problem He is up to 5 oz. He absolutely drains the bottles that he takes 1st thing in the morning or his nightfeed if he has slept for longer then 3 hours. My concern about waking him is that sometimes he only goes down 30/40 mins before his next bottle is due. For example He fed at 330am, 830 and 1130. He has only  just gone now for his sleep even though technically he's due again in 40mins...should I wake him at 230??? problem solved he woke himself about 15mins after he went down!!!! half way through his bottle now!!!!!

[Lolly]

If he's not long gone to sleep then let him sleep a bit longer but I'd say not more than about 30 mins past his next feed time. Are you having trouble getting him down for naps - at this age about 1 hour A time is about all they can handle so if he is waking at 8.30 then he really needs to be back asleep by 9.30am.

Laura

[awalsh8]

yeah naps are still a bit all over the place...any tips?

[*Jo*]

yep, a shorter A time, a 30-40min nap is an OT nap, try putting him down earlier (hard I know when its already so short) try a longer wind down perhaps as well. we were struggling with naps until I took L to his room at 40mins A time, did a 10min wind down and put him into bed then he took 10mins to fall asleep, total A time was 1hour and still is at 12 weeks old

[*Kara*]

I will go against the grain and say no.  Don't wake him to feed him.  If he is hungry, he will wake up.  But I also agree to shorten his A times a bit   And, add another ounce to each bottle - if baby drains it all the time, you need to offer more.

[snowbird]

I myself would wake him to keep him on a 3 hour routine - his body clock will then get used to this.  Also, am sure Tracy says that if you don't feed them 3 hourly then they will not be getting enough milk in the day and will be waking in the night more for feeds xx

[*Jo*]

yes Tracy says in the book taht even if you only got them to sleep 20mins before their next feed to still wake them to feed them