Breastfeeding and sleeping:
The first weeks of motherhood are usually very confusing and exhausting for the mother, between feeding the baby, changing diapers, and lack of hours of sleep. This stress around the clock may sometimes lead the mother to sleepiness at unfamiliar times, the most dangerous of which may be her sleepiness while breastfeeding her child.
Reasons for falling asleep while breastfeeding:
Hormones also play a role in a mother's ability to fall asleep while breastfeeding her baby. Both the hormones prolactin and oxytocin, which are released during feeding, further relax an already exhausted mother's body, making her fully prepared to fall asleep. Here are the reasons:
Mother sleeping while sitting on a chair or sofa:
Your sleep, dear, in this way may lead to your child falling from your hands to the ground, and the child may suffocate, God forbid, if the breast full of milk presses on his mouth and nose, causing the infant's respiratory tract to completely close, a condition that may lead to death, God forbid.
Breastfeeding the baby and the mother in a sleeping position:
Breastfeeding your baby in this position may cause the infant to suffocate in the mother’s breast, or the infant may turn over in the bed covers, which may also lead to suffocation, God forbid.
A child may also be at risk of falling out of bed if he is over four months old and can roll over.
How do you ensure that you stay alert while feeding your baby at night?
- Take the upright sitting position during times of feeding your little one, while integrating into watching a TV program in cases where you feel sleepy.
- Make sure to collect a bottle of breast milk to give it to the infant completely before bedtime, as this helps him sleep for longer periods.
- Try to keep your child with you in the same room in a separate small bed with high sides to ensure his safety. Keeping the child with you makes it easier for you to breastfeed him at night.
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Breastfeeding