Night-feeding: Benefits and tips

Breastfeeding at night can bring many health benefits to babies, but for mothers it can be hard work, especially for first-time mothers.

Each mother and child are different individuals, so each baby's nursing time will be different. Your baby can eat about 6 to 8 meals a day. Some babies may breastfeed only during the day, while others may even feed at night. Waking up and breastfeeding at night can make many mothers weary nappies. aFamilyToday Health will share with you some tips to overcome this situation easily.

Is it safe to breastfeed at night?

There are many different opinions about night-feeding. Some believe this is a must, while others believe it is not safe to breastfeed at night. Night-feeding can keep both mother and baby sleeping for about 3 to 4 hours a night. In addition, this can also put your baby at risk of suffocation . Besides, sometimes the mother who overslept can accidentally squeeze the baby, easily dangerous. These risks are higher for premature babies , underweight babies and babies under four months of age.

With newborn babies, especially babies under 6 weeks of age, most babies have the need to eat a lot at night because their stomach is still small, babies need to eat continuously to meet nutritional needs. Therefore, for babies who are hungry but eager to sleep, when they come to breastfeed, mothers can breastfeed without waking them up. Mom can lift baby out of crib, feed baby, change diaper and put baby back to sleep. However, when breastfeeding while the baby is still asleep, mothers should pay attention to the baby's sucking power. If the sucking force is too light, there is a high chance that the baby will not really suck, just suck the breast because of inertia, so the amount of milk that the baby will receive will be very little. Therefore, mothers can compensate their babies to breastfeed after breastfeeding or increase the number of breastfeeds during waking time. Note that the mother should make sure she gets about 3 -4 meals each night. This way, your baby will feel full and sleep for at least 5 hours each night.

From 6 months onwards, when the baby has entered the weaning period, mothers should stop night-feeding or reduce the number of night-feeding times. This will benefit the baby's weaning process as well as daytime milk feeding.

Benefits of Breastfeeding at Night

Breastfeeding at night can be daunting, but here's what to do as nighttime breastfeeding has so many benefits:

Regular feeding will help your body receive the signal to make more milk. If you bottle feed your baby at night, your milk supply may be affected.

At night, levels of prolactin, a hormone that helps make milk in the body, are very high. Therefore, breastfeeding at night will help the mother's body to regulate the milk supply during lactation.

At night, babies only drink about 20% of the amount of milk they drink during the day. Although small, this amount is important for the growth and development of a baby.

When your baby gets older, during the day he will suckle less because he is busy playing and learning about the world around. At this point, night-feeding will help provide enough milk that your baby needs.

Tips for breastfeeding at night for mothers

Here are some tips to try to make breastfeeding at night more comfortable:

Feeding in position lying : You should be familiar with this position as soon as possible. You just need to lie on one side with 2 pillows under your head. Hold the baby on his side so that the baby's chin touches the chest.

Breastfeed in a sitting position: Sit in a comfortable position with a few pillows behind your back. Then, hold the baby up close to the breast and feed the baby.

Put your baby to sleep close to you: You can put your baby's crib in your bedroom. Being around your baby is not only easy to feed your baby, but it also helps you avoid the trouble of waking up and refusing to go back to sleep.

Avoid looking at the clock: Regularly looking at the clock will make you feel frustrated by the time passing. Some mothers who look at the clock regularly also feel lonely and sad. Instead, forget about the watch and think positively.

Do not turn on lights: Never turn on lights in room while feeding a baby at night. Keep the room dark or just turn on the night light and quiet so your baby can fall back to sleep right after a full feed. If light is needed, have a small flashlight or use one with soft light.

Comfortable sleepwear: You should also wear a comfortable nightgown with the chest that can be opened to easily feed your baby.

Prepare a few snacks and essentials: Have a bottle of water, snacks, baby diapers and anything you may need during the night at hand. This way, you can avoid the urge to go hunting around for odd things overnight. If your breasts are leaking, keep a clean washcloth available for easy cleaning.

Sleep during the day: Sleep as much as you can during the day. If you can take advantage of sleeping when your baby naps, you will feel much more comfortable waking up to breastfeed at night.

Should I wake up at night to breastfeed?

Infants often wake up on their own and ask to feed. This is a very natural process for children. So it is not necessary to wake up the baby to suckle. But if your baby has a habit of sleeping 4 to 5 hours long, you need to monitor closely. Only when the doctor advises you to breastfeed your baby properly will you wake your baby up and breastfeed. This is most common in premature babies or underweight babies .

Should the baby suckle to comfort the baby to sleep?

It is quite normal for a newborn to sleep while breastfeeding. Newborn babies usually sleep all day and night. Therefore, it is easy to see if your baby sleeps while nursing or is full and then sleeping. In fact, most mothers feel that feeding their baby to sleep is an effective way to help their baby relax. But as your baby gets older, you shouldn't do this often because it can become a habit easily.

How to put my baby to sleep without breastfeeding at night?

To put your baby to sleep without breastfeeding at night, you can build up sleeping habits for your baby and set him to bed on time . You just need to feed your baby before he gets sleepy, then put him in bed and stay nearby so he can feel your presence.

Does drinking formula help your baby sleep better?

The quality of a newborn's sleep does not depend on the type of milk you feed your baby. Breastfeeding can make your baby hungry and wake up asking for a feed, while with formula, the baby can sleep a little longer because the baby will be full for a longer time. However, you should breastfeed your baby instead of formula. The reason is that breastmilk is rich in important nutrients for your baby.

When should stop breastfeeding at night?

When your baby is about 6 months old, you can gradually wean your baby at night. Feed your baby full throughout the day so he won't feel hungry at night. If needed, you can feed your baby more before bed to make sure he doesn't go hungry. Alternatively, you can ask your husband to comfort him at night when he wakes up and asks for a feed. Husbands often feel a bit abandoned during this period and this will strengthen the bonding between paternity.