Falling Asleep at the Breast

Updated on March 05, 2007
M.H. asks from Minneapolis, MN
6 answers

My son will be 4 weeks old on Saturday and I am currently breastfeeding. The problem I am running into is that he doesn't seem to sleep during the day unless he falls asleep at the breast. I never had this problem with my older son because he never breastfed so I'm not sure if this is a typical problem for breastfed babies. I'm not sure if I should be concerned yet being that he is still so young or if I should just continue to put him at the breast when he's crying and obviously tired and not hungry. I feel like I have a baby attached to me all day long. Which makes it very difficult to get anything done or spend as much time with my toddler as I'd like to. Any advice would be very helpful, thank you.

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K.J.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would try this schedule:
Eat
Play
Sleep

It worked great for my little one (8 months now).
It took awhile to get there bit this is what I strived for.
He still falls asleep feeding, but it is light and only because he is so comfortable. Don't breastfeed if he is not hungry it is a horrible habit to get into. How about using a pacifer for him to suck and self soothe himself at those times. It also may help him calm down to sleep. Most my ideas at the beginning came from the Baby Whisper book. I really enjoyed it! Good luck!
K.

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D.

answers from Minneapolis on

Don't worry about it. Just feed him when he's hungry. He's sucking for comfort and loves being with you. You could try "wearing" him when he's awake. That way he would feel that closeness with you and it wouldn't only be when he's sleeping.

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V.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

It's normal for babies to nurse a lot and fall asleep at the breast. If your baby is only 4 weeks old I wouldn't limit sucking either. You are still establishing your milk supply and he is still vulnerable to nipple confusion. A baby suckles differently on a bottle or pacifier than at the breast and can have difficulty switching back and forth. I would just tell yourself that you are going to be the human pacifier for the next few weeks and make peace with it. It'll pay off.

Feeling like you have a baby attached all the time is normal. Keep in mind that he's growing and will eat more during growth spurts (you are probably in one now or just past it). Babies eat 8-12 times a day, and that doesn't mean every 2-4 hours like clockwork, it means if they sleep for 4 hours, they "missed" a feeding and will make up for it elsewhere. My son has been a super nurser and has always nursed a lot.

If you are really feeling run down by it, I'd suggest getting a sling or a wrap that you can wear your baby in, and if possible, learn how to nurse in. Then you can move around still. I make and sell them for $30 - a Moby style wrap and a Maya style sling. You can look at www.onebighappy.net, or try going to Peapods in St. Paul or looking into a NINO meeting for options to try them out. I couldn't get along without mine, and I've only got one 16 mo babe!

I would also suggest attending a La Leche League meeting if you're frustrated. I am part of the Plymouth/Wayzata group and we meet tomorrow night at the West Health building off 494 and 55, or check them out on the web.

Good luck!

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P.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

Totally normal. It's a comfort thing. Plus, probably a little bit of a full tummy might make him sleepy anyway. Don't worry about it...you probably won't have to worry about keeping him awake during feedings until he's about 3-4 months old. Until then,..let him suck and sleep. It's what baby's do.

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M.A.

answers from Minneapolis on

routine, routine you need a regular routine. i guess your lucky your child is up in the daytime. you need to get a swing and try different things to keep the baby occupied. i would not breast feed except if the child is hungry, every 2-3 hrs. breast milk is easily digested and can go through pretty quick.
sometimes babys cry because they are bored.

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A.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

That's totally normal for a nursing baby to fall asleep. My daughter still does it sometimes at 1 year old. When she was around 3 or 4 months old, I started making sure she was at least a little awake when I put her to bed after nursing and she goes to bed just fine on her own now. At 4 weeks, he'll be fine:)

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