Nursing Overnight: No, you're not the only one who nods off

By Shay Gabriel

This blog is written for informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. There is no one-size-fits-all feeding or sleep solution for infants or their families.

real talk: it’s hard to stay awake

Raise your hand if you’ve ever drifted off to sleep while nursing baby in the middle of the night. Mine’s up! Yours too? I’m not surprised. In fact, I’d actually be quite surprised if anyone who nurses overnight didn’t raise their hand, because here’s the truth: Nighttime nursing is meant to make us fall asleep.

Nighttime nursing is meant to make us fall asleep.

What works well for nursing by day might not be safest at night

You might be thinking, “Hold up — isn’t that counterintuitive? Aren’t we expected to stay awake while night nursing, for the safety of the infant?” Well, in mainstream Western society, where we’re often told “stay awake while nursing and sleep separately from baby or else,” yeah, it might seem counterintuitive for nursing at night to lull us to sleep. But what’s currently mainstream advice here isn’t necessarily mainstream the world over or throughout time; sometimes, mainstream expectations lend to shame around what’s normal and natural, and can actually lend to the very unsafe infant sleep situations we’re trying to avoid in the first place.

mainstream expectations can lend to the very unsafe infant sleep situations we’re trying to avoid in the first place

nodding off is natural

Nodding off while nursing at night is natural, and here’s a peek into why that is: Nighttime nursing releases a concoction of hormones and amino acids that make both parent and nursling sleepy. This sleep cocktail includes levels of prolactin, oxytocin, cholecystokinin, tryptophan, and other amino acids that aid melatonin and serotonin synthesis. In short: your body is working to put you and your baby to sleep when you nurse at night. Hold this truth alongside the reality that new parents are often exhausted, and what do you get? It can be really freaking hard to stay awake while nursing (or pumping!) in the middle of the night!

Nature is a force to be behold! When we consider that mother nature is operating under the notion that we sleep with our babies, the physiology behind the between a parent-child nursing dyad makes a whole lot more sense. That’s not to say that mother nature necessarily knows what’s best for your specific situation - there is no one-size-fits-all solution to infant feeding and sleep. However, knowing that our bodies are actively working to lull us to sleep while nursing at night is essential information if we want to make informed decisions around safe infant sleep.

It can be really freaking hard to stay awake while nursing (or pumping!) in the middle of the night!

So, are our bodies working against us as we nurse overnight? Or are we working against our bodies? I’d argue that these aren’t ultimately questions worth answering. The question we should be focusing on instead is this: If our bodies are wired to fall asleep beside our babies while nursing overnight, how can we ensure safe night-nursing situations? After all, we don’t want to accidentally fall asleep with baby in a risky position, like sitting up in a recliner. For some, this might mean choosing to regularly bedshare with baby; for others, it might mean ensuring there’s a safe night-nursing setup just in case you happen to fall asleep. The fact is, up to 75% of breastfeeding mothers end up bedsharing at some point, even when they don't plan to do so (La Leche League International). Better to be prepared with a setup known to mitigate risks!

safety first

A position you might find to be the most likely to keep you awake may in fact be a less safe position just in case you doze off while night-nursing. Take, for example: a recliner…a sofa…a chair. These are very risky situations for falling asleep with an infant. So, what’s best? Enter: “The Safe Sleep Seven,” brought to you by La Leche League!

Evidence shows that if you and your baby are following the criteria for the Safe Sleep Seven, the risk of SIDS is “vanishingly” small. Here are the main points of the Safe Sleep Seven, as well as some more details about the very important item number seven:

The Safe Sleep Seven

Source: La Leche League International

If you are:
1. A nonsmoker
2. Sober and unimpaired
3. A breastfeeding mother and your baby is:
4. Healthy and full-term
5. On his back
6. Lightly dressed
and you both are:
7. On a safe surface

(La Leche League International)

The Safe Surface Checklist

Avoid these possible smothering risks:

  • Sofas and recliners

  • Softness or sagging that rolls your baby against you or keeps him from lifting his head free

  • Spaces between mattress and headboard, side rails, or wall where a baby could get stuck

  • Pets that could interfere

Clear your bed of:

  • Unused pillows

  • Stuffed toys

  • Heavy covers and comforters

  • Anything nearby that dangles or tangles (such as cords, strings, scarves, ribbons, elastics)

Check your bed for possible hazards:

  • Distance to floor

  • Landing surface

  • Sharp, poking, or pinching place

(La Leche League International)

What works well for nursing by day might not be safest at night

the bottom line

The bottom line is this: "No matter what your situation is, or what nighttime arrangements you plan, be sure to set up a place where you can fall asleep together as safely as possible. Even if you have no plans to bedshare, on a night when you just can’t stay awake, you won’t fall asleep with your baby on the sofa. You’ll have a much, much safer place to go” (La Leche League International).

It’s essential to know what’s considered safe for full-term babies in general, and to consider any unique circumstances or medical needs for your own baby. Please consult medical professionals as necessary, and consider the resources below.

be sure to set up a place where you can fall asleep together as safely as possible

safe sleep resources

Here are some resources to help inform your important decisions around nursing baby overnight. We highly recommend that anyone who may try to stay awake at night with baby even if not nursing read these resources in order to avoid unsafe sleep situations that could end tragically. Remember, ultimately the goal is to prevent accidentally falling asleep in an unsafe position with baby.

the goal is to prevent accidentally falling asleep in an unsafe position with baby

Safe Sleep Resources

We can’t emphasize this enough: As with all things parenting, it is important to make informed decisions catered to your specific baby's unique needs, because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. Choose night-nursing arrangements that are best for you and your baby, and seek medical advice as necessary.

Happy (safer) night-nursing!

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This blog post was written by Shay Gabriel, a content creator at Sprout and Blossom and mother of two who swears she was reborn through giving birth. Shay believes that everyone deserves an empowered perinatal experience, no matter the twists and turns. Her own birth stories are quite surprising tales, and you can find them both here on the blog. 

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Parenthood, Postpartum, Preparing for BirthShay GabrielSprout and Blossom Birthsafe sleep seven, safe sleep, bedsharing, nursing, night nursing, safe infant sleep, safe infant sleep awarenessComment