Should you wake your baby to feed?

In the very first months of life, a baby feeds several times a day, and at night too. Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding make no difference at this stage: a baby needs around 8 feeds of 50 to 60 ml of milk per 24 hours, and you, together, need to find your own rhythm. But what should you do if, during the night or a long nap, your baby doesn't ask for his milk? Should you wake your baby up to feed, or let him sleep and trust him without worrying?

CONTENTS : 

• First of all, a few facts about toddler sleep
• Letting baby sleep is important
• Why wake your baby to feed?
• Waking up a baby, but always gently

First of all, a few facts about toddler sleep

From birth onwards, and for many months to come, baby will alternate between feeding and resting phases. At first, sleep periods are short and more or less calm or agitated, in cycles of around an hour. Your child does not yet know the difference between day and night.

Around 4 months, some infants begin to sleep through the night, but it's from 6 months onwards that baby's sleep pattern really changes, and tends to approach that of an adult, around a year old. REM or restless sleep, which is very common in newborns, gradually diminishes, giving way to a rhythm more and more in line with that of day and night.

By observing babies' sleep cycles, the recurrence of nocturnal awakening to feed becomes easier to understand. 

Letting baby sleep is important

Letting a baby sleep is particularly important forestablishing a natural rhythm and good sleep habits.

More than a question of hours, the quality of sleep is essential for the infant's physical and intellectual development, growth and brain maturation.

So, to make the most of your baby's time in the nursery, create a space that's safe, secure and as calm as possible. Pastel colors and soft, plush textures will make his room a cocoon. To go one step further, eliminate bright light sources in favor of one or more adjustable bulbs, relocate noisy objects and toys and avoid sharp angles.

Sleeping well also helps regulate moods and emotions. By getting enough rest, your child is less likely to wake up grumpy! Similarly, when baby sleeps, you sleep, and so does the whole family. 

In fact, waking your baby up to give him the breast or bottle could have the opposite effect to the one you were hoping for. In other words, a moody, frightened, crying baby who refuses to take his milk.

Night feeds and breastfeeding

If you're exclusively breastfeeding, don't worry. There's little chance that a good sleeper will cause your milk production to drop by letting a feed go by once in a while. What he doesn't drink this time, he'll get back when he wakes up tomorrow or later in the night.

However, during the first month of breastfeeding, the "calibration phase", you may need to express your milk in the evening to prevent engorgement and maintain your milk supply. In fact, it's precisely at night that prolactin (the milk hormone) is at its highest level.

How long between two feeds or two bottles?

There's really no rule about the rhythm of bottle-feeding or suckling. It all depends on the baby's age and appetite. For breast-fed babies, it also depends on the flow of breast milk and sucking force. Artificial milk powder takes longer to digest, so it's advisable to wait two to four hours between feeds.

• From 0 to 2 months :
• Newborns generally need to be fed every 2 to 3 hours, day and night.
• It is advisable not to allow more than 3 hours between feeds during this period.
• From 2 to 4 months :
• Feeding can be spaced out at a rate of one feed every 3 to 4 hours.
• Babies often clamor more often.
• From 4 to 6 months :
• The interval between feeds can be as long as 4 hours.
• Some babies can last longer and start to sleep through the night.
• 6 months and over :
• Once diversification is underway, feedings and bottles are taken every 5 to 6 hours.
• At this age, most babies still need to be fed 5 or 6 times a day (feeds or bottles + solid meals).

Remember that, in your womb, baby was feeding continuously, without any restrictions. The best solution, while you wait for him to regulate himself, is to respect his needs as much as possible by listening to their expression.

The nursing bottle for babies

Because breastfeeding should always be gentle, soothing and prolonged, Élhée has come up with the first sensory and emotional breastfeeding bottle. Made from medical-grade silicone in a round shape, it reproduces the feel and sight of a mother's breast.

For all babies bottle-fed or breast-fed from birth, the BibROND can also be fitted with XS ultra-slow-flow teats, and adapted to the Avent breast pump thanks to the exclusive ring supplied in the nursing set.

Why wake your baby to feed?

While preserving a baby's sleep is of prime importance, there are situations that justify gently stimulating your newborn for a nocturnal meal, or when a nap goes on too long. In general, as the Leache League advises, consult your paediatrician, a doctor or a breastfeeding professional if :

• lack of tonicity during stimulation time,
• doesn't ask for much to eat,
• wet and dirty diapers,
• gains little or no weight, if it loses any,
• was born prematurely,
• has health concerns.

In case of doubt, to put your mind at rest, at bedtime place your baby close to you and stay alert to his waking signals. Arm and leg movements, little mimics, eyes that move under the eyelids, sucking movements, mouths that open, stretching... these are just a few of the many ways in which theclues that baby is close to waking up. Get ready for the next breast or bottle feed.

The "wake-up feed" and breastfeeding on demand

A heavy sleeper can be fed "on awakening". At the first signs of wakefulness, gently bring your breast or bottle nipple close to the baby's mouth, brushing against it. If he's hungry, your child will suck without even really waking up.

Unlike a wake-up feed, breastfeeding on demand presupposes that your baby is alert enough to let you know he's hungry by fussing or crying. Be careful, however, as breastfeeding exclusively on demand presupposes a certain "autonomy" on the part of your baby. He needs to suck effectively and drink enough milk.

What if baby "skips a feed"?

So comfortable in his little bed, baby forgot to wake up and skipped a meal. If your baby was born at full term, is healthy and gaining weight steadily, you have nothing to worry about.

To accurately monitor your child's diet, you can use the staturo-ponderal curve in your child's health record. The paediatrician completes it at every appointment, so you can keep an eye on any deviations (too high or too low) in percentiles, and react accordingly after consulting your doctor.

You can also keep your baby's feeding diary so you can focus 100% on his nutritional needs.

Waking up a baby, but always gently

If you have to wake baby up to feed him, do so as gently and delicately as possible. It's vital not to startle your baby, so as not to frighten him and jeopardize any subsequent attempts to feed and fall back asleep. Depending on your little sleeper, here are 5 techniques to try out.

• Caressing: gently touch his cheek, arm or head to help him gently wake up from sleep.

• Let the light into his room: if the room is pitch-dark during a nap, let the daylight in until your baby opens his eyes. If you need to wake baby at night, use a nightlight or table lamp, which you can bring close to his bed to encourage him to wake up.

• Talk or sing: most babies respond easily to their mother's voice. If it's time to wake him up, choose a favorite nursery rhyme or tell him how you're going to give him the sweetest cuddle in the world while he's eating.

• Move baby: if baby is sleeping on his back, skilfully move him onto his side. This gentle rotation should be enough to get him to open his eyes.

• Living, quite simply: open the bedroom door and let the sounds and smells of everyday life come to him. This may be enough to stimulate him enough to suckle.