Keeping baby awake so she can nurse

[TxMominCT]

My Brother's baby is having a hard time nursing she's tried the normal, undress the baby, tickle it's chin and toes and the baby still just latches on and goes straight to sleep and quits sucking. Any advice?

[arelyn]

Just subbing as we're having similar problems here.

[PiePie]

I squeeze a little milk into her mouth and she generally responds. If not, I take her off the breast, knowing that the sucking induces that sleepiness, and she'll be back again soon.

[milkmamma]

My son was jaundiced so he was super sleepy and the doc told me if he didn't gain weight before his next appt we'd have to supplement. I would take an ice pack and keep it with me when I nursed. When he fell asleep I would put my chilled hand on his foot. If that didn't work I would put my chilly hand on his back. He would wake up enough to nurse. It worked and we didn't have to supplement.

Good luck to her!

[booklady1178]

For us, the things that have worked best are a wet washcloth on baby's skin, and taking the baby off the breast and moving him around when he falls asleep nursing. If mom isn't producing a lot of milk (I'm guessing this is the case because of the weight loss and pumping), sometimes newborns will fall asleep instead of doing the hard work to get milk out. So breast compressions can be really helpful to increase milk flow and keep baby actively suckling. And finally, she could try using a nursing supplementer to supplement at the breast since she is pumping and supplementing already. This extra flow can keep baby happy at the breast and she can get extra stimulation while nursing.

[LilMomma83]

breast compressions and switching sides worked best for us

[sheilajolene]

I took ds into the bath with me. That seemed to help.

Update us!

[pixiesmommy]

An LC gave me this wonderful tip that worked with my DD when she was a newborn. If the baby is still latched on, you can massage or "shrug" his outer shoulder and it will stimulate them to reflexively suck.

Hope this helps!
Manda

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

Kangaroo Care or skin to skin..same thing, remove all the baby's clothes to his diaper and have mom or dad remove there shirt and bra and put baby belly to belly with one of the parents and leave baby this way for up to 1 hour or more until the baby start showing signs of hunger cues,bobing his head or suckling fingers and put baby to breast. STS helps baby to become more alert and helps with regulating body tempertaure and all sorts of benefits, also helps mom's milk to come in. All of this has been researched. google it. Great way to wake a sleepy baby, let them sleep on mom and dad and i promise you it will work.