One Week Old - Long Stretches At Night! Help With Routine!

[regina1987m]

Hello,

My almost 2 week old has been sleeping for 5-6 hour stretches at night and while I am thrilled this is happening at such an early age, I cannot help but stress out about a few things:

I have been reading Baby Whisperer and it does say that babies this age (0-6weeks) might be able to do 4-6 hour stretches at night, but then I don’t know how to adjust the day. Should I feed him every three hours or 2 and a half so he can compensate? I have been trying to do that since I want the bath to be at the same time everyday (i have two other daughters to attend to) but during the day I’ve been constantly waking him up every 2 and a half hours to feed and make him do 7 feedings during the day, but he seems not interested. Everytime, I have to wake him up and he doesn’t eat that much or gets fully awake and I’m afraid that by doing this he is snacking and not taking a full feed. Should I cut one feed and let him be more hungry by feeding every 3 hours during the day?

It is important to say that he is 3.700 kg (or 8 pounds) and takes 3-4 oz of expressed breastmilk when in bottle.


This past few days have been like this:

9:45 am - i wake him up, breastfeed
12:30pm - i wake him up, breastfeed
3:20 pm - i wake him up, breastfeed
6:00 pm - i wake him up, breastfeed
8:30 pm - i wake him up, breastfeed, bath
2:20 am - he wakes up by himseld, i feed him 3-4 oz of expressed breastmilk
6:30-6:50 am - he wakes up by himself, i feed him 3-4 oz of expressed breastmilk
Should I keep doing this? Should I keep waking him up to maintain 7 feedings a day or should I cut one feed and hopefully this would help him be more hungry and encourage him to take full feedings?

I dont know! I really love the way he’s sleeping and wouldnt want to disturb that! What would you recommend?

[Katet]

Having a newborn is anxiety inducing when you feel because you've got older children you should be able to get it 'right'... Thing is early weeks are  never the same. 3-4 oz is plenty 6 times a day in a 2 week old, so 3 hourly would be fine.   

My best advice would be enjoy... It may change, but changing too much may backfire.

Look at what is important to you in terms of the routine of yourself and the other children and enjoy the bliss of the early weeks.

No matter what you do now it won't effect, what your baby's like at 2yo, 5yo or 17yo...trust me, just enjoy, my eldest is 17 and it's gone way too quickly.