NB sleeping up to 6.5 hours at night...

[octobermom]

My LO is 12 days today. She is completely breastfed and nurses totally on demand she nurses frequently during the day and big time cluster feeds in the evening but then she sleeps long streatches at night. Did this right from day one... Ussually one long streach of between 5-6.5 hours nurses then another 3-4 hour streach then is "up" for the day and tends to nurse one average every hour to 1.5 during the day and often nurses in long secessions where she'll nurse for 5-20 mintues latch off be content for like 5-10 mintues then drink more and do this a few times be good for 1-2 hours repeat ect... shes going through lots of wet diapers but were having issues with a lack of BM diapers and she gets fussy and constipated. We actually "helped" her have 2 poopy diapers today because we hadn't seen any in now 9 days...
My question should I maybe try adding in an extra feeding at night like should I try to wake her to eat again? Or should I jsut enjoy the night time streatches since sehs is nurses so well during the day? Shes is tiny still if it matters shes weighed in at 4lbs 14oz at her last appointment at 9 days old.

Deanna

[b_light]

Has she regained her birth weight? Is she gaining well?

Those would be the questions I would ask to decide wether or not to wake her.

If she hasn't regained her birth weight, or nursing isn't going smoothly yet, I would wake her at the very longest every 4 hours.

If she's gaining and you aren't worried, I'd enjoy the sleep while you get it!

[Ruthla]

Congrats on the new baby!

With a baby a month old or more, and over 10 lbs, and zero feeding issues, I'd say "let her sleep." But your baby is under 2 weeks old, barely 5 lbs, and having trouble with bowel movements, which you suspect is from insufficient milk intake. I'd wake her up after 3-4 hours to nurse during the night, if she doesn't wake up naturally.

Since she's having plenty of wet diapers but not enough bowel movements, she might be getting too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. I'd suggest changing sides less often.

[octobermom]

She was 5lbs 7oz at birth
she was 5lbs 2 oz when leaving the hospital at 24hours
and she was 4lbs 14oz at 8 days old... So yea shes was still loosing However I'm pretty sure she is gaining now ..she is according to my home scale)
But her overall small birthweight does concern me I know how they can sleep and sleep and "not" wake up to feed at first I loved the singe streach because she nurses soo well in the day time but with her still not gaining as well as I might liek to see it does have me concerned...

Since she's having plenty of wet diapers but not enough bowel movements, she might be getting too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. I'd suggest changing sides less often.

This is what I keep reading however I'm already block feeding I tend to keep her on one breast oth till sehs naturally falls off but also for large blocks of the day I'll offer the other if shes completely "empties" one side (the fall off druken stoupor look) and still wants more then of course I'll offer the other or occasionally if I jsut need some pressure relief. But yes I'm totally feeding on demand and block feeding. Shes "should" be getting plenty of hind milk.

Deanna

[akat]

I thought block feeding meant only offering one side for a set period of time, like an hour, several hours, or overnight.