5 Ways to Wean Baby to Breastfeed Gently and Safely

Illustration (Pixabay)

YOGYAKARTA - Many new parents feel anxious when their baby sleeps too long and does not wake up to breastfeed. Babies who are difficult to wake up for breastfeeding often make parents confused about how to act. On the one hand, sleep is important for baby growth and development, but on the other hand, nutritional intake should not be missed.

Understanding how to wake up a baby to breastfeed properly can help reduce parental stress. Reported from The Mama Coach, the following will discuss some effective ways to wake up a baby to breastfeed. With a gentle approach, babies can still get breast milk as needed without feeling disturbed.

Why Is It Difficult for Newborn Babies to Wake Up to Breastfeed?

Newborn babies naturally sleep more, especially in the first few weeks of life. Their bodies are still adapting to the outside world so sleep is an important part of the development process. This is normal and not always a sign of a problem.

However, there are situations where babies need to be awakened to breastfeed regularly. For example, if the baby is under two weeks old, the weight has not returned to the birth weight, or the frequency of breastfeeding is less than 8-12 times in 24 hours. In this condition, adequate nutrition intake becomes the main priority.

In addition, waking up the baby to breastfeed is also important if the mother is trying to increase breast milk production. The more often the baby breastfeeds, the stronger the body's signal to produce breast milk. Therefore, it is important for mothers to know how to wake up the baby properly.

How to Wake Up Baby to Breastfeed

Here are five ways that mothers can do to build babies when it's time to breastfeed.

Skin to Skin Contact

Skin-to-skin contact is one of the most effective ways to wake up a sleepy baby. Remove the baby's clothes to just wear a diaper, then lay him on your chest. This helps regulate the baby's body temperature, breathing, and heart rate naturally.

The natural stimulation of skin contact can encourage babies to breastfeed. This method also strengthens the emotional bond between mother and baby. To stay comfortable, you can use a warm blanket during this process.

Change Diapers Before Breastfeeding

Changing diapers before breastfeeding can provide a mild stimulation that helps babies wake up. Gentle movements and changes in air temperature are usually enough to make babies more aware. This method is effective without making babies too fussy.

This method is very suitable for use at night when babies tend to be more sleepy. After the diaper is changed, the baby is usually more ready to breastfeed for a longer duration. Make sure to keep doing it calmly so that the baby is not surprised.

Use Warm and Red Lighting

Light has a big influence on baby alertness. Too bright lights can make babies startled and fussy when breastfeeding. Therefore, use a night light with warm colors such as yellow or red.

Dim lighting helps babies wake up gradually without disturbing their sleep rhythm. In addition, this atmosphere is also more calming for mothers when breastfeeding at night. You can still observe the baby's breastfeeding cues clearly.

Do Breast Compression When Breastfeeding

If the baby is already attached but falls asleep again while breastfeeding, breast compression can be a solution. Gently massage the breast behind the areola to increase the flow of breast milk. Breast milk flow will stimulate the baby to be active again breastfeeding.

This way helps babies get more breast milk in the same time. You can move the kneading position to several breast areas. That way, the transfer of breast milk becomes more optimal.

Apply Breastfeeding Alternately

Breastfeeding is done by alternating breasts during a breastfeeding session. When the baby starts to get sleepy on one side, slowly change the other breast. This change helps keep the baby awake and active.

After the baby feeds on the second side, you can go back to the first side. This will increase the baby's breast milk intake. This method is very useful in the early stages of breastfeeding.

So that's how to wake up a baby to breastfeed, follow other interesting articles at VOI.ID. So as not to miss the latest news, follow and monitor our social media accounts!