My 3 week old son is sleeping for 5 hours at night without waking for a feed?

Question

Is it ok for him to go 5 hours without a feed?

He seems happy and is gaining weight fine the midwife said.

He is bottle fed and the midwife did say baby's sleep better when they are not breast feeding.

Answer 1

Lucky lucky lucky U!

It is absolutely fine.

I don't think breastfeeding or bottle makes any difference,  you are just one of the lucky ones.

My daughter was breastfed and she slept through early on - unfortunately that changed a few weeks later though!  I even started giving her a bottle at night (apparently formula is heavier on the stomach)  it made absolutely no difference.

I would say, for the moment just make the most of it.

Answer 2

soooo lucky...

me not so lucky =0(

Answer 3

What are you worried about?!

Relax, the midwife knows what she's talking about. It's her job.

Besides your one of the lucky one, I hope my babies sleep that long.

Answer 4

Don't worry its normal in a few first weeks

my 3 months old was always sleeping day and night if I didn't wakes him up in a first 3 weeks he doesn't tell me I am  hungry  mommy

but when he was 1 month OHHH!!!! HE START WAKE UP AT NIGHT AT LEAST 3 TIMES

So sleep as much as you can now because after you gonna  be so tired

Good luck =)

Answer 5

My baby used to sleep for about 6 hours straight at this age and my health visitor told me to enjoy it whilst is lasted, as he would soon change.  He then stretched it out to 9 hours straight a few weeks later and we've never looked back since.  He has always slept really well and still does to this day, and he's 13 months now.  I wouldn't worry, as long as he is putting on weight then he's fine.  He would wake up if he was hungry.  I never used to wake my baby to feed him cos if I did, he would never nod back off again.  I let my baby lead me.  Chances are you've got a good sleeper on your hands there!  Enjoy it!!  Congrats! x

Answer 6

Yes!! its fine..i remember the first time mine slept through the night..i woke up that morning panicking running to her cot! She was fine and has slept through since...we are lucky...

Why did you choose to put him on formula? just wondering....

Answer 7

THAT IS PERFECT, DONT WORRY ITS NORMAL. JUST MAKE SURE YOU FEED HIM WHEN ITS BEEN WAY TOO LONG. AND IF YOU DONT DO A NIGHTLY FEEDIN THEN FEED HIM AS SOON AS YOU GET UP AND A LITTLE MORE IF HE WANTS IT

Answer 8

that is very good..... so sleep when your baby sleeps......... it's okay, if you feel you need to, ask YOUR DR the questions,not your midwife.

Answer 9

that's wonderful ,its perfectly normal and something to be pleased with!,,i don't think it really matters if breast or bottle fed i have 7 children whom all slept 8 hours each night from 3 weeks and they have all been breastfed

Answer 10

Brilliant, enjoy it!

Answer 11

If the midwife said he's fine, he is! If you do get worried, try waking him up. If he becomes whiney, leave him. Dont forget, he is only 3 weeks old and will probablly still be tired from hospital.

Answer 12

Why would it be "better" for a baby to sleep longer? I take issue with that, because my breastfed infant wakes at night and relieves engorgement. His nursing stimulates the release of prolactin, which suppressess ovulation. I enjoy delayed fertility.

Breast milk contains sleep-inducing enzymes, so the baby sleeps very soon after nursing.

I feel that having baby close to me to nurse is much less of an interruption to sleep than preparing a bottle.

Answer 13

my baby has been sleeping 7-9 hours without a feed since he was 1 week old, now he is 15 weeks and i have to wake him up, if not he will sleep until 3 in the afternoon. enjoy it x

Answer 14

That is completely normal. Many babies sleep for a longer stretch during the night. It's good that he does because it's a sign that he has established the difference between day and night. If he was losing weight I'd say it was a problem but he isn't so it's great news. You must be doing something right!

Answer 15

Formula fed take longer to digest, so they sleep longer!  

ENJOY it!  Not all babies sleep through the night for the first year or two!  

When he goes through a growth spurt, he may wake up more.  

Don't make a big deal of it, as you don't want to encourage him to stay awake.  He'll associate it with playtime if you do. Just change him, feed him again, leave the lights low during this feeding, cuddle him, burp him and put him back down!  

Good luck and congratulations on your little one!

Answer 16

As long as he continues to put on weight and the midwife is happy with his progress, then you can relax.

God, 'Lover_2m' you didn't need to SHOUT. lol

Answer 17

Honey, get down on your knees and thank the Lord!

Answer 18

Why are you asking strangers about bringing your own child up.

I will never understand questions like this.

Answer 19

Don't knock it. You're one of the lucky ones.

Answer 20

lucky

Answer 21

Lucky you!  Sounds like he is thriving.  If the midwife is happy with him then just relax and enjoy your 5 hour sleep!  

Answer 22

all three of my sons slept 6 hours on anight with out waking my health visitor used to say by 4 weeks they do start to sleep through we are just the lucky ones all my kids gained weight and they are now healthy 6,3,and 1years old and all still sleep all the way through so just stick with it its fine and congrats on the birth of your son

Answer 23

As long as your midwife / health visitor is happy with your son's weight gain then there's not a problem.

Maj

Answer 24

bet this is your first one ha ha

enjoy

Answer 25

That midwife is wrong. Not only that, she is supposed to be promoting breast feeding as better for the baby, which is the opinion of the vast majority of medical professionals around the world. Babies' sleeping patterns are nothing to do with whether they are breast or bottle fed. They can vary a great deal from one baby to another, and you can have an effect on it too. 5 hours sleep at night time is certainly not unusual and some sleep for longer.Our son was sleeping for 6 hours without a feed at night time at only 3 weeks old, and by the time he was 3 months old, that had stretched to at least 8 hours, and was 10 hours at 6 months, which was good because us too.

Babies can also be trained to sleep longer at night and that does them no harm either. When baby becomes hungry, you will soon know!

In the meantime, you have nothing to worry about. I hope you and your baby can both enjoy a longer sleep fairly soon.

Judge John Knacker

If you don't understand why people ask such questions, it is you that have the problem, not the mothers, who quite sensibly consider the advice from those who havemore experience, or who may be a professional, may be of value.

If you don't place any value on the experiences or opinions opinion of others, why on earth are YOU on a questions and answers forum? That is what I don't understand.