Ashwin Lewis
It is common for newborn babies to fall asleep during breastfeeding, and this is mostly due to a hormone called cholecystokinin or CCK, which makes them feel full and
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What You'll Learn
Medical conditions that cause sleepiness
Newborns often fall asleep at the breast, especially after feeling satisfied from a feeding. However, if your newborn is frequently too sleepy to eat, it is important to monitor their feeding habits and sleep patterns. Here are some potential medical conditions that could be causing your newborn's sleepiness during breastfeeding:
Day/Night Confusion
If your baby is too sleepy to eat during the day but wants to feed all night, they might have day/night confusion. This can be addressed by establishing a consistent bedtime routine and helping your baby associate specific activities with sleeping, such as bathing, reading, or singing.
Inadequate Feedings
Ensure your baby is getting good, full feedings. If they are not getting enough nutrition, they might be too tired to stay awake during breastfeeding. Try to wake them up every 2.5-3 hours from the start of the last feeding and use techniques like tickling their feet or changing their diaper to keep them awake during feedings.
Jaundice
Jaundice can cause sleepiness and affect the feeding patterns of newborns. If your baby has jaundice, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for guidance on feeding and managing their condition.
Tongue/Lip Tie
A tongue or lip tie can make nursing less efficient for your baby, leading to inadequate feedings and increased sleepiness. Consult a lactation consultant or healthcare provider to assess for any potential ties that may be impacting your baby's feeding.
Postnatal Depression
If you, as a breastfeeding mother, are feeling tired all the time, it could be a sign of postnatal depression. Other symptoms include feeling down, hopeless, or a lack of enjoyment in activities you normally like. Seek support and guidance from a healthcare professional if you experience any of these symptoms.
Remember, it is always best to consult your pediatrician or a healthcare specialist if you have concerns about your baby's feeding behaviors or sleep patterns. They can provide personalized advice and rule out any underlying medical conditions.
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Skin-to-skin contact
It is common for newborns to fall asleep during breastfeeding, especially after they have had a satisfying feed. While it may be practically impossible to keep a nursing baby awake when they are full, there are some strategies you can try to keep them awake during feedings. These include tickling their feet, changing their diaper, or switching to the other breast.
During the first hour after birth, both mother and baby experience a unique and sensitive period biologically predetermined, especially after vaginal birth. The mother's high oxytocin levels and the newborn's extremely high catecholamine levels aid in this process. The newborn will go through nine instinctive stages: birth cry, relaxation, awakening, activity, rest, crawling, familiarization, suckling, and sleeping.
It is important to note that there have been discussions about a possible relationship between skin-to-skin contact and Sudden Unexpected Postnatal Collapse (SUPC). Most cases of SUPC occur in early skin-to-skin care without proper observance of the child, or when the baby's respiratory tract is accidentally covered. Therefore, vigilance of the baby's well-being is crucial during this period, and observations of the baby's temperature, breathing, colour, and tone should be continued throughout the duration of skin-to-skin contact.
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Stimulating your baby to stay awake
It is common for newborns to fall asleep while breastfeeding. They are adjusting to life outside the womb, which can be tiring, and they may still have their days and nights mixed up. In addition, newborns with jaundice tend to be extra sleepy and may have fewer wet or dirty diapers. If you are concerned about your baby's sleepiness, contact a pediatrician or lactation consultant.
If your baby is sleeping so much that they can't get in a good feed, you can try the following to keep them awake during breastfeeding:
- Tickle their feet or rub their back.
- Change their diaper.
- Undress them down to their diaper and do skin-to-skin contact.
- Burp your baby.
- Change breasts.
- Gently compress or massage your breast at the end of feeding to encourage your baby to drink more.
- Break the suction and reposition your baby onto your breast to include both your nipple and areola.
If your baby is frequently too sleepy to eat during the day but wants to eat all night, they might have day/night confusion. In this case, you can try waking them every 2.5-3 hours from the start of the last feeding.
In the first few months, it may be practically impossible to keep a nursing baby awake who is satisfied with a full belly. However, as babies grow, you can encourage them to sleep on their own by putting them down for naps and bed slightly awake. This teaches them to get used to falling asleep on their own.
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Signs your baby is getting enough milk
It is common for newborns to fall asleep during breastfeeding, especially after they are satisfied with a full belly. However, it is essential to ensure that your baby is getting enough milk while breastfeeding. Here are some signs that your baby is getting adequate nourishment:
- Your baby makes clicking sounds when feeding, indicating proper latching and swallowing of milk.
- Your baby's skin colour is healthy and does not show signs of jaundice, such as a yellow tint.
- After three weeks, your baby's face starts to become rounded, indicating adequate weight gain.
- Your baby's skin becomes smoother and less wrinkled, another sign of healthy weight gain.
- Your baby actively feeds with a wide mouth, taking in a large mouthful of the breast. Their chin touches your breast, and their lower lip is rolled down.
- You observe that your baby is content and relaxed after feeding, with open hands instead of clenched fists, and they remain satisfied until the next feeding in about 2-3 hours.
- You can see more of the dark skin around your nipple (areola) above your baby's top lip than below their bottom lip.
- Breastfeeding is generally pain-free, although you may feel a strong tug during the first few sucks.
- Your baby gains weight at a healthy rate, as confirmed by regular weight checks with a healthcare professional.
If you have concerns about your baby's feeding behaviour or weight gain, it is always best to consult a healthcare professional, such as a midwife, health visitor, or a breastfeeding specialist, for personalised advice and support.
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Safe sleep spaces
Newborns often fall asleep at the breast, especially after feeling satisfied from a feeding. If your baby is sleeping during breastfeeding, there are some strategies you can try to wake them up a bit, such as changing their diaper, tickling their feet, or burping them.
It is important to create a safe sleep environment for your baby to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths, such as accidental suffocation. Here are some guidelines for creating a safe sleep space:
- Room sharing is recommended, which means that the baby sleeps in the same room as the parents or adults but in a separate sleep space made for infants, such as a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard. This arrangement reduces the risk of SIDS and makes feeding, comforting, and monitoring the baby easier.
- Avoid bed sharing, which means the baby should not share a sleep surface with an adult, another child, or a pet. Bed sharing increases the risk of SIDS and sleep-related death, including suffocation, strangulation, and entrapment.
- If you bring the baby into your bed for feeding or comforting, remove all items and bedding that could pose a risk of suffocation, such as pillows, blankets, and unfitted sheets.
- After feeding or comforting the baby in your bed, put them back in their separate sleep area made for infants as soon as you can.
- Avoid using car seats, strollers, and sitting devices as the baby's regular sleep or nap space. If the baby falls asleep in one of these devices, move them to their regular sleep space as soon as possible.
- Keep the room dimly lit and minimise noise to help your baby understand that nighttime is for sleeping.
- Establish a soothing bedtime routine to signal the end of the day, such as bathing, reading, or singing. Consistency will help your baby associate these steps with sleeping.
- Breastfeeding offers many benefits, including reducing the baby's risk of SIDS. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for at least the first six months, if possible.
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Frequently asked questions
It is normal for newborns to fall asleep during breastfeeding. However, if you are concerned that your baby is not getting enough milk, you can try some techniques to wake them up, such as skin-to-skin contact, tickling their feet, changing their nappy, or gently rubbing their back.
You can try a technique called switch nursing, where you change breasts to make it easier for your baby to feed. You can also try skin-to-skin contact, which can help your baby wake up and start thinking about milk. Additionally, you can try breast compressions, which help "push" milk from the breast, stimulating your baby to swallow.
If your baby is sleeping too much and you are concerned about their weight gain, you should consult a healthcare professional. In some cases, excessive sleepiness during feeds may be a sign of underlying medical conditions such as jaundice, cardiac or respiratory issues, or infections.
