Should I wake my newborn to feed?
Some newborns may need waking for feeds, especially when their care team gives a plan. The right advice can change as feeding and weight are checked.
The short answer
Sometimes. Whether a newborn should be woken can depend on age, weight gain, feeding and health. The CDC and Mayo Clinic describe situations when a baby may need waking, but your care team can give advice for your baby and tell you when to review it.
Start with your baby’s feeding plan
The NHS says babies may feed every 1 to 3 hours in the first few days and gives 8 to 12 feeds or more in 24 hours as a rough guide for the first weeks. The CDC says some newborns may need to be woken to feed. These are general patterns, not a schedule for every baby.
Ask your midwife, health visitor or doctor whether your baby should be woken, how often feeds should be offered and when to review that advice. Follow any written plan from your baby’s care team.
The advice can change as your baby grows
Mayo Clinic says the decision can depend on your baby’s age, weight and overall health. It notes that some babies may need waking until they have regained birth weight and are showing a pattern of weight gain. Babies born early or with jaundice, low blood sugar, illness or feeding concerns may need instructions.
Don’t use a general time limit or an app to decide whether your baby can go longer between feeds. If your baby is difficult to wake, is feeding less than the care team advised or you’re worried about their condition, contact your local health service promptly.
Make the plan clear to every caregiver
Write down the exact instructions, when they should be reviewed and who to contact with concerns. A simple feed record can help caregivers describe what happened, but it shouldn’t set feed intervals or decide when to wake a baby.
For general information about feeding timing, see how often newborns may feed. The question of whether to wake a baby is separate and depends on the advice for that baby.
Sources and further reading
- NHS breastfeeding in the first few days
- CDC how much and how often to breastfeed
- Mayo Clinic newborn sleep and waking for feeds
Sources checked 12 October 2026. This page doesn’t replace advice from your own doctor.