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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Falling asleep while breastfeeding

32 replies

Toastypate · 11/09/2018 06:23

Need some help, I have a 2week old who is exclusively breastfed, I'm finding I'm falling asleep while feeding her in the early hours of the morning.

I dunno how to tackle this, what do others do to stay awake.?

OP posts:
Cosmoa · 11/09/2018 14:15

Hey op! I used to sit crossed legged on the bed so that I wasn't leaning on anything and facing the middle of the bed as I kept doing the same thing. Before you know it you'll find that you won't be quite as tired and it should stop happening (providing you haven't had an extra exhausting day).

Hope this helps ❤️

Cosmoa · 11/09/2018 14:27

I used to also scroll through Instagram and found a few family's who just had triplets.. Found that it helped me feel better knowing people were doing the same as me x 3 haha 😂

It's scary though isn't it! I used to fall asleep with her in my arms. And then even when I didn't I would dream that I had an wake up in a panic and realise she was in her crib! I can't remember when the feeds became less.. I think it was probably somewhere between 4-6 weeks and has reduced since then. Except when she has a growth spurt and then we're bCk upto 4 feeds a night, but quick feeds and she sleeps right away after.

I stopped changing her nappy at night also (she only poops once she's awake).

You are doing an amazing job ❤️ I absolutely promise you it will get easier!

JoanFrenulum · 12/09/2018 03:49

Yikes. Okay then! I thought the problem with dropping off when feeding sitting up was, er, dropping off, so to speak.

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darceybussell · 12/09/2018 04:17

I worried about drifting off in the early days too and I think a definitely did a couple of times, so I started getting up, going downstairs, putting the tv on and eating chocolate and sweets, and that seems to work. It probably wakes the baby up more but worth it for the peace of mind.

eatthepineapple · 12/09/2018 04:48

I did the same loads and felt equally as awful I the early days. I spent hours googling and got all sorts of answers, the majority of which were just "don't do it, baby will suffocate/fall" and I just found them unhelpful as I didn't feel that was an option as she wouldn't be put down. People didn't talk about safe cosleeping.

One important thing I found out later is it is so common, and most of my mummy friends had the same but we were too scared to talk about it. Ultimately if that's the only way they will sleep, and people say "sleep when they sleep" but you can't cos they are with you, WHEN CAN YOU SLEEP?!

Can daddy have a turn holding so you can sleep? Some people take turns holding and sleeping.

Look up safe cosleeping on the WHO website, and on the lullaby trust. Obviously baby going down in their cot is preferable but cosleeping is natural and practiced I'm most other cultures. I have found a way to have my arm all around her so she still feels snuggled but we are lying down and I can see her airway is clear etc.

Read up on the forth trimester if you haven't already. Baby is getting used to the big wide world. It's a scary big place!

If nothing else, reckon it's still safer to prop up in bed as you are in a way that if baby rolls they won't fall (you would wake up as soon as they move anyway) and if you fall asleep you won't slump onto them. This is v important in avoiding the suffocation risk and preferable to sitting, especially on a sofa or chair where the risk of sids is highest. But really try to follow the safe guidelines properly - it would be devastating if something happened...

Eat snacks! Bf burns calories anyway and it will help get you through. And drink water. Play crappy games or scroll through Facebook/Instagram/mums net (which I discovered in those early hours) on your phone.

It will get better but baby may sill go through phases of waking a lot as they have various leaps/sleep regressions. Mine was sleeping through some nights at 3m but now usually wakes twice at 8m. Some nights it's more and in those cases she comes in with us!

Good luck and try not to beat yourself up.

SnuggyBuggy · 12/09/2018 08:46

The current guidelines are basically don't let them cry it out, it's damaging, don't cosleep, it's risky but don't fall asleep holding them, it's very dangerous. It doesn't leave you with any useful advice.

HerSymphonyAndSong · 12/09/2018 13:59

Agree snuggybuggy - my HV was pretty hopeless when I said I was safely cosleeping as the alternative was falling asleep whilst feeding/holding him (he wouldn’t sleep anywhere except on one of us and has fed every 2 hours minimum since birth - he is now 4mo!). She just said “we don’t recommend that” and moved on

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