Contents:
- Medical Video: Breastfeeding with the Thompson Method
- Why do babies fall asleep while breastfeeding?
- Babies falling asleep at breastfeeding are normal, but be careful about malnutrition
- How to wake a baby to sleep while breastfeeding
Medical Video: Breastfeeding with the Thompson Method
Maybe you realize if your little one will slowly close his eyes when breastfeeding. This is actually very reasonable, especially in infants who are only a few weeks old or a matter of months. Then, why do babies fall asleep while breastfeeding? Does breast milk make the child sleepy? Check out the review below.
Why do babies fall asleep while breastfeeding?
Take a look at your little one when he is breastfeeding. Maybe at first he suckled with his eyes open, but over time it closed. Slowly, there was no sound of swallowing and the jaw did not appear to move like it would suck milk. Now that's a sign that babies fall asleep at the time of breastfeeding.
A lactation consultant in Ottawa, Beth McMillan said that babies fall asleep at breastfeeding because they feel very comfortable at that time. The composition of breast milk and the baby's hormonal response when feeding directly to the mother makes him comfortable and finally sleeps.
Your baby will be fussy and not calm when his stomach is empty. Well, when he is given ASI, he will feel full and make him sleep easily. In addition, babies do have a much more sleep schedule than adults, which is around 14-18 hours a day. So don't be surprised if he falls asleep continuously and easily falls asleep.
Babies falling asleep at breastfeeding are normal, but be careful about malnutrition
If the baby falls asleep too often during breastfeeding, what is feared is that the time for breastfeeding is reduced and makes nutrition intake also less likely. This will make the baby dehydrated and lack nutrition.
Therefore, if your child has not finished breastfeeding, you should help the baby to stay awake and finish breastfeeding first. See the signs whether or not the baby is breastfeeding enough.
Each baby usually has its own signs that are understood by the mother whether she is full or she is not full. But there are some common signs that the baby is actually still hungry, even though he looks sleepy or closes his eyes:
- Your baby makes mouth movements such as breastfeeding during sleep or may make a sound that resembles when breastfeeding.
- The baby moves his head like looking for the mother's breast.
When a baby is full, the baby will show the following general signs:
- Your breasts feel more soft after breastfeeding (not tense and full of flavor).
- Babies look very relaxed and satisfied.
How to wake a baby to sleep while breastfeeding
Slowly massage your baby's feet or other body parts while speaking in a low voice. But it's not a sound that makes your baby more sleepy, like when you sing a song for a child before going to bed. Make a sound that is more cheerful but not surprising. You can also tickle his feet, move them to the side of the breast, or make the baby belch.
Sometimes, if the baby doesn't want to wake up, you can provoke it by gently rubbing your baby's lips. With a little milk around the breast, bring a little to rub on your baby's lips. Accidentally feeling milk in his mouth will make the baby want to get up and continue breastfeeding.
