One of the best things you can do during the initial weeks after delivery is to feed your new born on time. But what if your little one is sleeping away during their feeding time? One question that many new parents have is whether to let the baby sleep or to wake them up.
Why You Should Wake Newborns for Feedings?
Disrupting a baby’s sleep might feel wrong, but helping them feed consistently, especially during the early weeks, is important. To maintain and sustain health, they must eat every 2-3 hours. This ensures that their tiny bellies are always filled with the right nutrition.
Here are some key reasons why waking your newborn for feeding is often required:
- Prevents low blood sugar: Infants are more prone to developing low blood sugar, especially when they had a low birth weight or premature birth. In such instances feeding becomes even more essential.
- Promotes steady weight gain: Most infants will experience weight loss after the first few days of delivery. Regular feeding enhances recovery to their birthweight and subsequently increase weight.
- Helps with jaundice: Newborn babies suffering from jaundice are advised to feed on a more regular basis. Feeding more often increases the amount of stool they pass, which helps in getting rid of bilirubin from their body.
Supports breastfeeding: For those who breastfeed, frequent feedings signal to the body to maintain lactation levels. Early missed feedings may decrease the milk supply.
For the above reasons, most paediatricians recommend sustaining naps for an average of 2-3 hours during daytime and 3-4 hours during nighttime up until the infant recovers from birth weight and independently and reliably self-feeds. Thereafter, there is no need to wake them, but it is best to follow the physician’s guidance.
How to Wake Up Newborn to Feed?
While newborns keep deep slumbers, there are gentle techniques to wake them for feeding. Here’s how to do it sweetly and softly.
- Skin-to-skin contact: Undress your baby down to a diaper and place on your chest. Not only does this warm them, but it also helps trigger their reflex to feed.
- Change the diaper: An easy way to wake up the baby while also getting them ready for feedings.
- Talk to your baby: Talk to them when changing their nappy, carry them around and talk to them. The gentle sound of your voice will also help rouse them.
- Move their body gently: Stretch the arms and legs, massage the back, gently tickle the soles of the foot. Small movements such as these can stimulate an awakening from deep slumber in your baby.
- Use a damp cloth: A slightly warm or cool wet towel on the forehead or neck will help them wake up gently.
These techniques, when used consistently, help infants emerge and continue learning to follow routines and naturally wake around feeding times.
How Long to Feed at Night?
How long do you feed them for after you have successfully woken your baby up? It depends on if you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, as well as how old your baby is.
Breastfeeding
The average breastfed baby takes from 20 to 45 minutes at the breast every time. If sleepy or feeding slowly they may want to feed longer. Make sure he/she is sucking actively and swallowing. You can pause, if need be, swap sides, or try to rouse them again.
Bottle-fed babies
For a baby that is fed by the bottle, they are usually drinking around 2 to 4 ounces of milk every time they eat. A feeding can take approximately 15 – 30 minutes depending on your baby and their sucking pattern.
Keep watch that babe is drinking, not just suckling or nodding off. If they start to sleep, softly rub their back or tickle their toes to keep them going.
How to Keep a Newborn Awake During Feedings?
Sometimes babies fall asleep while feeding, even after we have woken them. Here are a few strategies to help keep them alert and engaged long enough to finish feeding:
- Burp halfway through: This method both resets the feeding timer and wakes your baby up enough to continue feeding.
- Switch breasts or bottles: Interest in feeding can be revived by changing sides or switching to a new bottle.
- Lightly stimulate your baby: Rubbing their cheeks, stroking their jaw, and flexing their hands gently. Gentle touch keeps them focused.
- Keep the room slightly lit: Complete darkness during nighttime feeds is not ideal. Soft light helps in keeping your baby calm while alert at the same time.
- Hold them upright: Hold them in a semi-upright position which helps to keep your baby more awake during the feeds.
With practice and time, learning the right techniques for how to wake a newborn up for feeding and keep them alert becomes easier.
What to Do If Your Newborn Won’t Wake for a Feed?
Sometimes, even after trying every gentle method, your baby refuses to wake up. In cases like this, once or twice is not a real concern. If this is more frequent or accompanied by signs like not gaining weight, fewer wet diapers, or unusually sleepy all the time, it is best to see the paediatrician.
In the meantime, here’s a smart tip for breastfeeding moms:
If your baby skips a feeding be sure to pump your breast milk. Put it in the fridge for when needed. This is to not only keep your milk supply strong but to have milk ready for the next feeding. Simply warm up the milk in a bottle warmer when your baby is awake and ready to feed.
Why a Bottle Warmer Helps with Night Feeds?
Struggling to rouse a sleepy baby for nighttime feeds? The secret to success lies in speed and temperature, newborns feed best when milk is served warm (around 37°C/98.6°F) and ready the moment they’re awake.
That’s where the Papablic Bottle Warmer shines:
- 90-Second Quick Heat – No more frantic waiting or testing milk droplets on your wrist. Your baby gets a perfectly warmed bottle before they doze off again.
- Gentle & Even Warming – Advanced water bath technology prevents hot spots, protecting precious breastmilk nutrients while ensuring a safe, consistent temperature.
- Smart “Keep Warm” Mode – If your newborn pauses mid-feed, the warmer maintains the ideal temperature for up to 2 hours, so every drop stays ready.
- Whisper-Quiet Operation – No beeping or buzzing to disturb your baby (or your sanity) during 3 AM feeds.
Pro Tip: Pair the warmer with a gentle diaper change to fully wake your baby, then offer the warm bottle immediately. The familiar temperature triggers their sucking reflex, helping them feed more efficiently (and letting you get back to sleep faster).
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to wake up newborn to feed is a pretty essential part of taking care of your little one in first few weeks. Regular feeding can be a little much pressure but it has a lot of advantages — meeting needs, healthy development, and keeping the child healthy.
Employing soft wake-up techniques can aid in managing the tidiest of feeding schedules. Separate tools like the Papablic Bottle Warmer aid in the smoothest possible execution for nighttime bottle feeds.
Contact a pediatrician when you have any question about your baby’s feeding, sleep, weight gain pattern and essentials for newborns. Getting expert help can help you find the proper balance for you and your baby.
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