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Sleeping while breastfeeding

Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37171
Printed Date: 27 August 2025 at 4:14pm
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Topic: Sleeping while breastfeeding
Posted By: Lillybetts
Subject: Sleeping while breastfeeding
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 2:10pm
Hi there,

I had my beautiful Daughter Keziah on Sunday 13th dec. And she's a wonderful sleeper. But every time I put her on the breast, she falls asleep and I have to constantly wake her. I've talked to my MW and she thinks it's normal, as she is only 6 days old. So it's ok to be that sleepy while feeding.

Keziah is having at least 5 wet nappies a day. And up until yesterday, she was having at least 3 poo nappies a day (We had to top her up with formula since Sunday, as I didn't have enough colostrum. But now that my milk came in yesterday (Friday), she hasn't pooed since 1pm yesterday. The MW says she will soon. It's just her body and the formula, as we have taken all formula away).
She is also alert at wake times and she sleeps over 3 hours sometimes. So I'm put at rest that she's not malnourished.

So has anyone got a similar experience? Or any information about why she keeps falling asleep on the breast? She will suck and get milk. But I have to wake her throughout the feed.


Thanks :)



Replies:
Posted By: UpsyDaisy
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 2:31pm


I used to have to wake both mine at that age to make sure they were getting a full feed and at times when I was wanting them to feed together. Used to tickle feet and strip them off a bit as they would get too warm and cosy next to me and drop off.

Plunket even said to use a cool flannel to wake them up but that felt a bit mean so it sounds normal to me.   

Sounds like she is doing well and normal - there is a huge variation in baby poo habits too... anything from every nappy to once every few days so that sounds normal too.

good luck


Posted By: pekay
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 2:38pm
I had this with both my girls. If she is falling asleep when feeding you could try stripping her off a bit which makes them more alert. Or for my second baby I on 2-3 occasions dabbed a cold flannel on her head as she simply wasn't feeding and really needed to. Both these were suggestions form my MW.


Posted By: Lucky apple
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 4:01pm
Congratulations on your new baby!

Yep, I used to have to give DD a little rub on the ribs, or stroke her cheek, to remind her to keep going and not to fall asleep!!


Posted By: chocol8
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 4:17pm
Yep, it all sounds normal. I used to change babys' nappy in the middle of the feed to wake her up - feed one side, nappy change, feed the other. It must be lovely for them - full and warm and cosy, I'd go to sleep too I think!

And our wee bubs would go for up to a week without a poo - our MW said it's quite normal as everything in breast milk is so good for them that there is not much waste.

You're doing so well - it probably seems a lot longer than 6 days old but they are still very wee and young. Congratulations!


Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 4:33pm
thats very normal.. i remember that for my first son his nose was like his go button. As soon as i touched it he would wake and keep sucking. rubbing the palm of their hand or stroking their cheek are all good ways of keeping them awake and sucking. when they are that little their suck reflex is linked to the palm of their hands.


Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 5:43pm
Very normal, mw gave me tips like stroking cheek, patting hair, blowing gently on her face, peeling layers of clothes off, burping, changing nappy...

Just curious, was she prem? Saw you posted in the Feb 11 birth announcements...

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http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 6:12pm
Perfectly normal, eating alone is very tiring work for such a wee one plus when our milk comes through it has oxytocin hormone in the foremilk which makes them sleepy.

With both my boys I would use a wet flannel, rub their palms (stimulates the sucking reflex), blow on their faces and if that didnt work take then off, burp them, cghange nappy and try again

A breastfed baby can go up to days without pooing so she will go soon, DS2 only goes every 3-4 days but look out when does! Thats 3-4 days of food coming out!!!

Newborns eat, poo and sleep so 3 hour stretches are normal and fab, enjoy them while they last.



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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 6:17pm
All perfectly normal, my baby only poos every 2 days and had to wake her up for feeds, we used a wet flannel / stripped her down even tickled her feet she's a small baby and needed to get fed.

We topped her up with formula in the early weeks as it was taking her a long time to feed.

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http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Angel June 2012


Posted By: tiptoes
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 6:25pm
Rubbing the palm of his hand worked really well for us as DS was a really sleepy newborn. I used to get so sleepy too with all that oxytocin and struggled not to fall asleep when feeding many times - but I think it was only for the first few weeks.

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http://alterna-tickers.com">


Posted By: Hopes
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 6:46pm
Jacob used to do that all the time. Not any more, enjoy your sleepy cuddly little one while it lasts! I used to do the 'feed one side / change / feed the other' too, that helped.

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Posted By: Kalimirella
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 7:48pm
There is actually something in Breastmilk that helps induce sleep, that is why quite a few babies get fed to sleep with no problems. At this age I know my bubby often fell asleep while feeding or straight after (as did I quite often lol oxytocin is a mean drug!)

So totally normal!

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Kiara is 3 and Teagan is 2, now we're expecting our long awaited 3rd!
http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">


Posted By: Lillybetts
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 7:59pm
Originally posted by Lil_Nic9 Lil_Nic9 wrote:

Very normal, mw gave me tips like stroking cheek, patting hair, blowing gently on her face, peeling layers of clothes off, burping, changing nappy...

Just curious, was she prem? Saw you posted in the Feb 11 birth announcements...



No she wasn't prem. She was a day after her due date lol.. Sorry I probably got the wrong one. I'm still new haha!

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http://alterna-tickers.com">


Posted By: Lillybetts
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 8:00pm
Thanks so much everyone for your comments! That so puts my mind at ease!



:)

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http://alterna-tickers.com">


Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 9:39pm
LOL yup the Oxytocin made me fall asleep too! Actually had to ring the nurse to tell her I was feeding and could she come back and check on me because I kept falling asleep and I was afraid we would both fall out of the bed (she did actually wake me when she came back!).

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Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 18 December 2010 at 10:35pm
Yep, very normal. DS was a shocker for it in the early days, I had to change his nappy mid-feed to wake him up, hold his hand and stroke it, talk to him. I remember one night calling my Mum in the wee hours all stressed out because nothing I tried would wake him up (if only I still had that problem)

Good to know the sleepy Mum state during nursing is normal too. I didn't know that and was always falling asleep.

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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 19 December 2010 at 12:24pm
I still sometimes want to fall asleep feeding lol.....

My nurses told me to tickle his feet because he was falling asleep at first...I was told or read somewhere not to stroke their cheeks coz that can confuzzle them coz of course when they feel something against their cheeks they turn to feed there...but if it wakes them up not sure it matters??

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Oct 11


Posted By: Lillybetts
Date Posted: 19 December 2010 at 1:20pm
Haha yes I have definitely noticed every time I'm feeding her, I nearly fall asleep (and sometimes do :P)


Posted By: maya22
Date Posted: 19 December 2010 at 2:01pm
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/bf-links-concerns.html#sleepy

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DS1 July 2007
DS2 Nov 2010
http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: Lillybetts
Date Posted: 19 December 2010 at 2:05pm
Originally posted by maya22 maya22 wrote:

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/bf-links-concerns.html#sleepy




Thanks for that! Will have a read through now!

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http://alterna-tickers.com">



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