How to Breastfeed at Night
Anyone will tell you that along with the unimaginable joy and delicious baby snuggles, you’re going to have to deal with a fair amount of sleep deprivation when you bring a tiny human into the world.
As a breastfeeding mom, or breastfeeding mom-to-be, you’re probably wondering just what that might look like...
You know breastfed babies need to be fed at night, but HOW often is that really?
How do breastfeeding moms cope with those night feedings?
And perhaps the most important question:
When will you finally get to sleep again?
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How Often Do Babies Breastfeed At Night?
When you’re breastfeeding a newborn, it isn’t recommended that you stick to a strict feeding schedule, but rather breastfeed your baby on demand, when they show signs of hunger (rooting, licking their lips, sucking on hands).
In general, breastfed newborns feed about 8-12 times in 24 hours, or about every 1-3 hours.
Many babies feed even more frequently than that, about 10-12 times a day. Some babies will feed even more than 12 times a day, especially when they are in the middle of a growth spurt.
So what about at night? Well, it stands to reason that if your baby is breastfeeding that frequently, they will breastfeed at least a few times at night.
In the first two months or so, when your baby still doesn’t really know day from night, you can expect them to breastfeed very frequently at night.
Some newborns will do a longer stretch of 4-5 hours at night, but many will feed every 2-3 hours, even at night (exhausting, I know!).
By 3-4 months, many babies will consistently go longer stretches without eating at night, but this varies widely, with some babies sleeping 5-6 hours at a time, and some still waking every 3 hours, or more.
Try not to compare your baby to other babies, and remember, too, that even “good sleepers” have rough nights because of illness, teething, or growth spurts.
The Importance of Night Feeds
Your newborn’s tummy is about the size of their little fist, so it makes sense that they need to eat very frequently, including in the middle of the night, in order to grow and thrive.
Breast milk is digested quickly—in about 90 minutes—which is another reason babies need to eat so often.
Studies have shown that babies take in about 20% of their daily calories at night.
Not only that, but maintaining your milk supply is dependent on frequent feedings, including in the middle of the night.
According to research, prolactin, the hormone that stimulates and maintains your milk supply, follows a circadian rhythm, and reaches its peak secretion levels at night and in the early morning.
Many mothers find that they become very full with milk at night and in the morning because of this.
Nights are great times to get in a few good, satisfying feeds, especially if you are struggling with milk supply or have a distracted baby.
How To Cope With Night Feeds
Although many moms enjoy the intimate, quiet moments that nighttime feedings offer, there’s no denying the fact that waking up to feed your little one can be exhausting.
The good news is that there are some GREAT ways to cope, to make sure that both you and your baby get as much rest as possible.
Our favorite way to keep your baby’s bedroom lit up perfectly dim at night is a himalayan sea salt lamp. It’s super affordable and provides the perfect dim light for peaceful breastfeeding at night.
1. Keep Your Baby Close
The Academy of American Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that your baby sleep in your room for the first year of life. This helps minimize the chances your baby will wake up fully to feed and that they will settle back to sleep more easily. Not having to go to another room to feed your baby also ensures a more restful night for you.
Many mothers choose to share sleep with their babies, which can make breastfeeding at night even more seamless and restful. Bedsharing must be done safely. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine released revised guidelines about how to do this, and the benefits of safe bedsharing for breastfeeding moms.
2. Learn To Nurse Lying Down
If you are a breastfeeding mom, learning how to nurse lying down is essential.
Many mothers say learning this was a game-changer, and offered much-needed rest during night feedings. Often referred to as the “side-lying position,” all that’s required is that both your and your baby lie down on the bed on your sides, facing one another, belly to belly. Then, you latch on as you would in any other position.
You can use pillows for propping your head up, but not all moms need them. Sometimes it just takes some trial and error to figure out how to make the position work best for you and your baby.
3. Catch Up On Sleep Whenever You Can
Everyone will tell you to “sleep when the baby sleeps,” which is good advice if you’re able to take it.
Many mothers find it difficult to nap when their baby naps, especially if those naps are short. By the time you’ve gotten to sleep, you baby may be up again!
Having a plan to have another adult watch your baby while you sleep might work out better for you. You can also make sure your partner lets you sleep in consistently on the weekends…you deserve it!
4. Adjust Your Expectations
So many of us want to dive right back into our pre-baby life soon after we become parents, but it’s not always that easy, especially when you’re sleep deprived.
It’s important to accept that this is just what it’s going to be for a while now, and that your baby won’t be waking this frequently forever. It’s okay right now to cut back on socializing, housework, and other responsibilities.
Should I Give Expressed Milk At Night?
Many moms wonder if giving their babies pumped milk at night will help them get more sleep, especially if someone besides them feeds the baby. The answer is that it might help…but it might not.
Giving your baby a bottle of milk vs. having them take it right from the tap isn’t necessarily going to fill their belly up more or make them sleep longer at night.
If anything, doing so might cause your baby to be more fussy, if they were expecting the warmth and familiarity of breastfeeding—after all, babies wake up for comfort as well as from hunger.
But sometimes you’re extremely tired and you need a break, so having someone else—like a partner or other family member— feed your baby might allow you to get some extra sleep. The problem is, though, that you have to pump extra—either during the day or at night—to fill that bottle. And either way, you might wake up engorged after missing a feeding, which could be very uncomfortable.
In addition, if you begin skipping night feedings consistently, you risk lowering your milk supply.
Some women are able to have their partners do an occasional feeding at night with no issue, and that’s awesome.
But it’s often more trouble than it’s worth. Employing some of the previously mentioned tactics, like catching up on sleep during the day or on weekends, might be your best bet. Your partner and other trusted caretakers can certainly help with this!
When Will My Baby Sleep Through The Night?
Okay, you might be thinking, I get that night feeding is normal and important for breastfed babies, but when it is going to end?
The answer is that it totally varies from baby to baby. Some babies will begin sleeping long stretches by 4 months old, some won’t catch up till 6 months—and some babies don’t sleep through the night till 12 months, or longer.
A study published in Pediatrics found that by 6 months, 38% of babies were still not sleeping at least six hours a night, and 57% weren’t sleeping at least eight hours. By 12 months, 28% weren’t sleeping six hours, and 43% still weren’t sleeping eight hours.
Clearly, there’s so much variation that it’s hard to say when sleep through will happen for your baby…but rest assured, it will happen. All babies sleep through the night eventually. Until then, do your best to enjoy those middle of the night snuggles, be gentle and compassionate with yourself, and make sure you employ whatever self-care strategies you can to make it through.
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