Some parents choose to breastfeed or bottle-feed their baby while he or she is sleeping to avoid disturbing their sleep at night or because it may be the only way to feed the baby without crying. If you are wondering, “Should I feed my baby while he or she sleeping?” this article can help you make an informed decision.
1. What Is the sleep feeding method?
Sleep feeding refers to feeding a baby while he or she is sleepy or asleep. The baby may wake briefly, then fall asleep during feeding and continue feeding later or when it starts to wake up. Sleep feeding can be initiated by either the baby or the parent and aims to address issues related to the baby’s sleep or feeding.
2. Should I feed my baby while sleeping?
Sleep feeding might not be your preferred approach but could become necessary if your baby refuses to feed while awake or only responds to feeding when sleepy.
Babies may feed partially while asleep, drinking a little milk and then drifting back to sleep. Alternatively, they may feed completely while asleep. Here are some reasons why newborns may prefer sleep feeding:
- Newborns are often sleepy: Parents often invest a lot of time and effort in feeding their newborns. Newborns often begin feeding in a sleepy, awake state after their initial hunger is satisfied but continue to feed when asleep. They typically stop feeding when they enter a deep sleep or finish their bottle.
- A feeding-sleep association: When babies repeatedly fall asleep while feeding, they may begin to associate feeding with sleep. This connection is seen when a baby seeks to feed (by stretching, sucking, or fussing) whenever they are tired, regardless of actual hunger. If fed in this state, the baby often falls asleep quickly. Furthermore, a baby who has formed this feeding-sleep association may experience more sleep interruptions and desire to feed more frequently, even if only when drowsy. If their nutritional needs are met during sleep feedings, they may not require feeding while awake and could develop a habit of being sleepy.
- Behavioral feeding aversion: Pressure to force a baby to feed, especially when they are not hungry, can lead to an unpleasant and stressful experience for both the baby and the parent. This pressure can result in a feeding aversion, where the baby becomes fussy and refuses to feed as soon as they sense feeding is imminent. However, when sleepy or drowsy, the baby is less alert and more inclined to feed successfully. Over time, the balance may shift towards the baby only feeding when sleepy or asleep.
- Coexisting problems: The issues described above can occur individually or together. Sleepy babies are more likely to develop a feeding-sleep association if parents do not actively work to prevent it. This association can lead to a habit of only feeding when drowsy. A refusal to feed while awake may prompt parents to try to force the baby to eat. If the baby feels pressured, they can develop an aversion to feeding, which complicates the situation further. This can occur in both breastfed and bottle-fed babies
3. Should I feed my baby while sleeping if he or she has reflux?
Many people think that babies with acid reflux prefer to feed while they are sleeping. However, this is not true.
When your baby is uncomfortable while feeding, he or she may be experiencing problems related to acid reflux. Sleep does not prevent your baby from feeling pain due to reflux. If pain is the reason your baby is uncomfortable while feeding while awake, the pain will still wake him or her up and cause discomfort while feeding while he or she is sleeping. Pain is related to the burning effects of acid reflux and does not only occur when your baby is feeding while awake. Babies who are in pain while feeding will cry for a long time after they have stopped feeding.
Feeding aversion is more likely to be the reason why your baby is uncomfortable while feeding while awake but still feeds well while he or she is sleeping.
4. Problems associated with sleep feeding
Most babies will occasionally or frequently breastfeed while sleeping without any obvious complications. However, there are potential problems associated with breastfeeding while sleeping, including:
- Sleep deprivation: The relationship between breastfeeding and sleep can lead to disrupted sleep, which can then lead to stress in the baby due to lack of sleep.
- Underfeeding: A chronically sleep-deprived baby may fall asleep before completing a feeding session. A rigid feeding schedule in this case can lead to underfeeding.
- Overfeeding: Babies are prone to overfeeding because they have an active sucking reflex. Feeding on demand can create problems with overfeeding. Gastrointestinal symptoms associated with overfeeding are often mistaken for reflux, milk allergy, or intolerance.
- Tooth decay: Swallowing frequency is reduced when sleeping compared to when awake. Milk can remain in the baby's mouth, creating favorable conditions for bacteria that cause tooth decay to grow.
- Respiratory: Feeding a sleepy baby increases the risk of choking or aspirating milk into the lungs.
Respiratory infections: Studies show that babies who feed while sleeping are at higher risk of respiratory infections. - Financial strain: Finding a solution to encourage a baby to feed again while awake can be a costly one. The first thing parents often try is switching formulas. Then they continue to experiment with different nipples and bottles. When that fails, most parents then seek medical advice. Babies who resist feeding while awake are often diagnosed with acid reflux. This confusion is largely due to doctors' unfamiliarity with managing issues such as feeding-sleep relationships, anorexia, overfeeding, and other behavioral issues that often affect babies' physical health. So your baby will be prescribed medication, in some cases multiple medications, and may need to be seen several times. If medication does not improve the situation, your baby may be diagnosed with a suspected allergy or intolerance to milk and switched to a hypoallergenic formula. If this does not help, your baby may be referred to one or more health professionals, a nutritionist, or a speech therapist, and may undergo a series of diagnostic tests.
- Parental stress: When your baby is only feeding when he or she is sleepy, making sure he or she gets enough to eat can dominate family life. Feedings need to be timed precisely when your baby is asleep or when he or she wakes up. Since babies can fall asleep for short periods, the amount of milk each feed may be small, meaning that your baby may want to feed more often than is normal for his or her age. Stress arises when parents are constantly trying to make sure their baby is getting enough to eat.
5. How to sleep feed your baby safely?
Parents can feed their babies before going to bed. Try to feed your baby between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., but it should be at least 2.5 to 4 hours since your baby's last feed. At the same time, parents need to:
- Reduce the light in the room;
- Avoid talking or loud noises;
- If you are breastfeeding, gently hold your sleeping baby close to your chest. You can prop your baby up on a pillow to feed in a semi-reclined position. Remove the pillow and lay your baby flat after feeding;
- Never leave your baby to feed unsupervised or leave a pillow in the crib with a baby;
- Burping is usually not necessary because babies usually swallow very little air while sleeping. If you feel your baby needs to burp, try sitting him up in an upright position and rubbing his back;
- Put your baby back to bed while he is still sleeping after feeding;
Only change the diaper if the diaper is wet or dirty.
In short, feeding your baby while he is sleepy may be the best way if he refuses to feed when awake or because he only cooperates when fed while he is sleepy. If you have to feed your baby while he is sleepy, parents need to pay more attention to him to prevent related complications such as choking on milk, reflux, etc.
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