i need tips to keep my baby awake during her feedings

[melody77]

my baby tends to fall asleep after just a few sucks. then less then an hr later she is at it again. at first i thought it was lack of milk. she has plenty of wet and dirty diapers so i know that she is getting enough milk. thing is since i got worried about the lenght of time she was eating i started to pump and started to bottle feed her so that i knew she was getting the amount she needed. she would drink all of her bottle but on my tit she just won't or can't seem to stay awake. i'm tired of feeding her every hr or less. with the bottle she is at the 2 hrs or more. i really don't want to use the bottle anymore but worry that if she doesn't get the bottle she will not be getting enough from me although i have an abundance of milk. she just doesn't have the enegery to nurse. what is wrong here? any good tips? none on the net have worked for me.

[wildearthchild]

When my dd was younger she did the same thing. The nurse suggested undressing her....it worked.

[gdiamante]

Quoting melody77:

my baby tends to fall asleep after just a few sucks. then less then an hr later she is at it again.

That is normal, even if you kept her awake the whole hour. Strip her to the dipe and she'll stay awake..but I'd expect the frequency of nursing to continue for a while longer.

at first i thought it was lack of milk. she has plenty of wet and dirty diapers so i know that she is getting enough milk.

Count dipes. 6-8 per day means she's getting enough.

thing is since i got worried about the lenght of time she was eating i started to pump and started to bottle feed her so that i knew she was getting the amount she needed. she would drink all of her bottle but on my tit she just won't or can't seem to stay awake. i'm tired of feeding her every hr or less.

The more bottles you give, the longer this stage will last. Dump the bottles and grit your teeth with this schediule for a bit. It takes about six weeks for them to start lengtjhening the time between feeds.,..their tummies are tiny and only hold a little.

with the bottle she is at the 2 hrs or more.

Yeah...I'm going to give you a rather upsetting analogy. The bottle is sort of like gavage feeding poultry for pate de foie gras. The baby cannot STOP the feeding...and is overfed.

i really don't want to use the bottle anymore but worry that if she doesn't get the bottle she will not be getting enough from me

She will. 6-8 dipes per day means she's doing fine.

although i have an abundance of milk. she just doesn't have the enegery to nurse. what is wrong here?

Welll...your perception is the problem. ((smile** Baby was doing fine and to expect anything different is really not realistic. This will pass.

any good tips? none on the net have worked for me.

Relax, put baby to breast and be patient. This WILL pass but the more bottles oyu give the longer it will take to pass.

[melody77]

thanks for the advice. i haven't gotten on here until now. everything makes sense.

i was feeding her last night and got to thinking about how much of a bottle that she actually eat and that her stomach is suppose to be the size of her fist. i thought with a bottle she must be over eating. so i'm going to ditch the bottle altogether and just grin and bare the long sleepless nights. thing is i have another issue with her latching on while sleeping. she doesn't know how nor i apparently.

[MamaBloom777]

I used to tickle DS's feet when he would start to fall asleep while nursing.  You can't blame them too much...mamas are so comfy!  :)