Night Time Feedings

New mothers usually want to know if they should wake their baby for night time feedings. The answer is dependent upon several things. First of all, if your baby is under two weeks of age, you will want to remove milk from your breasts every two to three hours. This will assist in establishing a good milk supply and keep you comfortable. Most full-term babies wake to feed at this frequency anyway, so it works out well for both. Babies who were born a little earlier than expected, may need to be aroused for their feedings in order to gain weight. A two- to three-hour interval works well. Once your baby is nursing effectively, stooling and voiding within normal limits, and gaining weight, it’s acceptable to allow for longer intervals between feedings, especially at night. So, if your breasts can tolerate a wee bit of fullness, I say go for it, and let baby sleep. Enjoy your ZZZ’s.