How can I get my newborn to stay awake while nursing?

Question

I've tried everything and nothing works. Especially at night and while he's nursing I end up falling to sleep along with him. I'm so drained and I don't know how to keep him awake to eat. The main problem I'm having is at night. He eats a little bit and then he falls asleep and I lay him back down and he starts crying because he's still hungry!!! I'm going crazy and I don't know what to do anymore!! He's 8 days old!!

Answer 1

I have some bad news for you! During the first month or two, you will feel like you are nursing nearly non-stop. That's BECAUSE YOU ARE! There is likely a way to keep him up and FORCE him to eat more at once but the way I solved this dilemma was something I never planned on doing. Namely, co-sleeping.

I did it for my sanity and to get some sleep. This way, when she wanted to eat, I just sort of jammed it in her mouth and went back to sleep. I was never burned out tired like I was with my first baby (who didn't breast feed) because I never had sleepless nights. She nibbled on and off all night. We did this until i couldn't take it anymore (I needed a non-nibbling sleep) and we moved her into her crib at 5 months when she was more able to sleep longer hours.

Good luck-it's so hard but so worth it!
DN

Answer 2

I totally agree with the other ladies - cosleeping is great. Just remember that when baby does finally nod off for a while to put yourself back in your nursing bra w/ pad because a few times I would wake and everything including the baby and mattress would be soaking wet! You could also try undressing baby, changing his diaper even it's dry, keeping a light on to distract him. Not to discourage you but I remember nights of him nursing the full 20 minutes each side only to wake up after 30 or 40 minutes and wanting to go again. Co-sleeping was the answer for us. Good luck!!

Answer 3

Make sure you're in a safe position if you think you're going to fall asleep. I spent the first 5 nights in the LaZBoy in our living room with baby because I was afraid I'd roll over her if I kept her in bed.

I now have her in a bassinet by the bed so I just have to lift her up and into bed to nurse-- it took some practice learning to nurse in the dark, but it does get much easier.

Some ways to keep baby awake are: tickling feet, putting a cold washcloth on the feet, playing with his ears, or lightly pinching his skin. If he's warm, he'll be more likely to drift off, so taking off clothes usually works.

Answer 4

My newborn did this as well. We had to take his clothes off while he was nursing to keep him awake. We also rubbed his back and his head to stimulate him.

I would suggest that you keep at it. Unfortunately, because their stomachs are so small at first, some babies need to eat constantly. The one consolation is that because their stomachs are so small they don't need much to fill them.

The first two months my baby nursed every two hours!!! We co-slept and that helped. Once I started doing the side lying position I was totally excited because I could keep resting while he nursed. I love my sleep and these two things really helped.

Try mastering the side lying position and keep your newborn in bed with you some of the time.

Good luck.

Answer 5

I know most people will disagree with me but I would just fall asleep with my daughter. I would let her nurse when she wanted. I am pro co sleeping though. An other idea would be have a damp cloth and just touch it to baby's face when he starts to fall asleep or get him undressed a little. I sometimes have to give a little jiggle to wake up my daughter. Nothing to hard just enough to wake her. I hope this helps and good luck! It does get easier!!

Answer 6

i had that problem too! first thing the baby might not be latched on properly and therefore not getting milk quickly enough and newborns until 6-8 weeks will fall asleep if they are not getting enough milk. in addition, once you see him starting to slow down with the drinking you should compress your breast. now my solution for the night might not be the best suggestion but i give him pumped milk in a bottle(or forumula if and when you chose to give him that) and since then he only wakes up once during the night and let me tell you he drinks a looot!

Answer 7

I agree with those who suggested cosleeping. I was too stubborn to try it at first, but I eventually gave in and I started to get some sleep. It's possible that he's not hungry so much as he just needs to be near you, and that's normal. Give him what he needs and he'll outgrow it in time.

A cold washcloth during those nighttime diaper changes will wake him up.

Raspberries on the hands or feet (you know what I mean, right?)

Pump his free arm like a lever to keep him awake.

Breast compression: http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_compression.html

Answer 8

I tried everything...stripping my son down while nursing (kangaroo care), tickling him. From he was 1 1/2 months old, I just brought him to bed with me at night. He just nuzzle against you looking for milk when he was hungry and neither of us needed to be fully awake. It was wonderful. I used to alternate him from one side to the other, but later on, I just leaned over for him to nurse from the other breast.

My son slept in our bed until he was 11 months old and I just put him back in his own crib and he struggled for a few nights and was fine after that.

Answer 9

Sometimes they just nurse less at night but if hes wakign right back up then he NEEDS to be eating. Try tickling his feet.
We co-sleep and it solved that problem for us.

Answer 10

Try feeding him, then burp him, change his dipaer. The cold wipes will wake him up a little bit. Then feed him again. That usually works.
If not, you could strip him down to his diaper. I never did that b/c it seemed more like a pain than anything else to do that, then to have to get them redressed.