I am an LC in a local hospital birthing unit. I encourage Moms to wake the
babies every 2-3 hours during the day to attempt to breastfeed and to feed
on demand at night.
I explain that babies need at least 8 BF's in 24 hours. That would be every
3 hours around-the-clock. But most babies don't have a clock! So, they
will usually cluster their feedings together during the times that they are
awake, and sleep some longer stretches at other times. Most babies also
have their days and nights mixed up. If they are left alone, they will
usually get in the feedings they need, but most of them will probably at
night. If the baby sleeps those longer stretches in the daytime, he/she
will be feeding every hour or two during the night. Waking the baby every
2-3 hours during the day may help him/her to make the transition to day
waking and night sleeping a little sooner.
I have found that many people have been told to "let sleeping babies lie".
Many times, if it is several hours since the baby fed, all that is necessary
to wake him is to unwrap his blankets and gently move him around. But the
Moms won't do it unless told to do so. I tell them to attempt to BF, but if
the baby won't latch-on and suckle after 10 minutes of trying, to wait
another 30 minutes and try again, repeating until successful. Then start
trying to wake the baby for the next feeding again after 2 hours.
I find that when babies sleep all day and then naturally cluster- feed at
night, the Moms in the hospital will send the baby to the Nursery (usually
for a bottle feeding) so they can get some sleep. It is much less
objectionable, IMHO, to attempt to wake and feed every 2-3 hours during the
day.
Regarding supplementation:
Supplementation on Breastfeeding Newborns: A Flow Chart for Decision Making
by Jacki Glover BN, IBCLC
Journal of Human Lactation, Volume 11, Number 2, June 1995.
Page 127.
Barb Berges BS, RN, IBCLC
Rochester, New York
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