- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus consultant in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to MayoClinic.com in general and primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
Dr. Hoecker, a Fort Worth, Texas, native, is certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
More answers
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- Infant swimming: Do indoor pools pose an asthma risk?
- Wheezing in children: Could it be asthma?
- Infant constipation: How is it treated?
- Baby bottle tooth decay: Can bottle feeding my baby cause cavities?
- Discolored baby teeth: A cause for concern?
- Temper tantrums: What's normal, what's not?
- Flu shots: Do healthy children need them?
- Toddler speech development: When should a parent be concerned?
- Toddler behavior: How can I encourage listening and cooperation?
- Poinsettia plants: Are they poisonous?
- Infant growth: What's normal?
- Induced lactation: Can I breast-feed my adopted baby?
- Organic baby food: Is it worth the price?
- Infant botulism: Why is honey a concern?
- Karo syrup for constipation: Is it safe for babies?
- Toddler behavior: Is sensitivity to change a concern?
- Meningitis vaccine: Can infants get it?
- Air travel with infant: Is it safe?
- Infant formula: Should I use tap or bottled water?
- see all
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Question
Newborn care: Should I wake my baby for feedings?
I've read that newborn babies should eat every two to four hours. Should I wake my son to feed him every two to four hours or wait until he wakes up and fusses first?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Yes, you should wake him. In the first few days of life, babies lose as much as 10 percent of their birth weight. However, they usually regain this weight by the time they are about 10 days old — sometimes sooner if a newborn is bottle-fed. Until your baby has regained this "lost" weight and demonstrated a steady weight gain of 1 ounce a day, it is best to wake him for feedings every two to four hours. Premature babies often require more frequent feedings for a longer period. So check with your doctor.
After your baby reaches this weight milestone, he will wake and cry when feeding is needed — which is usually every four to six hours, depending on the age and size of your baby.
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