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Are you concerned that your baby is sleeping so much they are not feeding enough? You are here: Home / Breastfeeding information / Sleepy Baby – Why And What To Do
Nobody likes to disturb a sleeping baby, but sometimes a baby can be too sleepy for their own good. At times like this they may need you to take action.
Your newborn baby needs to nurse actively for one or both breast at each feed. Offer the second breast after they seem to have finished at the first, although they may not want both sides at every feed.
If you decide to stop breastfeeding altogether:
How to stop;
Phasing out breastfeeding gently will give you both time to get used to the idea.
Stopping gradually will also help protect against common problems like mastitis and low mood.
You'll probably find it easiest to drop 1 feed at a time. It does not matter which feed you drop first, so it will usually be a case of how it fits in with your life. If your baby is under 1yr you replace that feed with a bottle of formula or freezer stash or donor milk.
If your baby is over a year you can try offering water in a sippy cup and providing lots of nutrient-dense foods like avocado, sweet potato, egg yolk, salmon (& fluid rich foods such as watermelon, tomato, cucumber if they are not keen on water).
If you are wanting to stop swiftly the NHS suggest dropping a feed each 3+ days while watching for any signs of engorgement & checking your baby’s mood and nappies.
Of course you can also stop breastfeeding slowly…just gradually offer less breastfeeding or pump for shorter periods and over time your breastmilk supply will likely slow down.
Quotes;
You are everything your baby needs
Every drop of milk you gave to your baby is valued