by Ashley Rizzo
Diaper is changed, jammies are on, baby is nursed, and now it’s time to get some sleep,
right? Wrong! Before you know it, you’re little one is up and ready for another round of
mama’s milk.
While it is common for breastfed babies to wake more (than bottle-fed babies) overnight
in early infancy, as their natural sleep rhythms develop their total sleep time should
begin to stabilize and become comparable to non-breastfed babies. However, that is not
always the case! During those early months little ones can develop an association
between eating and falling asleep. They believe that in order to fall asleep, they must be
nursing!
Tired, nursing mamas are often asking me, “how can I get my breastfed baby to sleep
longer at night?” The answer? To break your child’s associate between eating and
falling asleep.
Adjust your Schedule
We always suggest an “eat-play-sleep” schedule. If you offer the chance to nurse when
your babe first wakes it is less likely they will fall asleep while eating! This will not only
help break their sleep association, but it’s great for digestion, especially for little ones
with reflux.
Mix-up your Sleep-Time Routines
Nursing is a great calming activity to include in your nap and bedtime routines! Often
though, nursing is the last step of a routine and is a child’s means to sleep. To help
break their association between eating and sleeping, offer the chance to nurse at the
beginning of your routine rather than the end and introduce another element to your
routine (a book or a song) before placing your child in their crib for sleep.
Get your Non-Nursing Partner Involved
If your baby wakes overnight (and it’s not time to nurse) it is time for your non-nursing
partner to step in to address your little one’s waking. Not only do they not have the
option to nurse, but even removing that temptation to nurse you can lessen a child’s
interest in waking all together!
Offer a Bottle
If you are able and are comfortable offering a bottle overnight, do! As their mom and
their food source, you are your baby’s number one! If they don’t get to hang out with
you and your boobs, what the heck is the point of waking up at all, right?
Ashley Rizzo is owner and Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant at Well Rested Baby.
After having her first set of twins sleep became a passion. She experienced how
building healthy sleep habits made the everyday possible – and more fun – and knew
immediately that she had to share the gift of sleep with other families. Certified by the
Family Sleep Institute, Ashley strives to help families to experience the positivity, calm,
and predictability that comes from having a well rested family, just as hers has.
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