Sleepy Baby

I would tickle my son's feet. The peditrician at the hospital told me that it was enough to breastfeed 10 minutes a side- he said anything longer was using me as a human pacifier. So I always used that as my guide- I know some woman do longer but... hope this helps. M.

Hi D.,
A cool facecloth seemed a little brutal to me, but putting it on a warm baby's cheek does seem to help wake them up and keep them up a little. At 2 weeks, they get sleepy quickly, so just have some patience, try the cool faceloth, keep undressing (but not to get a chill), and perhaps tickle the bottom of the baby's feet... good luck!

Both my kids ate fast. I learned how much they ate and cut it in half. So, if they ate for 15 mins, by 7 minutes, I'd take them off the 1st one and make them latch on to the other one. At least I got balance out my milk.

My daughter breastfed within 5 minutes, she was a very fast eater(and very healthy) and my niece breastfeed her son for about a half hour. So time is not as important as making sure he has enough wet diapers and is growing properly. But also keep in mind it takes about 4 minutes for the high fat hind milk to come through and you want to make sure he is getting that.

Hi D., It is a long time since I breastfed, my youngest is 25 but I remember the nurse in the hospital would flick the baby's foot if he was falling asleep. Also don't let him fill up on one side. You can try burping him sooner and offering the other breast. It takes a while to get it all right. You both are new at this. Best wishes, Grandma Mary

Let him sleep. Nursing is very soothing and relaxing for a baby. 15 minutes is a good amount of time. Some babies are fast eaters too. It all depends on how fast your milk flows and how hard he is sucking. My two always passed out while nursing. I called it the "milk coma".

Don't worry :)
D.

My first son had exactly the same problem except he wouldn't even get through the first breast. In the hospital they were giving me more ways to burp him and to wake him up (none of which really worked). What I found to work for all three of my kids is to change their diaper after burping or if they have fallen asleep and haven't finished eating (plus we don't use a wipe warmer). This routine worked for me. Good luck!

Actually, I think 15 minutes is plenty. He is only two weeks and his stomach is only so big. When he gets a hold of the "hind" milk, the end of the breastmilk, he will feel sleepy and full. Let him sleep and get some rest yourself. He will be sure to wake up again to eat some more! :) Babies have this way of letting us know when they are hungry. :) BTW If he screams something that sounds like "neh" he is hungry. "Eh" he needs to burp. Google baby language. This lady was on Oprah and I am telling you it was a life saver for me and my husband. Best wishes! OH And if he doesn't get to the other breast, just start with that one the next time he eats. Use a safety pin on your bra or an earring in your ear to keep track of what side you need to start with next time. I hope this helps! Baby boys are the best aren't they?

Along with the undressing, I had to use a cold, wet washcloth with my first, just to keep her awake long enough to nurse.

get out the COLD damp wash cloth/paper towel...yes it sounds cruel and mean BUT it works...if only for a few minutes!! hahah...but you are right--your baby needs to eat and I found this was the only way my baby would stay awake. It is tiring for their little mouths to move constantly with breastfeeding, so they fall asleep. I put cold water on a paper towel and dabbed it on her forehead lightly or brushed her arm with it, and it worked overall....

My daughter was always falling asleep during feedings and then taking a hour or more to eat. Nurses from the hospital said to wet her back with a wet wash cloth. It seemed cruel but it worked. Concerning the 15 minute feedings ... my son is 6 weeks old and has been a fast eater from day one. If the 15 minutes seems to satisfy him for 2-3 hours, he might just be a fast eater. Good luck.

D.,

i also had the same issue when my son was born. but now he is 3 months old and is perfectly fine. his weight gain is good. even at 3 months he sometimes only eats for 15 minutes.

how often are you feeding? when my son was first born, i fed about every 2 hours.

i too couldn't get him to wake up, i'd nudge his cheek, play with his feet, everything. BUT as i've also learned with having a 9 yr old step son, they'll let you know when they are hungry. apparently my 3 month old son was satisfied with 15 minute feedings. even sometimes on 15 minutes, he cango 3-4 hours without eating again.

hope everything works out, and don't worry. he will let you know when he's hungry.

nikki

I wouldn't worry too much! I have a 10 week old who did the same thing. I would stroke her head, tickle her feet, change her- but when she woke up she would just fall asleep at the breast again. But she ate fine and gained the weight we expected her to gain. Each baby is different, so I wouldn't worry too much. :)

15 minutes can be long enough as long as he is an efficient nurser. My daughter used to do the same thing and I htought she was nursing like a champ. SHe latched on perfectly right from the start and the hospital was really impressed. Once I came home I noticed I had trouble waking her and allllll she did was sleep. She began to lose weight and I was later told she was not an efficient nurser! WHO KNEW!! As long as you don't see any of these signs, I would say he is doing great. Just keep an eye out for extensive sleepiness throughout the day, othewise let him sleep!!! :)

Don't worry about his falling asleep. The baby is happy and fine with it. If you think he is not drinking enough, put cold compress to his foot to 'wake' him to start drinking.
My daughter's newborn barley drink much and now he is BIG, TALL and chubby at 9 months old.

Hi D. - congrats on your baby! I have three kids and all of them rarely nursed more than 15 mins. at a time before falling asleep. It turns out I had lots of milk and they were very efficient nursers, so they did just fine - but I did do the following:

- after nursing and burping, undress and change their diaper - that should wake them up enough to put back on breast

- tickle their feet and/or jiggle or tug on your nipple to keep them awake longer while nursing

- blow gently on their face or body

Hope this helps if you are not already doing this!

M.

15 min is plenty,, my son, even at weeks old, sometimes would only take 5 - 10 min, my lactation consultant assured me that was plenty for some babies to get what they needed. The smaller they are the less they need, their stomachs are really tiny, if you can imagine. Alot of the time if they spend a long time, it tends to be comfort suckling, not necessarily nutrition

HI D.,
It is a good idea to change your baby's diaper before feeding. The cold air wakes him up and it also gets him in the habit of knowing when he'll be fed. If he is still drowsy tickle him under the chin to stimualte the sucking relfex and if that doesn't work take his socks off. Hopefully that will all work for you.
M.,
pediatric nurse and grandma

Let him tell you how much he needs. Sometimes 4 minutes was enough for one of my twins while the other stayed for nearly 20! Good luck!

The nurses told me to put cold water on his face. In the being you really have to make them eat they will sleep all day. he needs to eat every two hours. the longest three from the being of each feeding. you just have to keep tring. don't give up so little women are breastfeeding.

D.,

At that young age, 15 min. is long enough. Don't worry, sounds like he is getting enough to eat. Just remember to always start him at the breast he left off with for the next feeding. I used to put a saftey pin in my bra to remember. Also, don't get upset if he wants to eat every 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Breast milk digests more quickly than formula. Good luck!

I wouldn't try to start that until he's about 1 mo old or so. My daughter did it until she was about 3 mos. Sometimes she still does at 9 mos. Anyway, he really is to young yet to learn to put himself to sleep. At this point be happy he's sleeping. You can make him stay awake during feedings when he gets older. Also, 15 mins can be perfectly fine. Remember his stomach is only the size of his little fist. So if he's nursing well, 15 mins is plenty of time to get the hind milk and get a full belly. Relax and enjoy your time with him.

Wow you brought back memories of my now 10 month old baby. She used to do the same thing. She would fall asleep and I was told to breastfeed for 20 minutes on each side...yeah right! That was impossible. I would try everything, lights, undressing, and the cold wash cloth was just creul, but I did it. I was so concerned that she wasnt gaining enough weight (our first pediatrician scared us). But fast forward to now...one chubby baby...she is doing great. Our new pediatrician told us that some babies just eat faster..or your milk comes out faster..and where it will take other babies 20 minutes, it will take others 5 minutes. The key is to check and make sure the weight gain is good and the wet diapers are enough. Dont stress over it. Soon you will be a pro!

hi D.;

you might be very lucky and have a very efficient baby. you don't need to time his feedings, you want to look for wet diapers and weight gain. if he has those things, then 15 minutes is obviously fine.

my first child was very slow to feed but my second is inncredibly efficient. since her birth, literally her first feedings of life, she fed in 10 mins or less. it happens!

good luck,
J.

Do not worry about keeping the baby awake. This is very common in infants. They love to fall asleep while breastfeeding. As he gets older he will stay awake longer. Just enjoy the free time.

Hi D., My daughter was a bit sleepy durring feeding time, so I used to keep an ice pack you know the one from the hospital near me and when she started driffting off i would just put it neat her bare foot! Worked like a charm! good luck
I know it sounds horrible but it was not directly on her foot and I never left it there for more than a few seconds! Good Luck

N.

I'm sure you will get lots of responses on this one! I'd say let him sleep. He needs to sleep to grow and that's what newborns do. If he were hungry he wouldn't be able to sleep. As long as he is peeing and pooping you know he's getting enough. They are so sweet when they're new. Congratulations!

Check with your Pediatrician, but if he is sucking well, 15 minutes should be enough, especially if he is sleeping well.

I have three boys, breast feed all of them until age 2. Each baby sucks differently and your baby maybe empting your breast within 5 minutes. You will be able to tell how full you are by feeling your breast but that comes with expierence. You'll get the feel of it soon. I suggest starting with one breast and then after 5-7 minutes, switch to the other one, after 5-7 minutes you can switch back to breast one, then switch again in need be. Your breast will always produce milk, even if it feels completely empty. Your milk supply is at constant demand and will always have milk on hand for your baby. My first baby would nurse 20 minutes on each side while my last baby only nursed about 5 minuetes on each breast. Their sucking technigue was probably different. I never supplemented or used a bottle with any of them, so know matter how long they each needed to nurse, ultimatly they just knew what they needed. As long as your baby is gaining weight, don't worry. Nature has it's own way of doing things. Good luck!! Keep up the good work. It's truly the best thing you can do for your baby. I found out this week that I am exspecting baby #4. I'm sure this baby will probbaly nurse completely different from my others.
GOOD LUCK!

hi D., and congrats!! if he has a good latch and is sucking well, has 6-8 wet diapers a day, and is gaining weight on target, then 15 min is fine as long as you feel he is emptying the breast and getting the hind milk at the end of the feeding. all 3 of my kids usually did/do one breast at a feeding, which is quite convenient later on, and your supply will boost to match. ***however, the only thing i would watch at only 2 weeks is your supply, its still adjusting and if you only do one breast per feeding and you are only feeding every 2 or 3 hours, then each breast may only be stimulated up to every 6 hours, much too long at this point, imo. if he is feeding every hour or so, i wouldnt worry. if its much longer, i would be sure to get at least some time on the other breast at each feeding for now.... if you want to wake him, even if you can get a couple of min on the other breast, try keeping a wet washcloth by you and just wipe him down to wake him, especially his face and feet. i used to wipe his face and gently blow cool air on him, kept him semi-awake enough to keep sucking. annoying, i know. thats how i used to think of it, annoying him awake. i hated doing it, but my youngest had weight gain problems in the beginning so i had to feed as much as possible, he also slept alllll the time. you can flick the bottoms of his feet too. or you can let him rest a little while, sometimes a little power nap in your arms is enough, and he will then do the other side. remember that he is still tired from the move at 2 weeks, and nursing is a lot of work, he is building up his suck right now, which is great, along with all the other benefits of breastfeeding, he is developing his jaw/mouth muscles. ***be sure to switch the side you start on each time. it sounds like you are doing good.... be careful what you wish for! they sleep so much in the beginning, it may not last...get your rest now :) enjoy!

Hi D.. When I was breastfeeding, and my little guy would fall asleep, the nurses in the hospital taught me to stroke his ear to jaw area and that gets the sucking reflex going without having to wake him up. Hope this helps!

D.,
Let him sleep! He will get all the food that he needs and will not fall asleep hungry, don't worry. He is telling you that what he needs is sleep. You can gently rub his little foot or back if you think he is dozing off, which is different than falling into a full sleep. If he passes out after 1 and a half boobs, that means that he is satisfied. If you are too full for comfort when he is done, pump a little after each feeding. He will eat much, much more as he gets older, don't worry.

I have a 5 mo daughter and she did the same thing for the first two months. I was so worried that she wasn't getting enough food because I was trying to follow what all of the books said. At every dr. visit she was gaining enough weight and was happy and healthy. The better sleep that your son gets durnig the day, the faster he will sleep through the night. You should never keep your son awake/wake him for any reason at this stage. Sleep is when they do the nest growing and develpoing.

Take cues from you son, not the books. I had trouble with that at first. Congratulations on your new little boy, you guys are going to do great!

I used a cold wash cloth on my son's bare back. I would also pat his bottom to kind of get him going again. Just remember, as long as he has enough wet/poopy diapers there's really nothing to worry about.

First Congratulations! my daughter was very sleepy at first and it resulted in her having difficulty BF and loosing weight. I felt horrible doing it...it seems borderline cruel, but our lactation consultant had me feed her in only a diaper so that she was too cold to sleep, and when that didn't work, her pediatrician had us put a wet washcloth (not cold but not warm) to keep her up. It seemed so mean to me ( hormones!) but in the end its better they are cold, and eating then warm and starving themselves!
If he is gaining weight, I wouldn't worry about him falling asleep. For some babies 15 minutes is enough. But if he is very small or loosing weight, these tricks are worth trying. Just remember this stage doesn't last long, he will be more alert before you know it...and then he will have a growth spurt and all you will want him to do is to take a nursing break for a little while!

Good Luck!

15 minutes is plenty and you don't need to burp a breastfed baby unless they are gulping with their mouth open (happens occasionally!).

S. Hoehner
www.sharethecause.com

Hi D.,

Try tickling/stroking his feet while he is on the breast, and also the same with his cheek. He will also compensate for having fallen asleep on the breast by just feeding more often. This will change as he gets a little older.

My daughter did this a lot in the beginning and now eats like a champ - she is 2.5 months old now.

Good luck, and DON'T WORRY!!! He will eat enough, you just need to be patient and feed him whenever he needs to eat. You'll be fine!!!

E.*

babies generally do fall asleep when they are full. sounds like you are doing fine, my daughter is 3 months. from day one, she has been a fast eater, usually 10-15 mins and thats it. if he has a good latch, and your letdown is good, and if he is a more focused eater, he is def getting enough. my daughter swallows alot, whereas i read some babies suck 5 times and swallow, she constantly swallows with not break. also, he might be a snacker. all babies have different routines, so he might like to fill up just what he needs rather than stuffing himself, but then he might eat sooner than another baby. basically, my daughter still eats every 2 hours for 10-15 mins, as she doesnt stuff herself. but my sisters baby who is 2 weeks older will nurse an hour at times, but she goes longer between feedings. BUT since my daughter eats more thru the day, she goes to sleep earlier and wakes later(about 8pm to 7:30am waking once). my sisters baby is up till 9 or so and wakes at 6, so they are probaly eating the same amount of times, but its just spread out different.
the only thing i will say is dont let him go too long without a feeding, its not a big deal how long he eats, but make sure he is eating enough times. dont let him sleep more than 4 hours without eating at night, and make sure you get hime to eat 2-3 hours in the day. since he is still young, you want to make sure you keep your produciton going good.
oh and also, i usually end up only feeding her on one side, so dont worry about that either, hindmilk is at the end of the milk, so you would rather him eat good from the first, than eat ok from both. good luck.

It seems like you have a very efficient nurser. And don't forget that sucking on the breast is hard work so he may be tired. Actually, 15 mins on one breast is plenty but if you want to make it even you can stop him after ten and switch to the other breast. I wouldn't worry though because at this age they eat very often so at his next feeding just give him the other breast. As long as he is putting weight on nicely, you're fine.
Sorry, but i have no idea of how to keep a baby up while nursing - as a matter of fact I am typing wih one finger because my 9 month old baby just fell asleep nursing:)

Play with his feet, wipe a wet washcloth or wipe on his neck when he starts to doze. It gets better soon. Congrats!

babies get more efficient at sucking breast milk... and it's quite likely that your ds is getting enough in 15 minutes. as pp said, if he is having enough wet and poopy diapers, he is eating enough. bf'ing can be difficult because you don't know for sure how much your little one is getting... but keep up the good work! you are doing great! breast milk is the best nutrition you can give your little guy.

hth

I am sure that you will hear the same responses from all the moms, but I used to tickle my Johnny's feet to get him to wake up. And if that didn't work I would undress him and then blow in his face gently. And most importantly I would wake him up to feed him if he slept for a while, because my sleepy guy would go for long stretches. Eventually, it ended up being great because he got into the habit of getting up to eat, playing a little a going to sleep on his own. By a month old we were in a little routine and it helped him to go to sleep at night without nursing to sleep.
Good luck, It may seem now that it will never change, but as he evens out and wakes up a bit I a,m sure this too shall pass.

He's fine, don't worry about waking him up...I would put a bracelet/band on the arm he last fed on that way you don't go around wondering which side you last nursed him on...I used one of those live strong bracelets...Goodluck and congrats!

D.,

A two week old's stomach is very small. If he seems satisfied than he probably is. They need so much sleep at this age so let him sleep. Just feed him more frequently. I had two girls and neither one of them ever fed from both sides during a feeding. It was the left side one time and the right side the next. You're doing fine.

C. R

15 min is definately enough. sometimes even 5 min can be enough. just as long as you feel your milk ejection reflex, and the baby is swallowing, and the baby seems satisfied. my baby never nurses from both breasts. always one per feeding. its tricky at first but you will get the hang of it! just as long as your baby is wetting and pooping diapers and gaining weight thats all that matters. they say watch the baby not the clock. goog luck!

At his age 15 minutes may be long enough. You may want to try to cut the time on each breast down before switching him. Try 5-10 minutes on each side and see if this helps. Also, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, his tummy is really small, so only a few ounces will satiate him, as he gets older and bigger he will nurse for longer periods of time. Second, eating for a newborn is a lot of work, so he will tire quickly. I know with all three of mine they would fall asleep when nursing and if I tickled them under the chin, they would suck even while they were sleeping. As long as your pediatrician is satisfied with his growth, then there should be nothing to worry about.

well, sounds about right for 2 weeks. :) Ultimately, I think that once babies get stronger they don't fall alseep when nursing. However, some things we tried that seemed to work are: 1)undressing baby down to diaper, 2) using a hummingbird flosser. It's a flosser that vibrates gently. Just don't put on the flosser part, and you can press it on baby's feet. It's a gentle way to wake them up.
Wet wash cloths didn't work for us, neither did blowing in her face. Good luck!