Is nursing baby to sleep a good idea? I mean, we mothers know
that babies often fall sleep nursing. After all, the breast is a
great source of comfort to them and is a place they feel safe
and familiar. In addition, the fat in mom's milk helps make baby
sleepy, and the warmth of her arms and sound of her heartbeat
are relaxing too. All of which add up to the perfect environment
to succumb to sleep.
And we all know babies who seemingly won't fall asleep unless
they are nursing. At least, nursing is what they prefer. Nursing
baby to sleep does work, but is it really in baby's (and the
parent's) best interest?
Some insist that if a baby is allowed to fall asleep on the
breast, they will never learn to sleep on their own or without
mom's help. This may or may not be true, depending on the baby.
Some moms don't have a problem with this. As one mom put it, "I
nursed my baby to sleep until he weaned. I figured, I would
never have that time back, so I just enjoyed it." Many nursing
mothers feel the same way.
Moms, rest assured that you can follow your heart on this issue.
If you nurse your baby to sleep, stop feeling guilty! This is a
perfectly normal way to encourage baby to fall asleep. Sleeping
without nursing is a developmental milestone your child will
surely reach when he or she is ready. So, if nursing baby to
sleep works for your family, go ahead and continue doing it.
If, however, you are not happy with the arrangement, there are
steps you can take to transition baby to fall asleep without
you. Instead of nursing baby to sleep, nurse only until baby is
almost asleep, and then remove him from the breast. He may fuss
at first, but if you are consistent he'll understand that you
mean business. Elizabeth Pantley offers several tips for
transitioning baby away from the breast in her book "The No-Cry
Sleep Solution".
If you're concerned about tooth decay, rest assured. Babies get
cavities despite nursing, not because of it. Nursing at night
will not make your child more prone to cavities. In addition,
many moms find that the act of breastfeeding at night helps them
get more rest. Instead of fussing with an unhappy baby who needs
to be rocked to sleep, they enjoy the ease of latching baby onto
the breast and falling into a relaxing sleep.
Another tip that works for many moms and babies is "wearing"
baby to sleep in a sling. You can nurse the baby until he's
sleepy, remove him from the nipple and walk him in a sling close
to your body until he's asleep again. Using this tool, you can
even get other things done while "putting baby down" for his
nap. Go for a quick walk outside or do some light housework.
Baby will enjoy the familiar comfort of your body and the sound
of your heartbeat and know he's safe with you close. Eventually
you will not have to nurse your child to sleep at all. As with
most things, do what works for your family.
About the author:
Learn more breastfeeding tips from moms as well as fun product
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