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Falling asleep at the breast
Should you allow your infant to fall asleep at the breast?
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You’re snuggled into a comfy chair and your baby is happily nursing. His sucking slows down and his body relaxes against yours as he falls asleep, your nipple still in his mouth. It all feels very peaceful — but you wonder if it’s OK.
“I get questions about this every single day,” says Beth McMillan, an Ottawa lactation consultant. “And the answer is yes, and no. There are times when it’s fine, and there are times when it’s a concern.”
When to be cautious
“Babies who are struggling to nurse effectively in the early days will sometimes fall asleep at the breast even though they haven’t gotten much milk,” explains McMillan. These babies may doze off after a short period of sucking because they get tired easily, or they may quit in frustration because they’re not getting the milk they want, and just go to sleep instead.
“Parents are often told that when the baby falls asleep at the breast, it means he’s full,” says McMillan. “They can be devastated to find out that, in fact, the baby isn’t gaining weight and that perhaps their milk supply is beginning to decrease as a result.”
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