Why is nursing comforting

Breastfeeding is obviously designed to comfort and help a child sleep. Breastfeeding calms a child and can even help your child handle stress better when not breastfeeding Beijers et al, The time spent breastfeeding your child is a very short period in the total life of your child, but the memories of your love and availability will last him a lifetime.

Trust that your child will fall asleep on his own in time, and enjoy every sleepy moment while it lasts. Comfort nursing is normal. If baby were not comfort nursing he would need to be sucking on his hands or on a pacifier.

There are studies that show that comfort nursing is healthy for your child, too. All babies need to suck — some more than others. It ensures that they survive. If your baby seems to be comfort nursing all the time and this is more than you can handle, keep in mind that this will probably ease some as time goes by.

In the meantime, you may find that carrying baby in a sling or a carrier on your body will lessen his need to comfort nurse so much. He may just need to be close to you at times and seeks out nursing as a way to do that. Comfort nursing serves a purpose, too. It seems to have a very positive effect on his whole physical and emotional well-being.

Breastfeeding is more than just imparting fluids and nourishment. To associate the breast with wanting to relax enough to go to sleep makes perfect sense. As adults, we also do things to relax ourselves so we can go to sleep: we read, watch TV, get something warm to drink or a snack, deep breathe, get all snug under the covers, etc. Breastfeeding does the same thing for your baby.

For many babies at the height of exploration or distractibility , nighttime or naptime can often be the ONLY time the baby will nurse well. Allowing him to nurse at these times when he is more focused on nursing and less intent on other things helps ensures that he gets enough milk, that your supply is maintained, and that the nursing relationship goes on. Instead, take advantage of these times for better nursing.

The sleep issue is not merely a matter of good versus bad habits. It is much more an issue of culture and lifestyle and expectations. Here are three approaches to parenting issues:. There are two schools of thought about getting babies to sleep. All baby knows is that he has been abandoned and that mom is not there.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the continuation of breastfeeding for at least one year and then as long as each mother and child chooses to continue after that. And, more importantly, the breastfeeding relationship provides growing children with emotional and psychological benefits, as well. Comfort nursing can also be used at bedtime.

Nursing can calm down a fussy child, and many little ones like to fall asleep at the breast. It's not harmful to nurse your child to sleep, however, once your child is asleep, it's best to break the suction of the latch and remove your baby from the breast. If your baby spends long periods of time sleeping while still attached to your breast, it can increase the risk of dental cavities. If you want to breastfeed an adopted child, you have a true low milk supply , or you decide to give your baby a bottle, you can still breastfeed for comfort.

Nursing after or in between another source of feeding can be a wonderful experience for both you and your child.

Plus, even when you are just nursing for comfort, your baby may still get some nourishment from your breasts. Comfort nursing is a natural part of breastfeeding. It will not spoil your child and there is no evidence that comfort nursing is harmful or that it will cause any negative psychological issues in older children. As long as you and your child are happy and enjoy your nursing relationship, there is no reason that you cannot nurse for comfort. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter.

Breastmilk production in the first 4 weeks after birth of term infants. Cluster feeding and growth spurts. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Infant and young child feeding?

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Proponents of this method say that this teaches the baby to self soothe and learn how to fall asleep on his own, without a parent present. The truth is that the cry it out method also known as the extinction method is not for everyone. So, for some parents, comfort nursing is a great way to get the baby sleepy enough or to fall asleep to place him in his crib without a big fuss. While some people say that using comfort sucking will cause the baby to never learn how to fall asleep on his own, many babies have reached this point on their own simply because they were developmentally ready to do so.

Of course, this will not happen in the earliest months of their lives, but as they approach their first birthday, you might begin to see signs that they are ready to fall asleep without sucking on breast milk. Naturally, this method is not for everyone and not every mom has the time for this routine every night.

Apart from that, there are certain developmental milestones during which babies and toddlers find breastfeeding really comforting, such as teething. Breastfeeding is a comforting and familiar activity, so suddenly taking it out of the equation could really upset your little one. This might include the baby having a blanket or a toy that smells like mom to hold onto during the day and especially for naptime or using a pacifier.

Some babies also show an immediate desire to nurse after being picked up from daycare — this is normal and shows that your little one is still getting used to this new experience, so he needs to be comforted by nursing. Your little one might not have a good latch, so you could even visit a lactation consultant who will be able to advise you on how to get your baby to latch deeper.

Because every baby is unique, most experts recommend not to breastfeed on a schedule but to do so on demand. Sometimes a baby might be going through a growth spurt and ask to nurse more often, and sticking to a schedule, in this case, can be harmful. Some moms worry that they might not know whether their baby is getting enough milk during feedings, so nursing on demand will make sure your baby gets all the nutrition he needs.

However, babies have a number of easily recognizable signs that will let you know loud and clear that they are hungry, such as:. Plus, nursing on demand makes sure that your milk supply stays high and lowers your risk of experiencing breast engorgement, for example.

And you will be able to incorporate comfort feedings at any time, whether to help your little one fall asleep or soothe him when he is sick. Breastfeeding can become an especially contentious debate because everyone has their own idea of how it should be done and for how long. If you decide to breastfeed your little one, you are going to get lots of contradictory advice, especially from older family members who might be used to a more traditional style of parenting.

The truth is, these are all just opinions. Like this post? Please share or pin it for later. You can also stay in the loop and follow us on Facebook , Instagram and Pinterest. This post contains affiliate links. Please see our full disclosure or more info. In fact, nursing for comfort comes with plenty of benefits that any new mom should know about!