What could you do if you have a sleepy baby?
It’s common for newborns to feel extra sleepy, particularly if they were born a bit early or are dealing with jaundice. This sleepiness can sometimes make it harder for them to feed frequently, which only makes them more tired.
Although newborns don’t need a large amount of colostrum, it’s still essential that they feed often. Regularly removing colostrum and, later on, mature milk from both breasts from the very first day is key to establishing a strong milk supply. Most mothers will be able to produce more than enough milk as long as both breasts are stimulated at least eight times within a 24 hour period.
If your baby seems particularly sleepy, there are a few gentle strategies you can try to encourage feeding:
Skin to skin contact is one of the most powerful ways to help your baby. Holding them close against your skin triggers their natural reflexes, making it easier for them to latch on, especially when held in a baby-led position. It also stimulates your own hormones to support milk production. Skin to skin contact also helps you pick up on your baby’s feeding cues more easily, which might otherwise be missed if they’re sleeping in a crib or bassinet.
In the first few days, you might find that hand expressing a small amount of colostrum into a syringe and gently finger feeding it to your baby helps them stay awake and motivated to latch. Sometimes, just 1-2 ml of colostrum is enough to help them wake up and feed. You can find helpful guides online for hand expression and finger feeding if you’re unsure how to do it.
When your baby is feeding, try gently using breast compressions. This helps to move more milk down, encouraging them to feed actively. You can also switch them between breasts during feeds to help keep the flow steady. These techniques can make the feeding process more effective for both of you.
Another simple but effective approach is to undress your baby, or at least keep them dressed lightly. Babies can become sleepy if they’re too warm, and your body’s warmth can act as an additional layer of clothing. In warmer weather, a nappy alone is often enough, and in cooler temperatures, a vest should suffice. There’s no need for hats indoors.
Newborns can sometimes struggle to wake up for feeds, and it’s important to help them stay on track. If your baby has been sleeping for longer than 2.5-3 hours, you’ll want to gently wake them to ensure they’re feeding at least eight times within a 24 hour period. If they’re feeding less than this, you can hand express while you’re still producing colostrum, and once your milk comes in, consider using a hospital grade pump every couple of hours during the day and every 3 hours at night. This consistent stimulation will support your milk supply and allow you to offer your expressed milk to your baby while they gradually become more alert and engaged with feeding.
If bottle feeding, you may consider using paced bottle feeding. This method helps your baby feed more slowly, reducing the risk of overfeeding, and it also helps maintain a balance between bottle and breastfeeding, so whichever method you are using, the feeding experience is similar and they are able to move between both methods smoothly.