Will a hungry baby fall asleep?

nommy13

I'm new to parenting and breastfeeding. Baby bat is 5 weeks old and was 4 weeks premature. I have been struggling with latching since the beginning, and it took a while for my milk to come in. My main/current breastfeeding stuggle is deciphering if they are crying from gas pain or actually hungry. They can be asleep and then suddenly shriek and cry. No hunger cues, so I figured it's just gas. However, that seems to be the way they always wake up (screaming). I rarely get the early hunger cues, so I don't know whether to nurse or not. And occasionally when I do, they just fall asleep (either at the breast or when I'm burping them). Does that mean they weren't really hungry? Please help if you have any advice. Thanks.

meggyme

I used the Eat Play Sleep rotation with my kids during the day. It helped a lot to know what to expect next. For night time, if they get a good feed and wake up 2-3 hrs later it’s safe to assume they’re hungry. Sometimes you will need to keep them awake for night feeds. Undressing them a little, tickling their feet, and in extreme situations a cool wet washcloth will help keep them awake enough to get a full feed. If it’s been less than 2 hours and you know they had a good feed it could be something else. My youngest had reflux that was triggered by laying flat after a feed. Sometimes it’s gas, sometimes they’re hot or cold. 

cassy0110

When I was a child my mum fed me strictly according to schedule, and I slept hungrily. Now some researchers say that there is no point in breastfeeding timetable, feed your baby, it doesn't need to sleep hunger