My 4 week old has been sleeping around 8 hours straight each night for the past week. She has been gaining weight steadily and eating lots during the day,
I have been loving the extra sleep it gives me, but I saw something on Kellymom today about how babies who sleep long stretches through the night are at an increased risk of SIDS. Now I'm paranoid. Should I be waking her up around 3am? Is it safe to let little babies sleep for an extended period of time?
nectarine / 2163 posts
I never woke my LO. I wouldn't worry about it as long as she's eating enough during the day...
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
My midwife told me not to let her go more than 4-5 hours at that point! It was great for building my supply so I went with it 
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
My doc has me wake LO every 5 hours until she was three weeks old. But even that was just for the sake of establishing my milk supply. After three weeks we never woke her. I tend to take everything kellymom says with a grain of salt.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I would let her sleep! That's awesome. As long as she regained her birth weight I think you are golden. I guess if you were having supply issues you could do a dream feed but I would just celebrate the sleep.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
DS slept long stretches early on too. I let him sleeeep!
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
Id ask your doc if LO has any other risk factors. A friends cousin was sleeping long and did die of SIDS but apparently had other red flags.
Otherwise, enjoy it while it lasts
cantaloupe / 6885 posts
Okay - thank you everyone - I won't be a nervous wreck tonight - ha! I swear, this mothering thing is just one crazy worry after another!
LO has gained 3 lb since birth so I know she's growing well. I've just checked out Kellymom's "research source" that she links to and it's questionable (typos galore) to say the least.
As for supply issues, I EP so the past few mornings I've woken myself up at 5 or 6 to pump and then go back to sleep until she wakes up.
I'll enjoy it while it lasts
grapefruit / 4819 posts
Never wake a sleeping baby!!!! 
our GP said that once LO got back to her birth weight (around 2 weeks old), there was no need to wake her. She said she wouldn't let herself starve and every baby has different feeding needs.
LO was sleeping six hour stretches around four weeks and was up to 12 hr stretches overnight by ten weeks. Never had any issues. Enjoy the sleep!
kiwi / 643 posts
You are a lucky, lucky woman. Let that LO sleeeeeeeeeeep, but DO NOT GET USED TO IT. Please don't get used to it, okay?
apricot / 444 posts
No way. Do not wake her! Mine did that and although I was nervous, I decided not to wake her, and she is still sleeping like a champ at 5 months, aside from some shenanigans right before 4 months. Your supply will get used to it, and you will feel so much love for that sweet sleeping baby!
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
No way! If that baby is sleeping, count your lucky stars!
squash / 13199 posts
@char54: Definitely dont wake her up. If it makes you feel better you can just check on her in the middle of the night, maybe reposition her if necessary
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
Let her sleep!! LO was sleeping 8 hours by 5 weeks too, enjoy it you never know how long it will last!! Check on her before you go to bed and crawl into bed and enjoy it
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