Sleepy Nurser

Deblondie1 · January 2014

Who else has a sleepy nurser? I have to wake Ellie to eat every 2hrs to try and get her back to birth weight (she went from 7lb10oz-6lb14oz, a 7% loss). But she refuses to wake at the boob. I'm using all of the tricks I read and she'll wake for a sec then boom, out again. So nursing sessions are usually an hour long.

I'm getting worried about her gaining. Her diapers are spot on according to resources I've been reading. But we don't have a weight check until Wednesday. I just worry how much fatty hindmilk she's getting.

I guess this is more of a vent but what's been working for y'all? I'm beginning to think EPing may be my way to sanity, so I can physically see her eating.

Tagging @AmyG* because the breastfeeding thread is so super long.

ChuggingWater · January 2014

AmyG doesnt get tags because of the * in her name. She will answer if you XP it there.

Tagging @bmreid because she had that issue.

MissSusieQ · January 2014

I have a sleepy nurser too. She finally is waking more often on her own. But she went from 7lbs 14oz to 7lbs at the LC Thursday to 7lbs 2oz today with the pedi. My LC has me pumping 4-6 times a day after nursing sessions and then giving LO an ounce to 2 ounces of the pumped milk. It's definetly been rough mentally and physically for me. I'm exhausted all the time and trying to plan nursing sessions around getting DS to and from school.

BrittNR · January 2014

I have a very sleepy nurser. I change her diaper and do skin to skin before to wake her up. Then throughout the feeding, I gently rub the back of her head and pull her arm up when she starts to sleep. My LC told me that they associate their arm being pulled with you taking them off so they begin paying attention. It is working for us.

Deblondie1 · January 2014

That's interesting to know @BrittNR. I'm going to call an LC tomorrow. Hopefully for peace of mind and some tricks. I'm sorry you have to pump on top of nursing @MissSusieQ

JoCountry · January 2014

I have an iugr baby who is a sleepy bugger too. He's getting better now-2weeks old-but here' sweat worked for us: diaper change before feeding, undress him to his diaper, tickle his neck right at the shoulder crease, tickle his feet, lightly run my fingernails over his scalp, have DH pump his legs, and the real kicker, run a wet wipe over his head and down his back. For well over a week it took a combination of all that to keep him awake. We are also pumping and supplementing. GL!

ChuggingWater · January 2014

Have you tried lots of skin to skin and just let her hang out between your boobs? Just to let her ha e access to them?

Deblondie1 · January 2014

@chuggingwater She will sit with my boob in her mouth all day long. She will show signs to nurse 15min after we are done so I'll pop her back on. I'm typing all of this as she naps on my chest lol

I dropped out of classes this semester because I'm so determined to make this work. And there was no way to do that and do school full time.

JoCountry · January 2014

Skin to skin didn't work for us at all, he loved it and went right to sleep. The other thing that often helped was nursing with a football hold. If he could snuggle in with me, like in a cradle type hold, lights out

I'm still using football hold sometimes to help him remember to nurse and not drift off.

ChuggingWater · January 2014

Breast compressio?massage? I try to flood him out if he falls asleep too quickly.

In the beginning, mh would have to put his icicle hands (after doing chores) on his back.

Unknown · January 2014

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Roses87 · January 2014

My babe went from 6 #13 to 5#13. I was feeding every two as well. Once in a while I would have trouble waking her up as well. Normally changing her diaper did the trick. My dr had me supplementing with formula until my milk came in. Once in and she was gaining I switched to just breast. My hospital says a lost of up to 10 percent is normal. Mine lost 14 percent.

When I help a mom nurse a sleeping baby I get it naked and occasionally use a cool wash cloth and wipe the back and tummy. It normally does the trick.

cnwilbur1030 · January 2014

My pediatrician said told us that DS could start sleeping longer when he passed birth weight. I know you said you have a weight check wed, but do you have a scale at home? You can step on, measure yourself, and then weigh yourself with your LO.

As for waking, I unswaddle and almost completely undress him. I also change his diaper between boobs to try to wake him up more.

CopperT0p · January 2014

I second breast compression while nursing. DS2 would sleep a lot too in the beginning (nurse for 1-2 min then out cold). I could gently compress my breast which would push milk into him and that would wake him up enough he would swallow some more milk.

Deblondie1 · January 2014

It sounds like I'm trying everything everyone else is and just have to wait it out. As far as switching sides, how do you do that without getting a fore/hindmilk imbalance? We had that going on already and I 'd rather not have any more green poops.

lmills730 · January 2014

I do similar things to the other ladies, tickle his neck, sit him up and burp him multiple times, strip him down for skin to skin, change his diaper in between boobs, blow on him, tickle his feet, etc.

housewifebecomesher · January 2014

I have a sleepy girl, which we love during sleep time but it so frustrating when it's time to eat. The LC at the hospital suggested pulling on her arm as @BrittNR suggested, and this works best for us. Second thing I try is tickling her feet or under her arm. My last resort is a little pressure at the back of her jawbone. This usually works if nothing else does. Lots of diaper changes and skin to skin has helped too. Good luck!

MrsGraham06 · January 2014

I have been EPing due to a shallow latch. S just isn't big enough. She was starting to fall asleep while nursing at the hospital, and with a weight check and LC "helping", the LC saw that S wasn't getting enough to bring up her weight. Now, S i doing fine. We have a 2-week checkup tomorrow to find out how big she's getting

And, she's been nursing better on the right side now.

bensmommy518 · January 2014

My LC suggested stroking LOs throat to remind them to suck and swallow. Think like what you would do to get a dog to swallow a pill.

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