demand feeding a big sleeper

[lozzy_mac]

Just wondering if I can get some clarification on the whole "demand feeding" thing.
I get that you feed baby when he's hungry and dont try to make him stick to a schedule
But I'm also told that you need to feed at least 8 times in 24hrs to maintain milk supply (he's only 3 1/2 weeks old). AND I'm told that my DS has reflux and to try and feed smaller amounts, more often.
But he won't settle until he's full (you should see him bouncing around rooting, doing pushups on my chest when he thinks he hasnt had enough!- He has SUCH strong neck muscles!) and although usually he will wake to feed 3hours after the last feed started (brilliant), sometimes he will still be asleep 4 1/2 hours after his last feed, even during the day. He's starting to do 4hr stretches at night, so how do I fit in 8 feeds a day? So far we have pretty much managed 8 feeds, but only because he has a terrible unsettled period in the evening and will take a couple of closely spaced but fussy and low volume feeds. I dont want that to be the answer!

At the moment I have a good supply (probably too good, he rarely wants the second breast, and I think a fast letdown is part of the reflux problem) but I dont want to risk losing it, and I'm already worried that if the flow slows down we will have breast refusal. (He gets quite fussy and doesnt like to drain a breast once the flow slows- maybe too much foremilk is another problem?)

I guess my question is- should I wake him if he sleeps more than 3 hours in the daytime?

[Butterfly Dawn]

DS2 was like this from the start. I use to "dream feed" him. I would put him to sleep in our bed and after 3 hours I would put my boob in his face, he would smell th milk and start sucking. I believe in not waking a sleeping baby and he was alittle prem so.....
Also your baby is just sorting out how to feed, dream feeding might get him use to drinking when things slow down

[Kmn]

The first thing is if he is weeing and pooing and growing then you can probably leave it as it is.
But if you want to feed more then it's OK to wake him during the day for more feeds too. And if he isn't gaining weight then you actually need to wake him and feed him - which will then help him learn about the differences between night and day too.

There are two reasons for sleepy babies:
1) they are full and happy and generally placid (great!)
2) they are sleepy because they haven't got the energy they need to be more demanding (not so good).

So you need to make sure that you do not have (2) happening!

[onthefly]

Is everything looking good right now? If so, your'e probably ok leaving it so longas as you're still getting lots of poos and wees and weight gains. It is quite likely that he'll 'wake' a bit more in the coming weeks so things may change on their own. That's what my DD did
The unsettledness in the afternoon is normal of course, and the cluster feeding all counts towards total feeds and helps him to go longer overnight. That's your payoff there so I wouldn't discourage it

[Butterfly Dawn]

MadB My boys love your avatar and the brick wall icon you used, they are cracking up

(sorry to get off the topic)

[~Raven~]

I guess my question is- should I wake him if he sleeps more than 3 hours in the daytime?

I did. Reason being that I was told by the midwives that babies will usually have one longer block of sleep in a 24 hour period and if you let them sleep for 4+ hours during the day then you might be up all night with them
As it turned out with my younger two, I had to co-ordinate their routines around school and kinder so they never had the chance to sleep that long during the day anyway and they were my best two over night sleepers. DD slept through the night at 5 weeks

[Georgi]

If I left my boys to let me know when they were hungry, they never would. They only ever had 5 or 6 feeds a day as newborns and by 6 weeks were only taking 5 feeds a day. That is because I would wake them 4 hourly during the day with their last feed at around 7 or 8pm. They started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks & would wake around 4/5am to feed. I never had a supply issue. I BF DS1 till 10months & still feeding DS2 at 9 months (and planning to go to 12).

I'm not suggesting in anyway that you follow my lead. I just thought you would be interested to hear how it has worked for others.

It sounds like you're doing a great job.

[lozzy_mac]

Thanks everyone
MadB, you're right- ever since I wrote this he has decided that daytime is a good time for 2 hourly feeds! Thankfully still doing 3-4 at night though
But when things change yet again, I will have confidence in either dreamfeeding or letting him be. Thanks again all!