tips for keeping newborn awake during feedings

[browneyedgirl9]

I am having such a hard time keeping my little guy awake for feedings! He is always passing out at the breast or with a bottle. We are feeding every 2 hours, and the feedings usually take 45min-1hr. I'm breast feeding and supplementing with formula due to low weight gain. The doctor is telling me they want him to drink 2oz of formula every 2hr, but he usually passes out and refuses to finish bottle.

Any tips or tricks to keeping the little guy alert to feed. I've tried keeping him cool, ticking feet, running back, ect.

[cricketwife]

I have as much experience as you but have you stripped him to his diaper? I also find my guy drinks more every time i start to take him off the breast. I do it when I think hes done but maybe it would help your guy drink more?

[rex]

Naked and a cold washcloth worked for us.

[undecidedowl]

Pump his arm up and down, more vigorously than you would expect. Firmly rub his head. Honestly, do anything to piss him off. For back rubbing, my LC told me "Up to wake, down to sleep."

[dbsk8dance]

Cold washcloth on his feet.

[niq]

Pull the bottle part of the way out of baby's mouth, it reminds them to eat.

Good luck!

[jena]

Cold wet washcloth.
Messing with feet.

Don't have the lights too bright. Bright lights make them shut their eyes so a softer light is better.

[litasail]

Rubbing his shoulder used to work for us. Man, he would get so pissed. But he'd eat.

[biogirl21]

Having him only in his diaper tends to work best for us. I also flick his feet and rub his head, stroking his jawline and breast compressions also helps.

[browneyedgirl9]

Thanks everyone! I will def be trying some of these at the next feeding!

[buffysummers]

Jan 17, 2014 20:45:40 GMT -5 rex said:

Naked and a cold washcloth worked for us.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using proboards

We had the same problem with DD, and that's what we did. We world also blow in her face sometimes.

[CloudBee]

2oz every 2hrs is a lot. That's 24oz in one day. It tooks a good 6 months before my kiddo ever drank that much in a 24 hr period of time, and we had to push high calorie formula for a while due to low weight. How old is your newborn?

I used to take off DS's socks and tickle his feet. Sometimes I even had to remove his pants or tickle his back.

[shellbear09]

Sounds like he is getting too little sleep with that schedule. I would be ok
spacing feedings out a bit more like 3 hours sometimes.

[lolo]

My mom said she used to snap our feet lol!

My LC suggested using index and middle fingers to run up his spine, using the middle knuckle.

[smm5623]

We used to always strip M down to her diaper and we would also kind of tickle her armpit. She got annoyed by it every time which kept her awake.

[biogirl21]

Jan 18, 2014 9:39:13 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

2oz every 2hrs is a lot. That's 24oz in one day. It tooks a good 6 months before my kiddo ever drank that much in a 24 hr period of time, and we had to push high calorie formula for a while due to low weight. How old is your newborn?

I used to take off DS's socks and tickle his feet. Sometimes I even had to remove his pants or tickle his back.

I agree with this. We're supplementing 1 oz(formula or BM when I have enough pumped) every feeding after 10 minutes on each boob. We're doing it for too much weight loss and jaundice. J wasn't waking well for feedings so we were told to go to every 3 hours, he was just too full  eating every 2 to 2 and half hours and didn't want to stay awake.