Is it normal for my newborn to wake up every 2 to 4 hours?

The bad news is that sleep deprivation is real during those first few weeks with a new baby. The good news is that it won’t last forever!

I’m exhausted: Sleep deprivation is real!

It feels like you’ve just fallen asleep when you hear your baby crying, for the third time that night. “How am I going to get through this? I can’t go on like this forever. Is something wrong with my baby? Why is she waking up so much?” All new moms have these questions when they get up for what feels like the hundredth time in one night to feed their baby. This is normal, mama – and it won’t last forever! Your newborn baby needs to feed every 2 hours as your milk transitions in during the first couple of days after birth, after that feeds will move to about every 3 hours.

Should I wake my baby to feed during the night?

During the first two weeks, your baby will be regaining her birth weight (babies usually lose a little weight after birth, but that’s completely normal). You can wake your baby during the night to feed to help her regain that weight. Once your milk has transitioned in and your baby is gaining weight you can leave her to sleep until she wakes up for a feed on her own, but you should still wake her every 3 hours to feed during the day. Nighttime feeds can be stretched to every 4 hours for the first 1 to 2 weeks.

Tips to get baby to sleep longer between feeds at night:

• Make sure your baby is well-fed and not still hungry.
• Check that her nappy is clean and dry before you put her down.
• Make sure she’s winded.
• Swaddling your baby will prevent her from startling herself awake with her hands during the night.
• Your little one should be warm but not too hot when she sleeps.
• A dark room will help her sleep better.
• Background noise or white noise often helps to keep babies asleep for longer periods.