- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- babies today articles
- babies today q&a
- toddlers today articles
- toddlers today q&a
- breastfeed.com articles
- breastfeed.com q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Bedtime or Breast Time
Falling Asleep While Nursing
By Lyn Mettler
So how do you keep your baby from napping at the breast?
Kaye advises parents to train their babies to fall asleep on their own. Moms should pay careful attention to their babies while nursing, he says, noting any cues that they are about to drift off.
Kitzinger suggests tickling the baby's feet or changing the diaper to keep the baby awake. The mom should then try to put the baby down before he has fallen asleep.
"This way, the baby learns to put himself or herself to sleep and is then able to do this in the middle of the night," says Samberg.
If the baby cries when he is put down, Kaye suggests gradually giving him increasing amounts of time to fuss and settle himself. But, if you're trying to avoid the habit and you've found that your baby has dozed off despite your best efforts, Kaye advises moms not to wake him.
Hogshead-Makar found her own system that worked for her and her son. "What I did was let the baby nurse to sleep -- there was no stopping him -- but then walk a distance before I put him into bed," she says. "For example, I'd nurse in the sunroom downstairs and then walk up to his bedroom to put him to sleep. That way, he was mildly awake when I actually did put him down. And when he woke up, he didn't wonder, 'How did I get here? I'm supposed to be at Mom's breast.'"
Just like Hogshead-Makar, moms must wade through this issue on their own, finding a pattern and a technique that works best for them. "I think people focus too much on what an 'expert' says that they should or should not do and don't trust their instincts," Fewox says. "Yes, we all like to hear others' opinions, but what works for one baby doesn't always work for another. Moms today need to take the advice they read or hear and tailor it to their own situation."
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||
