Trisa-
I don't know if there is anything that can be done to encourage a
sound asleep baby to nurse.  There are lots of ways to encourage latch-on
and nursing a little later.  One of the best ones is to have the mother
without any clothing on from the waist up.  The infant is put on her
chest, wearing only a diaper.  They can be both covered with a sheet and
light blanket.  The skin to skin contact helps the baby organize and
begin to suck properly.  Many newborns who do not have the opportunity
to nurse in the first hour and do go on to feed successfully.
It is very important to keep the baby with the mother
and not to use bottles or pacifiers.
The breasts also need emptied regularly even if the baby is not quite
ready to nurse.  Remember that any medications that
the mother has during labor and delivery may effect the suck for many
days or even weeks.  This is often a factor with a sleepy newborn and an
emergency surgical procedure.

Sarah Friend Barnett   LLLL, IBCLC
Bronx (New York City), NY  -  [log in to unmask]
" You are not obliged to finish the task,
 neither are you free to neglect it."       R. Tarfon