We’ve all heard it said: Do not wake the sleeping baby! Well, today, I am here to challenge that statement, especially to all breastfeeding moms out there! For proper nutrition, your newborn baby needs to actively feed a minimum of eight to twelve times each day. Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition that is easily digested by your baby. In fact, breast milk is digested in 60-90 minutes.
Encouraging good eating habits
Breastfed babies need plenty of skin-to-skin contact, and mama you need it too! Not only does skin-to-skin contact promote the release of hormones to increase milk supply, but it will also guide you to learn your baby’s hunger cues and enhance your bond.
Check out this reel on hunger cues to find out more about what to look for:
You may feel your sleepy baby begin to stir or notice them puckering their lips or rooting, these are indicators that they are hungry and you can immediately latch them on when you see these cues and begin feeding. This will help you recognize when your baby is awake and prevent them from falling back asleep before they are fed.
Feeding Norms
Babies need to be fed on-demand in order to begin to understand that being at the breast satisfies their hunger needs. When we don’t honor this on-demand physiologic need, it can sometimes lead to things like lethargy and weight loss.
The best way to think about it is that your baby will likely feed at least every 2-3 hours. So, 12 feeds in 24 hours means you should be feeding every two hours 8 would be every 3 hours around the clock. Ensuring you are feeding this often will keep your baby regularly stimulating and keep your milk production on track.
Check out this reel on reasons to wake your sleeping baby:
Babies breastfeed for reasons other than just for food or to quench their thirst. Babies breastfeed to feel safe, to calm down, to warm up, for reassurance, to connect with mother, for pain relief, to fall asleep and because they love to suck. We like to encourage active feeding to help support knowing that baby is “getting enough” but passive feeding definitely has a time and place.
However, if functional issues and excessive sleepiness are preventing you from successfully breastfeeding your baby, visiting your Local IBCLC for a consultation can offer solutions to correct these issues. If your main concern is how much you are transferring during feeds, your local IBCLC can offer a weighted feed, providing you with data and solutions to improve milk transfer during breastfeeding sessions and improve your overall breastfeeding experience.
Tips for waking a sleepy baby
Is your baby sleeping excessively, making it difficult to feed regularly? Or does baby seem to always want to nurse, then instantly falls asleep once they latch?
Here are some tips to keep baby feeding actively:
- Arm Circles: Gently move your baby’s arm in small circles to stimulate arousal and engagement during feeding.
- Tickle Feet: Lightly tickle the soles of your baby’s feet to encourage responsiveness and alertness.
- Feed Skin-to-Skin: Place your baby directly on your bare chest, which can promote bonding and increase the baby’s wakefulness and feeding duration.
- Try Switching Sides: If your baby seems to be drifting off, switch to the other breast to re-stimulate sucking reflexes and maintain feeding interest.
- Lay Baby Down Briefly: Sometimes laying your baby down for a moment can reset their alertness, making them more receptive to continuing the feeding session.
- Stimulate with Sounds: Use gentle, soothing sounds or a soft voice to rouse your baby and keep them engaged during feeding.
- Change Diaper: A brief diaper change midway through feeding can provide a sensory stimulus that helps keep your baby awake and active.
- Breast Compressions: Apply gentle pressure and massage to your breast during feeding to increase milk flow and encourage your baby to stay actively feeding.
- Offer a Syringe of Expressed Milk: If your baby has difficulty latching or staying awake to feed, offer a syringe of hand-expressed breast milk. This can provide a quick energy boost and encourage further nursing within 15-30 minutes.
- Nurse Frequently: Ensure frequent feeding sessions, ideally every 2-3 hours or more, to maintain your baby’s energy levels and support healthy growth.
Overcoming difficulties with breastfeeding caused by sleepiness in newborns is not a simple task, but it is very doable. These strategies help correct excessive sleepiness in babies and create effective feeding sessions ensuring your baby receives adequate nutrition and stimulation for optimal development. Of course, there is additional help for those who continue to have these concerns alongside other breastfeeding struggles. Schedule a one on one session with your local IBCLC to receive custom tailored solutions to your specific breastfeeding needs.
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