A is a super sleepy eater...if I don't catch him soon enough he falls asleep and only eats on one side, only to wake up 15 or 20 minutes later still hungry. Sometimes I catch him fast enough and can rouse him enough go switch sides, but not always.
Does this improve as they get older or should I just get used to it?
nectarine / 2127 posts
We've struggled with breastfeeding... Sleepy eating was one of our struggles and around 10 weeks, he started to turn a new leaf and has done pretty well staying awake to eat. He also nurses for a much shorter period of time and I think that helps a lot, it taking 8 minutes to get full rather than 45 minutes. I will wait though, to change his diaper, until after he's eaten. Then I know he's truly full.
Sleepy eating was a really frustrating hurdle, hang in there!
honeydew / 7283 posts
I don't remember specific ages but it definitely improve as M got older. She was born late preterm and DH had to work to keep her awake the whole time I was nursing her. It was a 2 man job! It definitely wasn't a problem once she got a little older.
pomegranate / 3895 posts
Definitely improves with time!
DD was a super sleepy eater at first, but she isn't at all anymore (she's 10 weeks). I think it really started to improve around 3 or 4 weeks. My LC helped a lot with it too. I was doing all the usual stuff (eg stripping her down to just her diaper before each feed, tickling her feet etc.) but my LC pointed out that her sleepiness was merely a symptom and that treating a symptom wouldn't solve the root problem. Turns out DD had a really sore spot in her neck and our nursing positions were exacerbating it and, as a result, she was giving up on eating and falling asleep. Once we changed our positioning it made a world of difference.
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
DD was very sleepy, I couldn't keep her awake at all! She's almost 11 weeks now and isn't a sleepy eater at all. I can't remember when exactly it changed though...
coconut / 8475 posts
They'll change! I can't remember when he flipped, but it was early on. It even got to a point here nursing him could no longer out him to sleep at night:/
pomelo / 5820 posts
This is all very reassuring to read, as DS is also a very sleep eater! I'm constantly blowing on his skin and tickling his feet to get him to stay awake enough to finish eating.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
Yup, LO was a sleepy eater for the first 9 weeks!
kiwi / 673 posts
Definitely improves! I don't know exactly when DS stopped being a sleepy eater, but now at 6 months he is VERY awake (and distractable) while eating and has been for a while.
bananas / 9118 posts
For the first couple months it was a problem, but it got a lot easier. He would be stripped down to his diaper to keep him awake for most of his early feedings.
I can still knock him out on the boob at 18 months, but it isn't a sure thing anymore, plus he's almost weaned these days.
grapefruit / 4291 posts
The sleepiness definitely doesn't last forever, just wait till LO is nine months old and has started practicing "gymnurstics" while eating!!
nectarine / 2750 posts
@Kemma: Gymnurstics? Sounds like the opposite of sleepy eating 
Thank you all! I feel like I laugh right now when I hear people say they should eat every 2 to 3 hours because I know he says so much more than that since he is usually eating half a meal and falling asleep. Glad to know it gets better.
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