Herbie Murray
Newborns need to feed every two to three hours, or eight to twelve times in 24 hours. This is because babies digest breast milk quickly and have tiny tummies. If your baby is too sleepy to feed, you will need to wake them to ensure they get enough milk. This will be easier if your baby is in a light sleep cycle or REM sleep, which you can recognise by their rapid eye movements, arm and leg movements, sucking activity, and changes in facial expression. You can try undressing your baby, changing their nappy, giving them a warm bath, or gently massaging their hands, feet, back, arms, and shoulders.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How often to feed a newborn | Every 2-4 hours, at least 8-12 times in 24 hours |
| When to wake a sleeping newborn | After sleeping for 4-5 hours |
| How to wake a sleeping newborn | Undressing, holding skin-to-skin, singing, stroking hands and feet, massaging, changing nappies, giving a warm bath, breast compressions |
| Reasons for waking a sleeping newborn | To ensure they get enough milk, to prevent jaundice, to stimulate milk production |
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What You'll Learn
Feed during active sleep or REM sleep
Active sleep, also known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, is a crucial stage of sleep for newborns, accounting for about 50% of their sleep cycle. During active sleep, newborns exhibit rapid eye movements, increased brain activity, and muscle tone changes. Their eyes move quickly under closed eyelids, their breathing becomes irregular and faster, and they may make sucking or rooting motions as if they are feeding.
- Recognize the Signs of REM Sleep: Look for fluttering eyelids, sleep grins, clenched fists, and limbs that are not limp. These are indicators that your baby is in a lighter stage of sleep and is more receptive to feeding.
- Prepare for Feeding: If your baby is sleeping but it's close to their feeding time, get yourself ready. You can undress both of you from the shoulder to the waist. This will allow you to place your baby skin-to-skin against your tummy and breast, promoting bonding and comfort.
- Stimulate Your Baby: If your baby is in REM sleep, gently stimulate them to encourage feeding. Try singing, gentle chatter, or stroking their palms, soles of their feet, arms, back, and shoulders. You can also hold your baby upright, which often leads to them opening their eyes.
- Dim the Lights: A bright room may cause your baby to keep their eyes shut. Dim the lights to make the environment more conducive to feeding.
- Maintain a Consistent Routine: Newborns thrive on routine. Aim for a similar bedtime routine each night, including calmer activities like reading before sleep. This will help your baby distinguish night-time from day-time and encourage longer stretches of sleep.
Remember, it's essential to respect your newborn's natural sleep cycles and not disturb them unnecessarily. If you have concerns about their sleep patterns or development, consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice and support.
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Keep the room temperature at 18°C
Keeping your newborn baby well-fed is crucial for their health and growth, and it can be challenging to establish a feeding routine in the early days and weeks of their life. Newborns feed very frequently, and it's important to wake them up for feeds if they sleep through them. One way to do this is by adjusting the room temperature.
The ideal room temperature for a baby is 20-22°C (68-72°F). Keeping the room at 18°C may be too cold for your baby and could disturb their sleep. However, if your baby is sleeping soundly and you need to wake them for a feed, you could try lowering the room temperature to 18°C to encourage them to wake up.
Babies can lose a lot of body heat through their heads, so ensure your baby is wearing a hat or has their head covered with a blanket. You could also try placing a warm water bottle or heated rice bag in the crib with your baby, but be sure to wrap it in a cloth first to avoid direct contact with your baby's skin.
If your baby is still sleeping soundly, you can try other methods to wake them gently. Try undressing them, changing their nappy, or holding them upright. You can also try skin-to-skin contact, placing your baby on your lap with their head on your knees and gently supporting them.
Remember, it's important to feed your newborn frequently, especially in the first few weeks, to ensure they gain weight and you establish a good milk supply if you're breastfeeding. Always consult your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your baby's feeding or sleep patterns.
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Undress your baby
Undressing your baby is a good way to wake them up for feeding. This is especially helpful if your baby is in a light sleep cycle or REM sleep, which you can recognise by their rapid eye movements under closed eyelids, arm and leg movements, sucking activity, and changes in facial expression. Being too hot can make a baby sleepy, so by undressing them a little, you can help them stay awake.
Start by slowly unswaddling your baby. If they are wrapped in a blanket, gently unwrap them. You can also remove any layers of clothing that might be making them too warm. Just be careful not to undress them too much, especially if the room is cool. The ideal room temperature for a newborn is around 18°C, so you may only need to remove one layer or a light blanket.
If your baby is still asleep, you can try taking off more clothing or wrapping. Remember, the goal is to make them comfortable and slightly cooler, not chilly. You can also try holding your baby upright, which usually causes newborns to open their eyes.
If your baby is undressed and still asleep, you can try other techniques to wake them, such as changing their nappy, singing or talking to them, or gently massaging their hands, feet, back, arms, and shoulders. These techniques can be used in conjunction with undressing your baby to help gently wake them up for feeding.
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Change their nappy
Newborns need to feed every two to three hours, even if they have been sleeping peacefully. In the early days, you may need to wake them to ensure they get the milk they need. One way to do this is to change their nappy.
Changing your baby's nappy can provide them with a mild sensory experience that helps them wake up. You can also try singing or humming a calming tune as you change their nappy, creating a peaceful environment for feeding time. Try to keep the room dimly lit, as a bright room may cause your baby to keep their eyes shut.
If your baby is still sleeping, you can also try undressing them and holding them skin-to-skin on your chest to encourage wakefulness. The warmth and reassuring feeling of your touch can arouse their senses. You can also lightly massage their cheek or back, or stroke their hands and feet to awaken them and excite their senses.
If your newborn is consistently sleeping and rarely seems alert and active, consult your paediatrician.
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Breast compressions
Breast compression is a technique that can help your baby get more milk during a feed. It is particularly useful when your baby is sucking at the breast but not drinking milk. You will know this is happening because their jaw won't be dropping, and you won't hear them swallowing.
To perform breast compression, first, find a comfortable position to breastfeed in and ensure you have any supplies you may need within reach. Help your baby to latch on properly, and double-check the latch. Hold your baby with one arm and support your breast with the other hand, encircling it so that your thumb is on one side of the breast and your other fingers are on the other side, close to the chest. It is important that your fingers are near the chest wall and not the nipple.
Watch your baby as they feed and observe their jaw to ensure they are swallowing milk. When they are no longer drinking with a wide-open mouth-pause-close mouth sucking pattern, compress your breast to increase the external pressure. You do not need to roll your fingers down towards the baby, simply squeeze down and hold. Avoid squeezing so hard that the areola changes shape or that it hurts you. Release the compression when your baby starts drinking again and continue until they stop drinking. If they don't continue drinking, try breast compressions again, rotating your hand around the breast and trying 2-3 different hand locations.
You can continue breast compressions on one breast until your baby will no longer suck, even with compression. It can be beneficial to leave your baby on the breast a little longer after this point, in case another letdown reflex occurs and your baby starts drinking again. However, if they don't start drinking again, you should remove them from the breast to prevent nipple soreness.
You can combine breast compression with switch nursing, or you may find that one technique works better for you and your baby.
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Frequently asked questions
Newborns need to feed every two to three hours, or eight to twelve times in 24 hours. They can go for one longer sleep of four to five hours.
Try to feed your baby during active or REM sleep. Look out for rapid eye movements under their closed eyelids, arm and leg movements, sucking activity and changes in facial expression. You can also try undressing them, changing their nappy, singing a song, stroking their hands and feet, and holding them upright.
Newborns might be sleepier due to medical reasons, such as jaundice, infection, or a heart problem. They may also be uninterested in feeding due to a difficult labour or birth, or if the mother received drugs for pain relief during labour.
