My Baby Goes Floppy After Feeding

As a mother, you will feed your baby when she’s hungry to make her full. It’s not easy to do other chores when your baby is hungry because they will wail and disturb you for your attention. So, you will have to meet their demands before going on with your other activities. But have you ever fed your baby, and then she goes floppy? Did you notice immediately, and how did you react? I know you were scared, but then Babies can get ‘food drunk’ after feeding because of what you feed them or the feeding program. 

To help you understand this, we will look at why your baby goes floppy after feeding and how to rectify this.

The Kind of Meals They Feed On

The kind of food you give to your baby has effects on how they react. There are some foods that, when they eat, make them hungrier. At the same time, others make your baby full faster and, at times, ‘tipsy.’ If your baby’s menu comprises foods that contain protein or carbohydrates, then know this is the cause. Research shows that foods with these components take time to digest. So, your baby will be floppy after they feed due to the slow digestion process, which reduces energy supply. Foods such as eggs, milk, rice, and cakes contain either protein or carbohydrates.

To help your baby regulate the amounts of foods rich in carbohydrates or protein, have a measure. If your baby is still breastfeeding, don’t overfeed her with breast milk because milk contains proteins. If possible, have a feeding routine for your little ones. Averagely a 1-3 months baby should feed utmost nine times a day, a year old around four times.

Body Chemicals

Studies point out that you’re likely to become floppy after feeding because the level of serotonin production increases. When serotonin level rises in babies’ bodies, their mood changes because they control sleep and mood; if your little one drinks milk with protein, there will be changes in the body in which one of them is going floppy. Amino acids found in protein will help stimulate your munchkin’s serotonin production level, which makes the muscles loose. 

Also, a low serotonin level is harmful to your baby because it will interfere with normal brain function. The brain controls your munchkin’s functions, so the receptor will delay sending nerve messages, resulting in stiffness or floppy parts.

You can give your kid wall nut, pineapple, or banana to increase serotonin levels. Also, exercising and massaging can help boost serotonin levels.  

Amount of Food

Too much of something is poisonous. So, does giving your kid too much food because this will most likely make them inactive. When you let your child eat a lot of food, especially during the day when the sun is hot, they will become floppy faster. Imagine giving a lot of foods rich in protein, which digests slowly. 

After feeding your baby, their blood sugar rises, but their energy levels drop because of digestion. For food to convert into a useful form in the body, it will require energy. But because energy production is slow, their bodies will use stored power in the process. When this happens, the other body functions slowly, making your kid weak and ‘drunk’ at the same time with too much sugar.

To save the situation, reduce the food portions to allow their body to function correctly. It is recommended that each feeding gives 4-8 ounce for a six months old baby. If they are around one year old, 8oz will do.

Poor Sleep Pattern

Newborns can sleep the whole day and keep you awake the better part of the night. Others will keep waking after every thirty minutes, maybe to check if you are still watching them. For whatever reason keeps them awake, they need to have enough sleep per day to be healthy. 

If your munchkin spends most of their time playing, their chances of going floppy after a heavy meal are high. Your baby will be tired and full, so if given a chance, they will go into a deep slumber after becoming floppy too. Don’t worry because you can influence their sleep patterns and make them sleep well. 

If they are the active type, introduce sleep in between the plays, and if your child prefers staying awake during the day, allow them to have an uninterrupted sleep all night. If you think your environment stops them from having enough sleep, move to a new place, or reduce noise if it’s the cause. Ensure their sleep pattern is consistent.

Feeding Time

The time you feed your baby can interfere with their normal body functions. Sometimes, a person feels weak after feeding around lunch hours and early in the morning like 4 am. 

For example, if you wash your baby around 2 pm, then feed them; the likelihood of becoming weak around the joints as they relax is high. And if the weather condition is unfavorable, they will get weaker as the energy levels fall. Darkness also has a way of making your baby sleep deeper and surrender fully to relax. When your little one sleeps, their body muscles calm and can make them floppy.

It will be wise to look at your baby’s feeding schedule and make them feed appropriately. If you had already crafted the feeding timetable, make some changes to accommodate a suitable time. Doing this will save you from panic when you because it will reduce flopping in your baby.

Conclusion 

If your baby goes floppy after feeding, don’t worry so long as they are breathing well. It can be a result of the kind of food you feed them or the amount given. Your little one can be overwhelmed with less sleep, so after a good meal, they will let their bodies relax and stare like a dead person. When your munchkin flops but they are not sick, don’t run into a panic. Instead, let them sleep because too much feeding can make kids floppy. Put them in a good sleeping position cover and let your baby have enough sleep.