So afraid LO is not getting nearly enough! 4 days old

laurensmerritt

I'm new to this and going mad already!  My LO, 4 days old, is a sleeeeepy baby and never wakes up to be fed at night, so I set my alarm for every two hours.  He is SO HARD to wake up, that sometimes it still ends up being 4 hours between the feedings.

Today, during the day, I've been trying to catch him awake and starting to feed, since he's hard to wake up, but he falls DEAD asleep after about 5-10 minutes no matter what I do.  Undress him, tickle him, move him around and change positions...nothing.  He is just gone to the world.  So I try letting him sleep for 30min, an hour to see if then I can wake him and start again.  But he'll just sleep and sleep and sleep...  I'm so afraid he's not getting the milk he needs, but I can't seem to get him to wake up and eat! 

Right now its been 5 hours since his last good feeding (20 min long), and I've gotten him to eat twice for about 5 min each in the last two hours.  There's no way that's enough, is there?  I have no idea what to do!  I'm afraid if I just wait until he wakes up, it'll have been 7 or 8 hours!    Help!  Anyone else's LO this sleepy in the beginning???

 

The_Jen626

Have you talked to a Lactation Consultant yet?  You need to call today and make an appt.  Your hospital or pedi's office should have one.  I don't mean to freak you out, but please call them today.

My DD woke up every 2.5 hours the first several weeks.

jensahokie

Mine was that sleepy for feedings but cried in between and didn't really sleep any time except when I was trying to BF!  I had similar concerns and ended up taking DD back to the weigh station and meeting with a LC.  We measured how much she was taking in and they have a chart based on the LO's weight.

na24

I would go to your pediatrician's office and ask if you can weigh the baby on their scales so you know if he's gaining weight or has only lost a little (b/c they lose a little at the very beginning) or if he's lost too much weight.  

eacabraham@gmail.com

That sleepy a baby would worry me too.  Definitely call the ped and ask this question, and see if you can get an LC to help you, like, tomorrow.  OR tonight - is there a local LLL meeting anywhere?

JAWMIN

If it makes you feel better, my milk didn't even come in until day 4, and he slept A LOT his first week. If you are worried call his pedi, and keep nursing him.

Mrs_mam

I had to wake DS up for feedings for the first 2 weeks. We set our alarm clock at night and DH helped me keep him awake.

We would wake him by changing his diaper, then I'd start feeding him and eventually we'd take off his clothes, DH would tickle his feet or poke his armpit or pump his arms up and down. We would look at the clock and do all of this for 15 min. on each side and then we'd put him to bed. Just keep at it, don't let him go more than 3 hours between feedings because you want to keep your supply going. Make your DH get up and help you keep him awake if you have to. Turn on the lights, turn on the TV or the radio. Good luck!

adri77

DIAPERS- how many wet diapers has he had?  On day 4, there should be 4 wet diapers.  At 4 days old, you aren't going to have each nursing session seem like it was a really "good"session.  If you have several "good"sessions on day 4, as well as 4 wets, you are doing great.  Each day, they will nurse better and better.  I would call a LC and do a before and after weight check on one of their scales. Try to stay calm, this is a very common problem- they are all sleepy in the beginning, and they get better and better at nursing.  They are just learning this too! 

katlizabeth

I would check diapers, get him weighed...see a LC.  My ds was sleepy for the first 2-3 weeks, and I woke him to feed him for the first MONTH b/c he was jaundiced.  Is your ds jaundiced?  That  can really make them sleepy-and not eating does not help get the red blood cells out.  I would get his weight checked out and not worry if he's gaining (my ds did not get to birth weight until 3.5 weeks) and it was work to get him there.

laurensmerritt

Thanks for all the replies.  We had an appointment today to check for jaundice - he has a tiny bit, checking again Friday.  He has lost 9 oz since birth, and that was okay.  He is having wet diapers, 3 so far today plus two poops.  My milk just came in last night/today, so maybe that's why he's so sleepy, living on just colostrum?  Hopefully it'll go better tonight.  I had short feedings the rest of today, but got up to 12 minutes.     

julia z

Keep up the great work! My son was very sleepy in the beginning and over the first few days he learned to drink more and more and stay up (with a lot of encouragement). when they're that small and they're asleep it's tricky to wake them! Now my guy is 5 months and he's a great eater-- you'll be there in no time!

adri77

Colostrum is not nearly as rewarding as the actual milk, so I think very soon he will realize he has good incentive to stay awake!  Good luck

egsquared

Mrs_mam:

I had to wake DS up for feedings for the first 2 weeks. We set our alarm clock at night and DH helped me keep him awake.

We would wake him by changing his diaper, then I'd start feeding him and eventually we'd take off his clothes, DH would tickle his feet or poke his armpit or pump his arms up and down. We would look at the clock and do all of this for 15 min. on each side and then we'd put him to bed. Just keep at it, don't let him go more than 3 hours between feedings because you want to keep your supply going. Make your DH get up and help you keep him awake if you have to. Turn on the lights, turn on the TV or the radio. Good luck!

 This.  I know how hard it is.  LO is almost two weeks and we still go through the struggle to wake her up to feed.  We change her diaper, take off her clothes, poke her under the arm, use a cold wet wash cloth on her back.  Once we get her up and latched on, she falls asleep within about ten minutes of feeding on one side and then we start the whole process over to try to get her to take the second breast - we have about 50% success with this.  It is stressful.  We did have an LC come though and way LO before and after feeding, so we know she is getting enough to eat.  She was one ounce away from her birth weight at the pedi yesterday.