Baby always Falls asleep during feeds!

[Newbee123]

How do you keep your baby awake during feeds ? My baby always falls asleep and never finishes the bottle ! He's 3 months old

My health visitor taught me to tickle them under the chin a bit...they start feeding again.

Have you tried moving up a test size OP?

And are you feeding to a schedule or on demand?

Tap their feet, undress them a bit so they are cooler, gently blow in their face. Feels a bit mean but needs must!

Change nappy and start again

Maybe he doesn’t want all of it?

As another poster said - do you have a strict feeding regime or do you feed on demand?

@JiltedJohnsJulie I feed on demand do you think that's why maybe ?

Feeding on demand is good - it lets them regulate their own appetite.

It means they feed when they want and they can take how much they want to have.

Has he had problems with his weight that make you worry about him not finishing every bottle?

If he’s gaining weight and you’re feeding on demand then I don’t think you need to worry. Certainly don’t think you need to tap his feet or blow in his face 🤨
Some babies prefer little and often others like a big feed. DS1 would feed for a solid hour and go a long time between feeds. DS2 was a 5 or 10 minutes every hour kinda kid.

Like others have said, if you're feeding on demand, he's following his centiles and meeting his milestones, then you are doing everything right and don't need to worry about him falling asleep at his feeds

Are you pace feeding the bottles? If you’re feeding on demand maybe he’s full and doesn’t want anymore? You can over feed a formula fed baby. Is he gaining weight and plenty of wet and dirty nappies?

I always fed mine when they woke from a nap rather than when they were tired so they didn't get into a habit of feeding to sleep.

I wouldn't wake a baby to make them finish a bottle though, let them sleep and have it later.

Maybe give him smaller bottles?

Are you pace feeding the bottles? If you’re feeding on demand maybe he’s full and doesn’t want anymore? You can over feed a formula fed baby

This!

Get yourself on YouTube and search for videos on paced feeding which will demonstrate it and explain why it’s important.

Parents worrying that babies must have the full volume of the milk that they have chose to offer their baby isn’t necessary. The baby will take what it wants and trying to force it to take more is of no benefit to anyone.

Keep an eye on his weight and nappies and as long as he’s doing ok on that front then let him dictate how much milk he does or doesn’t want. There’s nothing worse than being full and being forced to take more.