# staying awake during nighttime feedings



## m00npie (Jul 24, 2009)

any tips on staying awake during those seemingly all night feedings? my DD is one week old and i'm having a terrible time with staying awake sees up every two hrs to eat and i have been able to keep awake for 30min or so then i doze off lightly. i know its not safe for her and its not good for me either cause when i doze i cant make sure she's staying latched right. my poor boobies are suffering as well. Ive tried staying focused on other things like my computer or the tv but i still wind up nodding off...
any suggestions?


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

Why on earth would you want to stay awake during the middle-of-the-night feedings? Just take her to bed with you and snuggle and doze!


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## AaronsMommy (Nov 18, 2007)

my reaction exactly!!!! I always had trouble falling back asleep while baby was nursing, frankly I'm jealous. As long as your bed is made safe for the baby and you are both laying down, tuck in and go to sleep! When my ds was really small the "Nurse and Glow" pillow helped keep him high enough to stay latched on.


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## curious&eager (Jul 1, 2008)

My DS is three weeks old now. Last night I feel asleep twice during the feedings, he ate from 6:30 to ? and from 7:30 to 8:30. I started feeding him at 7:30 and shortly after feel asleep only to awake to his sucking at 8:30am.

So as for the not safe for her- as long as you have a non-fluffy mattress and move away the blankets and pillows, you can rest assured knowing she is just as safe as in the crib. Actually she's safer because you are right there to hear her every move.

As for the not safe for you- In the hospital my boobs hurt bad with perfect latches. Now he poops on and off often and I can't make the effort to ensure a good latch. Sometimes, they look bad, but guess what- it doesn't hurt. I think the cure is time. I'm pretty convinced that breastfeeding hurts no matter what you do in the beginning and then after a couple weeks, it's all better unless there are issues.

Newborns do eat every two hours, so I think most of us here will say, bring her to bed and enough the rest as she eats. It's the only way you'll get sleep.

Also, if she unlatches it's because she's done. If not, either she will relatch and eat more, or she'll cry because he can't get it and then you'll wake up and help her. No issue there.

My baby is hungry now too. Good luck!


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## m00npie (Jul 24, 2009)

thank you all i was feeling terriable for falling asleep. i actully feed her sitting in a lounger type chair so i'm sitting up as well lol i useally use a boppy pillow and when i do wake shes still right there in my lap. i feel better knowing most moms do snooze abit during nightly feedings,i had done this with my other daughter aswell and felt terrible for falling asleep. i'm not to comfy sharing a bed cause i move alot when i'm laying down. i think my feeling were mainly because they crucify you in the hosp if they catch you snoozing with the baby...
thank you all again, btw i love this place great people with great advice i'm so glad i found it


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## Honey693 (May 5, 2008)

I would assume that laying (lying?) in a bed would be safer than a chair. Before DD came to bed with me I was all over teh bed, DH said he would come to bed and my feet would be on my pillow, but I'd have no idea b/c I'd flip around again before I woke up. Now with DD in bed I do not move. I've woken up with numb arms b/c I was laying (lying?) on them.


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## averlee (Apr 10, 2009)

Um...why on earth would a tired mom try to stay awake for night feedings? Why would you get up at all? To give a baby a bottle, you have to get up during the night, true. But to breastfeed? Mama, I don't even really wake up.


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## Carhootel (Jul 16, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *m00npie* 
btw i love this place great people with great advice i'm so glad i found it









welcome!

and I wanted to add that I sleep through 99% of my night feedings, I rouse just enough to get ds latched on and then drift back to sleep - or at least I think that's what happens, I usually don't even remember it!


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

You'll get more confident with bfing & be able to sleep more & more while nursing.

Although many women seem to be able to sleep & nurse lying down right from the beginning it was not comfortable for me for a long time & I had to get myself all set up sitting for the first couple of months. But it is definitely worth practicing lying down to nurse 'cause once you perfect it life is good!


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## PatioGardener (Aug 11, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Crystal_R* 
I would assume that laying (lying?) in a bed would be safer than a chair.









:

MUCH much safer to sleep in bed with baby (after making sure bed is safe as described by PP.) Chairs are not safe places for parents to sleep with babies because of all the cracks and crevices where baby could get squashed - not squashed by Mom, but by baby's own weight and the pillows.

Here is a good Public Heath pamphlet about breastfeeding and sleeping:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/publications/sharing_bedEn.pdf


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## PuppyFluffer (Mar 18, 2002)

I would be concerned about a baby possibly rolling off your lap too if you fell asleep.

For some, side lying and nursing can be hard to master. I think once the baby gets a little bigger, it's easier.

Also, if you're scienced minded, look up some studies by James Mckenna. He's a sleep expert that has studied infant sleep extensively. I can vouch for his observations about mother and infant sleep cycles matching up. I chalked the fact that I would wake as soon as my baby started to stir to "mother's instincts". It was really interesting to me to learn the science of why that is.

One way I've explained a mother's awareness during sleeping/nursing with the baby is to ask of you have ever had a dog or cat sleep in your bed. A lot of people have. I ask them how many times they've rolled over on the animal and hurt it? You might roll and bump into it but it's very rare to actually roll and HURT a pet. Your awareness of your own child is much higher than the pet cat!

Co sleeping and nursing has saved my sanity, enabled me to sleep and to continue parenting my children in the night.


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## KristyDi (Jun 5, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PuppyFluffer* 
I would be concerned about a baby possibly rolling off your lap too if you fell asleep.

For some, side lying and nursing can be hard to master. I think once the baby gets a little bigger, it's easier.

Also, if you're scienced minded, look up some studies by James Mckenna. He's a sleep expert that has studied infant sleep extensively. I can vouch for his observations about mother and infant sleep cycles matching up. I chalked the fact that I would wake as soon as my baby started to stir to "mother's instincts". It was really interesting to me to learn the science of why that is.

One way I've explained a mother's awareness during sleeping/nursing with the baby is to ask of you have ever had a dog or cat sleep in your bed. A lot of people have. I ask them how many times they've rolled over on the animal and hurt it? You might roll and bump into it but it's very rare to actually roll and HURT a pet. Your awareness of your own child is much higher than the pet cat!

Co sleeping and nursing has saved my sanity, enabled me to sleep and to continue parenting my children in the night.

Another way I've heard it explained (cause I've never slept in the bed with a pet) Is to ask how often you've rolled out of bed. Most people haven't rolled out of bed since they were young. So if you're aware of something inanimate like the edge of the bed, how much more aware of your child will you be?

I honestly don't know when dd started sleeping through the night because I was sleeping through her feedings so well. I'd about half wake to help her latch then drift back off. When dd was done eating she'd pop off and keep sleeping.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

A recliner or lounge chair with a baby is VERY dangerous. MUCH safer to be in bed together.

-Angela


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## Llyra (Jan 16, 2005)

I agree with the previous posters on two points:

1. Holy cow, I can't imagine trying to stay awake during every nighttime nursing. I'd have gone stark raving mad from sleep deprivation if I'd done that. I used to just lay between the twins, and just stick a boob in any mouth that made any sound at all, then go straight back to sleep. Most nights I'd have no memory at all of who fed and when, unless I was unfortunate enough to have both wake at once (rare) and have to sit up to tandem. Get all the sleep you can!

2. A recliner, chair, or sofa is not a safe way to sleep while nursing. Baby could fall or become wedged. A firm mattress on a bed that has no places where baby could become wedged is a safe place for baby to sleep, with a few precautions. Keep pillows and heavy covers away from baby's face, and dress baby lightly so baby doesn't get too warm, and maybe consider a bedrail or side-carring your crib.

I would recommend practicing side-lying nursing in bed during the day, when you're alert and awake, to get comfortable with the mechanics of it, so that you can do it easily when you're groggy at night. Read up on safe co-sleeping, and then reap the benefits of being able to briefly wake just long enough to latch baby, and then blissfully sleep while baby finishes nursing, unlatches on her own, and goes back to sleep.


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## milkmamamerina (Sep 29, 2008)

If you really feel it's unsafe for you to sleep in bed with your baby, maybe you can use a sling to be certain that she cannot fall when you are nursing in the chair.

Research really does indicate that you will not lay on your baby unless you are drinking or heavily medicated.

If you are new here, check out the night time parenting forum. I imagine there are resources posted at the top of the forum for you there. (I would check to verify but I've got to get going


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## curious&eager (Jul 1, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *m00npie* 
i'm not to comfy sharing a bed cause i move alot when i'm laying down. i think my feeling were mainly because they crucify you in the hosp if they catch you snoozing with the baby...
thank you all again, btw i love this place great people with great advice i'm so glad i found it









1. Moving around in bed- I move tons. If I'm awake at the end of a feeding- I simply push the baby to dad's side of the bed and let dad know he's there, and then he's far away from my flipping and moving. Dad is much stiller.

2. As for being crucified- they caught me sleeping with the babe. For me, it was the best rest I had the whole time I was there and it was a precious experience. They saw an empty bassinet and asked, "Where's the baby?" I said, "He's right here," and they didn't question further.

3. Welcome to the group!


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