how to keep a feeding baby awake!

[sallyrosie]

My DS is 3 weeks old. He is BF and feeds well, latching on ok. Most of the time he'll have a really good feed, taking about 20mins from one side and then have a bit from the other if he's hungry. BUT in the night and in mid afternoon he'll wake starving, then drop off after 5 mins, only to wake again after an hour/half an hour.
Obviously not a prob during the day, but I'd really really like him to take a bigger feed at night then sleep for longer!
I've tried changing his nappy, stripping him off, turning the lights on etc to no avail...
Any tips? Would it be better to give him EBM at night as he might drink more from a bottle?

Tap the soles of his tiny feet or pull his little ears (not too hard ).
It honestly does help with those sleepy afternoon/evening feeds, sallyrosie!
Don't drop him on the nightlight like I did with tiny dd - that woke her up for sure. Luckily she was fine.

no advice as both mine did this
but giving ebm at this stage would impact on your supply
I think the general advice is wait until around 6 weeks before expressing so that your supply is established

Gently, tickle the inside of his arm, and his cheeks.

also night feeding is really i,portant in the early days for establishing and maintaining your supply

I'm expressing as well as feeding to make sure I have 'spare' milk to store as will soon need to leave him . Have plenty of milk at the minute so not a problem. I'd express at the same time as giving him a bottle of ebm to maintain supply.

If you cradle hold wiggle your elbow (i used to do that) or do whole feed with bottom half or sleep suit undone so he doesnt get to warm and cosy.

Sallyrosie - my DS2 is 3 weeks too and I have the same problem. I'm expressing quite a lot as I find it easier and I'm back to work quite soon so making the most of the fact he'll do both. Just posting to say that I have exactly the same problem whether I do a 'proper' breastfeed or an EBM feed - I think breast milk has a 'sleepy' hormone in it that has an effect for 15 mins or so (BF experts feel free to correct me). I allow him a 15-20 min 'rest, then do a nappy change, then try again - seems to work (most of the time).

So - you could try expressing - but it may not help! Don't worry too much, the 'sleepy feeder' phase will pass and you'll have the opposite problem in a few months!

Btw - I've been expressing since day 2 (some days are entirely expressed) and I've had no supply problems at all.