Breastfeeding is a learning process for both you and your baby, and it’s completely normal for newborns to be sleepy, especially in the early weeks. Don’t be discouraged if your baby has trouble staying awake at first—this phase is temporary, and with time, your baby’s alertness will improve, making breastfeeding easier. In the meantime, it’s important to ensure your baby gets enough milk during these early weeks, as this is crucial for their growth and development. Below are some helpful tips to guide you in breastfeeding your sleepy baby and ensuring they get the nutrition they need.

Normal Newborn Feeding

Newborns have tiny tummies, so they need to feed frequently to get the nourishment required for healthy growth. Frequent feedings not only ensure your baby gets plenty of milk, but also help build your milk supply. In the early weeks, most newborns will need to feed 8–12 times a day, with feedings typically spaced 1.5–3 hours apart, going no longer than one 4–5 hour stretch at night.¹ It’s important to remember that nighttime feedings are essential, as they help to support both your baby’s growth and your milk production.

Hold Your Baby Skin-to-Skin

Holding your baby skin-to-skin helps you recognize their feeding patterns and allow you to respond quickly to their early hunger cues. Research shows that when mothers and babies practice frequent and unlimited skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding gets off to a much better start.^2,3,4 Babies held frequently feed more often, are less likely to have issues with low blood sugar, excessive weight loss, or need formula supplementation.^2,3,4 In addition, mothers practicing regular skin-to-skin contact, report lower rates of postpartum depression and anxiety, and greater breastfeeding satisfaction.^2,3,4

Wake Your Baby If Needed

If you find that your baby is not regularly waking for feedings, especially in the first week or two, you may find that you need to wake them up to make sure they get enough milk. At the beginning, if it’s been three hours since your baby’s last feeding, it’s important to wake them up to nurse.⁵ Sleeping for long stretches between feedings can affect their milk intake, may prevent adequate diaper output and weight gain, and negatively impact your milk supply.⁵ 

Undress Your Baby

Sometimes, babies get sleepy when they are too warm and cozy. To keep your baby more alert for feedings, try dressing them down to just a diaper during feedings. The cool air will keep them a little less cozy and allow you to stimulate their skin directly, helping them feed more effectively.⁵ 

Change Your Baby’s Diaper

Changing your baby’s diaper during a feeding can be a great way to wake them up. The cool sensation of a clean diaper and a wet washcloth can rouse them enough to continue breastfeeding.⁵

Use a Cool Washcloth

A cool, damp washcloth can be a helpful way to wake a sleepy baby. Try gently wiping your baby’s face or the back of their neck and hands with a cool washcloth to keep them awake and engaged in breastfeeding.⁵

Stimulate Your Baby

Gentle stimulation can help your sleepy baby stay awake and engaged during feedings.⁵ Here are some ways you can encourage your baby to continue breastfeeding:

• Stroke their hands or feet: Gently rub their little hands or feet to help keep them alert.
• Rub their back: If your baby is starting to doze off, try sitting them up slightly and gently rubbing their back to rouse them.
• Tickle their toes: A light tickle on your baby’s toes can stimulate them to suck and stay awake.

Stimulate Your Breast

Sometimes babies become sleepy because the milk flow slows down. To help keep your baby active and alert during feedings, gently massage your breast throughout the feeding and try adding in some breast compressions. Gently squeeze your breast in a “C” shape around your areola (the darker area around your nipple).⁵ This can help express more milk and encourage your baby to suck and swallow more. Be gentle and don’t apply too much pressure.

Offer Both Breasts

If your baby starts to drift off while breastfeeding, try switching breasts. This helps stimulate your baby to continue sucking and provides your baby with more milk.⁵ Frequent milk removal from both breasts at each feeding can also decrease engorgement and help you make more milk. Burping your baby and changing their diaper may help wake them for the second breast.

Hand Express to Stimulate Milk Flow

If despite your best efforts, you cannot wake your sleepy baby for a feeding, it’s time to initiate hand expression.⁶ Hand expression is especially effective for expressing small amounts of colostrum in the first few days after birth. After that, if your baby is still struggling with feedings, pumping should be added. Expressing your breast milk by hand or pump will ensure that your milk supply is well stimulated and provide your baby with expressed breast milk until they are more alert and breastfeeding is going better. 

Get Breastfeeding Help

What If I Have Questions?

If you are interested in learning more, these Aeroflow classes expand on some of the topics discussed above:

• Ultimate Breastfeeding Prep
• Birth & Breastfeeding 1 & 2
• Pumping 101

Want More Info?

For a directory of Aeroflow’s other Care Guides offering information on pregnancy, baby care, and more, browse our comprehensive list of titles:

References