Should I wake my baby for a feed?

Your baby may be sleepier than others, and that raises doubts about breastfeeding feeds, most typically: should I wake my baby for a feed? That is why the midwife team at Happymami has prepared this post especially for you, with everything you need to know about sleepy babies and breastfeeding.

Should I wake my baby for a feed?

A healthy full-term baby goes through different phases after birth. At first, there is a period of around 2 hours in which they are very active, known as the sensitive period. At this point, if possible, do skin-to-skin, and your baby will be able to feed effectively. However, between 2 hours and 24-36 hours, most babies are in a phase of lethargy or sleep, needing short and less frequent feeds. It is very important to stress that this is normal behaviour and does not mean that they need formula supplements because you are not producing enough milk.

Every baby is unique, and when it comes to breastfeeding there are many behaviour patterns considered normal. For example, from their very first day of life some babies suck briefly and very energetically, for around 10-20 minutes. Others get very excited when in contact with mum's breast, cry and need you to calm them before they can start sucking. Some savour the first drops of breast milk for a few minutes before starting the feed. Finally, some feed briefly and without much vigour, rest for a while and then suck again; these feeds are very long, but they usually take in what they need.

Should I wake my baby?

With a healthy, full-term baby, the AEPED recommends waking them every 3 or 4 hours, until they start feeding with more energy. Bear in mind that they usually have between 8 and 12 feeds a day, or more, especially in the first days. And if you have a sleepy baby, the ideal would be to keep your baby skin-to-skin for as long as possible to make feeds easier.

Exceptional cases to bear in mind

Your baby may not be full-term, in which case you need to pay closer attention to feeds, as with babies who are premature, babies with a low birth weight, or babies with an illness. In these cases you should pay special attention to hunger cues, to stimulating feeds, and to cues of fullness such as wet nappies. You should also keep up a special follow-up with your paediatrician.

Signs that should catch your attention

One of the behaviours we should not lose sight of, because it is considered a risk of breastfeeding coming to an end, is when your baby is very drowsy during the first 5 days of life, with little interest in sucking. Some start to show interest from the third or fifth day of life, once the milk has come in; they are known as “sleeping beauties”.

So, by not stimulating milk production and with the little milk that is produced being low in sodium, you enter a vicious circle. For this reason, these babies can develop excessive weight loss, hypoglycaemia, jaundice or hypernatraemic dehydration, which is a common pattern in late preterm babies.

Baby with weak sucking

If your baby sucks weakly at first, you can apply pressure on the breast to help the milk flow, or put a few drops of your milk on the nipple to stimulate your baby. If nipple shields are needed, for example with a flat or inverted nipple, it is best to remove them as soon as possible.

If a visit to the paediatrician reveals significant weight loss and your baby needs supplements, the use of expressed breast milk should always be recommended. You can also use your Happymami bottle, designed to mirror your anatomy, so that there is the smallest possible difference between breastfeeding from your breast and from your Happymami, protecting your breastfeeding in this way. The use of this custom-designed bottle has been shown to reduce the number of mothers who give up breastfeeding.

Conclusion: should I wake my baby for a feed?

As we always say, every baby is unique, and little by little you will find your own feeding pattern. And above all, patience, because motherhood, and especially the first months, come in stages.