On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep

(Nora) #1

When a breast-fed baby initially begins sleeping through the night,
mom may experience some slight discomfort for the first couple of
mornings. For some of these moms, it may take a couple of days for their
bodies to make the proper adjustments to the longer nighttime sleep. If
you feel uncomfortable after the first morning feeding, pump until you
are comfortable. This will be temporary. Within a week’s time both mom
and baby should have adjusted to their new sleep/wake patterns.


Phase Two: Extended Night


Weeks Nine through Fifteen


During this second phase, a breast-fed baby can gradually extend his
nighttime sleep to nine to ten hours, and a bottle-fed baby can go eleven
hours. Make a note that breast-feeding mothers must stay mindful of their
milk production. Letting your baby sleep longer than nine or ten hours at
night may not afford you enough time during the day for sufficient
stimulation. That is not true for all mothers, but it is for some. Therefore,
if you are breast-feeding and are concerned about a decrease in your milk

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