Sleepy Baby - Doesn't Want to Eat Much

I strongly recommend waking him up to eat at that age. I had problems with both of my girls not putting on enough weight in the first few months and I think some of it had to do with me being afraid to wake them up all of the time. Yes, a hungry baby will wake up to eat, but I think a baby who is comfortable, warm, and feels safe will also want to sleep a lot. Plus, if you are nursing, your milk supply will be much better with regular feeding sessions.

Hi J.,

I have a sleepy newborn at home as well (not sure how old your son is but mine is 6 weeks). He was born 3 weeks early and from what the hospital told me it is very common for early babies to be extra sleepy. I was concerned about my son as well because he would fall asleep while nursing. If you are worried, I would see if your ped. would let you come in just to weigh him. If he is gaining weight then I wouldn't be too concerned. My son will only nurse for 10-12 minutes at a time every 2 1/2 - 3 hours and he is gaining weight very well.
The Ped. just said he was a really good sucker.

If you want solutions for keeping him awake, this is what I have done. Undress him (except diaper) before nursing. Also, change his diaper. I would blow on his face or neck while nursing... this would usually startle him enough to wake up. Burp him half way through the feeding. If he is swallowing air with his feeding it could make him think he is full quicker. Tickling his feet can work also. The one thing we did that he hated the most but would often get him to wake up was to get a washcloth with cold water and wipe it on him.

I wouldn't worry about being paranoid. You are a first time mom like me and we have a right to be paranoid.:) We are figuring it all out as we go along. Take it easy on yourself and trust your instinct.

If it's only once a week, I wouldn't worry. Babies need lots of sleep and if you keep very good track of how much he's eating and how many diapers he's making, I bet you'll find everything is normal. You'll find that over the course of the next few years your baby will have days when he eats like a horse and other days when he eats hardly anything. But it all balances out over the course of the week. I suggest just writing everything down (how often and how long he nurses and how many wet and dirty diapers he makes over a week or two) to see if averages out to be close each day or that maybe the day after he doesn't eat much you'll see that the next day he's in eating/diaper overdrive.

My little man would do the same thing. He would some days eat for 20-30 minutes, but then occasionally (about once a week or so) would only eat for 10 minutes and stop and go to sleep. I talked it over with a lactation consultant and they told me that sometimes babies are efficient eaters and will only take 10 minutes to get all the milk they need. Just make sure the baby is giving enough wet diapers...that's the best indication and don't worry too much. My kiddo is now 8 months and is still a champion eater...10-20 minutes and he's done (I've always had an awesome milk supply...enough for 2-3 babies, I'm sure!!! LOL) and though he's smaller for his age in weight and height (10 percentile which the Dr. says is normal in breastfed babies), he's happy and healthy and growing like a weed.

I agree, once a week is not a lot. If he's having enough poopy and wet diapers in a day, then he's getting enough.I can't remember the exact number for a young infant, but I think it's 6 and above. Check with your pediatrician. If you don't think he's getting enough, try undressing him down to just a diaper with no blanket. Also try changing his diaper. The nurses in the hospital suggested this to me when my second daughter was too sleepy to nurse. It worked well for her.

I don't know how old your son is, but I think he's fine.
When I was pregnant with my first baby, he used to scare me by not moving much every 4-5 days. I was used to him sleeping in there, but it was like he had an extra sleepy day. By afternoon I would start to worry, so I'd do all the tricks to get him to move. He would, just enough to help me relax, and then I'd leave him alone.
Well, wouldn't you know it? He kept up the pattern after he was born, too! Every 4-5 days, he would sleep extra. He also grew in sudden spurts, in the womb and out. After his sleepy days, my belly would suddenly be noticeably bigger (to me and DH), or his clothes would suddenly be snug.
So I think you've just got a little guy who has a schedule of his own. My son still likes to have a schedule, even now that he's a big 4 year old. My other son never did anything like that as a baby, and he's much less dependent on a schedule.

Just make sure you are feeding him when he is alert and hungry. If it is close to naptime or he has been up for a while he will start using you as a pacifier to get himself to sleep. That is a bad habit to have to break later.
He will eat if he is hungry and if he is tired then I am sure he got enough or may turn around and wake up again soon to eat again. Just try and feed him when he is alert and awake.

I had a very lazy baby. She would much rather sleep than eat...it's a personality thing for her, now that she's three. :) When she was a few weeks old, we were having trouble getting her to eat, and gain weight. We put her on a schedule and stuck to it. This worked very well for us, I often had to undress her and redress her to wake her up enough to feed. This was a constant problem for us and not an every once in a while thing, like it sounds like you are dealing with. If your baby is gaining weight and has the right number of poopy and wet diapers as the previous poster mentioned, I wouldn't worry too much.

As long as he has 4+ poopy diapers and at least 6 wet ones, he should be doing fine.

If he seems to be growing, le it go. He is probably growing during this time. when they are a bit older, it is more spresad apart. Let us say right before 6 months or so and the one year birthday, he will eat like a pig. If you are nursing you might even be sucked dry and he wants more for a week or so. then all of a sudden, he'll stop cold, eat nothing (and you get engorged) and sleeps a lot. This is a growth spurt. They are further apart and more noticable as they get older. Once 3, they may not really grow for a year until around their next birthday.

How old is your baby? If your baby is new and has Jaundice it will want to sleep a lot because of the toxins in it's body due to an immature liver (as far as I understand). The best way to flush the Jaundice out of his system is to feed him and get him to eat as much as you can. I've heard high-calorie content is what does it. If you can get him to nurse to the point where he gets to your high milk then that would be good. If this is not the case then I don't know what to tell you, sorry!! He could be going through a growth spurt and wants to eat and sleep a lot. But if he doesn't want to eat a lot them maybe he is sick or getting sick. I've heard that ten minutes on each breast is OK, but if you have concerns talk to your pediatrician.

You're doing a great job! Keeping baby awake during feeding was the hardest thing for me too. I was worried - it is normal - you are not paranoid.

take off his clothes, rub is feed, hands...back of neck worked for me. I even used a damp washcloth to 'shock' mine awake every so often (not in a mean way!!). I read it is important to help them fight the sleepiness so they can eat well and not snack too much. therefore, I wouldn't just expect he will eat more next time around. It takes a lot of work but it is worth it!!

I am a 36 new mom too...and going back to work in 2 weeks. ICK is right!! but we do what we have to do...

Best wishes. How old is your little one anyway?? My daughter is 4 months now. she still gets sleepy sometimes...but not NEARLY as badly or as often.

You're being paranoid : ) ! It's ok, though for a first time mom to feel that way. He will wake up when he's hungry. It sounds like he is having a growth spurt and he can act like he is starving, or his little body just wants to sleep. Sounds like he has chosen the latter. If he's done nursing at 10 minutes, he has what he needs for right then. If he nurses normally every other time, and he lets you know when he's hungry, trust that he will continue to do so. Lots of babies just want to sleep. If he starts to lose weight, then worry, but until then, enjoy your quiet (sort of, with 2 step-kids) time while you have the chance! Have fun and try not to worry so much. Kids have an automatic-stomach-empty device that goes off when necessary. OFTEN!

Hi, I agree that if the frequency is only once a week, then it probably isn't a problem. If the frequency increases, then I would check with your pediatrician. When my daughter was only 4 days old, we couldn't get her to eat, she was very lethargic and wouldn't really wake up. We ended up at the ER, spending two nights in the hospital with her and then attached to an oxygen tank until she was 3 1/2 months old. There never was a clear diagnosis for her low oxygen levels other than altitude (we even saw a pediatric cardiologist) and even though the oxygen tank was a pain, I'm glad we didn't ignore the signs.

if he has wet diapers and doesn't look like he's getting skinnier, he's ok

Many babies do not get enough sleep. There is a book called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" written by a doctor who explains how many parents keep their children awake. He also has guidelines for how many hours a child should sleep according to their age. I would highly recommend this book and check to see if he is getting enough sleep on the other days. :D

Yes, I agree with the rest, as long as he has wet diapers, he is fine. And as long as you are not worried about his growth. Also, sometimes our milk comes fast. I would try to nurse my little guy for 10 minutes on each side, but guess what. He only nurses for 4 minutes on each side and it's plenty. He's a chunk! So we are all different. They tell you 10 minutes each, but it's up to you and your baby. 10 minutes could be plenty of food. He will not starve himself. I let my babies sleep as long as they want.

Hi J.,

Since your son only does this once in awhile it is probably fine. However, any concern that you might have when it comes to your little guy can be directed to his pediatrician. Always feel comfortable to ask ANY questions that you have to the doctor or nurse. They are used to new moms calling in - alot. There is NO question that is a silly one. I remember being a new Mom!!! (I also remember calling in over a hangnail, her first boo-boo and green poo.) Please note, if his doctor doesn't answer your questions or should make you feel uncomfortable calling in, then change your pediatrician!!!

Good luck going back to work. It is a tough one but your son will have a great time socializing with other kids while you are at work doing what you need to do.

A little about me:

I'm 45 and I have two girls ages 1 and 5. My husband works and lives in another state and we only see him a few days every couple of months.

The best way to know if your baby is feeding enough is to look at him and not at the clock. Sometimes a baby just wants a snack, or just some comfort and will only nurse for a short time. Other times he will seem ravenous and you may worry that you don't have enough milk, this is totally normal baby behavior! Just as long as he is growing and making plenty of wet and messy diapers (I can't remembr the ammount a bay is suppoed to make at the moment) then he is getting enough to eat. Good luck!