Q&A: Baby falls asleep at breast

Milkology Q&A

Question:

My baby (5 weeks old) is breast & bottle fed. I often have a hard time waking him up to eat, but especially for breastfeeding. He'll wake up enough to start and he does suck and swallow, but then he often falls asleep soon after starting. I've tried cradle and football positions, and football seems to be better, but he still falls asleep often. I've tried many things to wake him (burping, tickling, uncovering, changing diaper, etc.), but sometimes he goes back to sleep anyway. What do you recommend I do to make sure he gets a good feeding at the breast and not have to resort to a bottle feeding?

what to do if baby falls asleep at the breast as a newborn…

Answer:

Many babies are sleepy at the breast at that age. You are doing many helpful things. Have you tried stripping him down to his diaper while feeding? Switching breasts frequently and gently compressing the breast during feeding to get the milk flowing can help too. Feeding frequently can help too, because some babies take a lot of small feeds in at that age, but they add up. Even if you bottle feed, it can be helpful to have him finish the feeding at the breast, so that he associates the feeling of fullness with breastfeeding. Beyond that, I would recommend you see a lactation consultant to help you understand if your baby is having any sort of sucking issue or medical issue that is making it challenging for him to feed heartily. A lactation consultant can also check his growth. You don’t say if you are feeding him pumped milk or formula so a lactation consultant could help figure out how to maximize your supply while supplementing. Good luck! You’ve got this!