Parents are Asking: Is Breastfeeding Keeping My Baby Up at Night?

Recently, one of our readers asked this:

My 7 month old was sleeping up to 4 hours at a time. Now, the only way he can sleep more than 1 hour is if I hold him while breastfeeding. I know I shouldn't do this but it's the only way I get any sleep. Thoughts?
 
Parents Ask expert Elizabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution answers:
 
Welcome to the club! The breastfeeding-to-sleep association is one of the most common yet complicated sleep situations to change. Breastfeeding is nature’s most perfect sleep aid, so it’s perfectly natural for a baby to fall asleep nursing, and it’s perfectly normal for parents of babies to do whatever they can for everyone to get a good night’s sleep!
 
All babies are different and all mommies are different, too. There is no one perfect answer that works for every mother-baby pair. Here are two of the most popular solutions that might work for you:
 
~ Instead of letting your baby fall asleep at the breast, let him nurse until his sucking slows and he is relaxed and sleepy. Make sure your child is done "eating." (When he is not actively sucking and swallowing, just pacifying.) Then you’ll want to take your nursling off the breast and pat, rub, rock or shush him back to sleep. This will help him learn how to fall asleep without the nipple in his mouth. (I call this the Pantley Gentle Removal Method.)
 
~ Often the way your child falls asleep at bedtime will affect the rest of his awakenings for the night. This is because of the sleep-association that has been established. It seems that however your child falls asleep for the night is how he expects to remain all night long – in your case, being held at the breast. It can help if you create a falling-asleep ritual that can nearly be duplicated in the middle of the night without your presence. This means setting up the bed so it is cozy and inviting. Use soft sheets, such as flannel or fleece; play some soft background sounds, such as recordings of ocean waves, and keep the room dark. That way your baby will learn how to fall back to sleep without your help.