Is it possible to just breastfeed at night

So many questions. Read on…. Most major health organizations recommend nursing your baby for a minimum of 12 months, but many health professionals recommend even longer than that. Research has found that breast milk retains its nutritional quality for the entire duration of breastfeeding. Plus, its composition may change based on the needs of your growing child. For example, one study found that the nutritional content of breast milk mostly stays the same during the second year of life.

While zinc and potassium decrease, total protein increases. No changes were observed in the lactose, fat, iron, and potassium contents of the milk. Another study found that breast milk after 1 year had higher energy and fat contents, which may be beneficial to babies. While there are certainly ways to bond with your child if you are not breastfeeding, any parent of a toddler will tell you that all the cuddling and closeness of those early months become harder to come by once your baby is mobile and exploring.

Many breastfeeding parents say that nursing becomes the one time each day they get to settle in with their child and stay connected. At the same time, nursing is such a wonderful tool for relaxing your child and helping them regulate their emotions. Extended breastfeeding offers both the parent and baby long-term health benefits.

The American Academy of American Pediatrics AAP explains that for children who have a family history of allergies , breastfeeding for at least 4 months can protect them from developing allergies later in life.

Breastfeeding for more than 6 months can protect children from developing leukemia and lymphoma, according to the AAP. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of developing type 1 and 2 diabetes. According to the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine ABM , a longer duration of breastfeeding is associated with maternal disease reduction and protection. It reduces the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and heart attack, says the ABM.

Breastfeeding is not accomplished through force. An extended breastfeeding relationship is — at the core — one that must be mutual, with both baby and parent as willing participants. They claim it makes children needy, stunts their independence, and makes them have trouble separating from their parents. Nursing older babies and children comes with a different set of challenges than nursing a baby. Here are a few of the challenges breastfeeding parents encounter most, as well as how to deal with them.

The good news is that there is so much evidence to support the benefits of your choice. In general, breastfed newborns feed about times in 24 hours, or about every hours. Many babies feed even more frequently than that, about 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.

Some newborns will do a longer stretch of hours at night, but many will feed every hours, even at night exhausting, I know! By months, many babies will consistently go longer stretches without eating at night, but this varies widely, with some babies sleeping hours at a time, and some still waking every 3 hours, or more. Breast milk is digested quickly—in about 90 minutes—which is another reason babies need to eat so often.

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. 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. This helps minimize the chances your baby will wake up fully to feed and that they will settle back to sleep more easily.

Breastfeeding mothers who bedshare get the most sleep and are the most likely to continue breastfeeding. Keep the lights off When your baby wakes to nurse, keep the room as dark and quiet as possible, to encourage him to go right back to sleep. Easy access clothing PJs or a nightgown that opens down the front rather than one you have to pull up or down will give your baby easier access, while keeping you warm during cool nights.

Some women like to wear a nursing bra at night, but be careful: This can increase your risk of plugged ducts and mastitis. Easy cleanup Do your breasts leak milk? Does your baby spit up? A towel underneath you and your baby can help you stay dry and comfortable — fold up a few more towels near the bed so you can easily switch to a dry one as needed. A helping hand If your baby seems to wake very frequently at night, use breast compression to increase the amount of high-fat milk he gets at each feeding.

While the baby is sucking, squeeze your breast between your thumb and fingers — like hand-expressing but right into his mouth. Nap when possible Get as much rest as you can during the day. This can be a whole lot harder to do if you have more than one child, but if you can nap when the baby naps it will make a huge difference maybe your toddler can watch a video while you doze nearby.

Or perhaps your partner can take the baby for a while on weekend mornings while you get a bit more sleep.