- With Mayo Clinic lactation consultant
Elizabeth LaFleur, R.N.
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Question
Newborn care: Should I wake my baby for feedings?
Should I wake my newborn for feedings?
Answer
from Elizabeth LaFleur, R.N.
It depends.
Newborns often lose weight in the first few days after birth. Until your newborn regains this "lost" weight — usually within 10 days to two weeks after birth — it's important to feed him or her at least every three hours round-the-clock. This may mean occasionally waking your newborn for a feeding, especially if your newborn has lost more than 10 percent of his or her birth weight. Once your newborn reaches the birth-weight milestone, it's generally OK to wait for feedings until he or she wakes up.
Keep in mind that premature babies often need more-frequent feedings for a longer period of time than do full-term babies. If you're concerned about your baby's feeding patterns or weight gain, consult his or her doctor.
Next questionInduced lactation: Can I breast-feed my adopted baby?
- Breastfeeding. In: Kleinman RE, ed. Pediatric Nutrition Handbook. 6th ed. Elk Grove Village, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2009:29.
- What to expect in the early days of breastfeeding. American College of Nurse-Midwives. http://www.midwife.org/documents/ShareWithWomenWhattoExpect.pdf. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- LaFleur EA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 10, 2009.
