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Difficulty waking late-preterm newborn f
Hello Doctor,
My baby is 11 days old, born at 34 weeks + 3 days (late preterm). During the daytime he feeds reasonably well, but at night he becomes extremely sleepy and it is very difficult to wake him up for feeds.
The pediatrician has advised feeding every 2 hours, but practically this becomes challenging because he does not wake up on his own at night and remains very drowsy. We have already tried common stimulation methods like sole rubbing, diaper changing, undressing slightly, and gentle handling, but they work only briefly or not at all.
My questions are:
Is this level of sleepiness at night normal for a late-preterm baby?
How critical is it to strictly maintain 2-hourly feeds at night in such babies?
Are there any safe and simple techniques to help wake him adequately for feeds?
At what point should this kind of sleepiness be considered a warning sign requiring evaluation?
Answers (6)
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I totally understand your concern. Before suggesting treatment, I would like to ask a few questions to ensure the correct management can be provided.
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Dr. G. Avinash MBBS, MD (Pediatrics) Fellowship in Neonatology
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Is the baby active when finally awake? If active, the baby might be normal, and there is no need to worry. Sleep patterns vary widely in all babies.
When the baby is sleeping, you can wait 2 n half to 3 hours for the next feed. You can try skin to skin (Kangaroo Mother care position) 10 -15 min before next feed, along with the methods you are already using.
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First thing you need to understand is that newborn babies usually sleep for atleast 18hrs in a day.
You need to give every 2nd hourly or atleast lastly 3rd hourly feeding to be done to make sure blood glucose sugars levels are in normal levels
Do oil massaging if baby sleeping that will help to wake up the baby
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Dr. Bhatt Vivek Prafulchandra
Pediatrician
5 yrs exp
Rajkot
Consult with Pediatrician physically for further evaluation and treatment
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Dr. Sushmitha Trivedi
Pediatrician
8 yrs exp
Gulbarga
Yes babies sleep a lot initial months upto 16-20hrs a day. Dont panic if u r not able to feed every 2 hrly, it could be bit flexible, 2-3 hrly. If the baby is gaining adequate weight, passing urine 4-6 times a day, baby is getting adequate nutrition and calories
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Dr. Kotha Rakesh
Pediatrician
18 yrs exp
Hyderabad
Babies who are born a little early (late preterm babies) usually sleep more and go into very deep sleep, so it can be harder to wake them. Full-term babies may also need to be woken for feeds during the first two weeks, but if they are gaining weight well, this is usually not needed.
Since your baby was born slightly early, it is better to offer feeds every 2 hours for now. If your baby is hard to wake, you can gently stimulate the outer ear or try very gentle head movements to help wake them. These methods can be useful because late preterm babies often stay in deep sleep for longer.
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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.