How to Keep your newborn awake for feeds

Does your newborn doze off every time they start to eat?

Newborns are SLEEPY and it can be a challenge to keep them awake throughout the day!

Feeding a newborn isn’t always easy. They tend to be sleepy and doze off with just a bit of food in their tummies!

But keeping your newborn awake for feeds and for short periods throughout the day will help with both their naps and sleep overnight!

Learning your baby’s sleep and feeding cues will help your newborn take better feeds and improve their sleep. Grab my free sleep cues guide HERE!

4 reasons to keep your newborn awake for feeds during the day

Helps your baby take a full feed–If your baby falls asleep every time they eat they are more likely to snack throughout the day and not fill their bellies. Taking a full feed will help your baby eat every 3 hours throughout the day and help promote longer stretches of sleep overnight. When your newborn snacks throughout the day they are more likely to follow the same pattern overnight and wake every 1-2 hours!
Helps your baby get enough stimulation during their awake time-This helps your newborn regulate their days and nights!
Avoids a power nap while feeding which then results in them being less tired for nap time and more resistance going to sleep
Helps you establish a routine and schedule with wake windows that make it easier to differentiate hunger vs tired cues.

How to keep your newborn awake for feeds

Keeping your newborn awake for feeds tends to get better around 4-6 weeks of age, but may still take some effort on your part!

Here are a few tips to try at home:

Undress them
Change their diaper before feeding
Rub their feet or back
Take a break to burp
Use a cool washcloth to the back of the neck or wipe the back and feet with it
Change your feeding position
Talk or sing to them

Even after all of these efforts, your newborn may still fall asleep during some feeds!

Try to focus on one feed a day that you keep them awake for and try not to stress about the rest. Move onto another daytime feed to keep them awake once your newborn is actively staying awake for one of their feeds during the day.

All of these steps will take a few weeks as you’re both getting into the daily rhythm or routine of newborn life!

You will notice your baby has more purposeful awake time after 3-4 weeks and make it easier to keep them awake after a feed.

Newborn sleep resources to help

If you’re a new or expecting parent, I have the perfect guide to help you establish healthy sleep habits and routines from the start with newborn sleep and feeding guide.

If you’re out of the newborn phase and facing sleep challenges with overnight sleep or naps, I have a class for you! The 4-24 Month Well Rested Courses will walk you step-by-step through a completely customizable sleep training experience. In just a few weeks, your baby will be getting 11-12 hours of independent night sleep, AND you’ll have a plan to navigate any future regressions or bumps in your journey. I’ll also help you set up a daytime routine and nap schedule that fits your family’s lifestyle and values. And you’ll get age-specific guidance to meet your baby right where he or she is developmentally at every stage from now until your baby turns 2.

I also offer 1:1 personalized sleep coaching to families starting at 3 months of age! I have multiple options that can help you get sleep on track!

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