Coping with Night Feedings, pt. 2

When breastfeeding in bed at night, some mothers worry about how and when to change baby’s diapers and what to do about burping. Breastfed babies tend to take in much less air than babies who feed by bottle, so they may or may not need to be burped at all. (With just a little experience, you’ll quickly get a sense of your own baby’s needs.)

During these first few days, a baby is unlikely to be gulping down lots of milk anyway, as it comes in small amounts. So if your baby falls back asleep without burping, let him be. He will wake and fuss if he needs to burp.

Regarding diapers, it is practical to have a changing station set up next to your bed. But there is no need to change diapers during your normal sleeping hours unless the baby has a bowel movement. And during these first few days, this is a great job to assign your partner or support person.

Another important way to get the rest you need and to recover from birth is to make a pledge to sleep when baby sleeps. This may be at times when you would normally be awake and getting things done. Keep in mind that you just had a baby and your body and mind will need time to adjust. Be sure to accept all offers of help. This is the time to hunker down and get on your baby’s rhythm.

If your baby’s internal clock says that midnight-3am is party time, there are some tried and true strategies you can use to help baby learn that nighttime is for sleeping. More on that later!

From Breastfeeding Made Simple, Mohrbacher and Kendall-Tackett 2010.