Bedsharing encourage "snacking"?

DCMerged · November 2012

Maybe this is more of a breastfeeding question than an AP question, but since alot of you bedshare, I thought I would try here.

Does bedsharing encourage BF "snacking"? I've been wondering if it has been for my baby. We've been bedsharing for a couple weeks since LO hit the 4 month wakeful. As soon as he starts fussing a bit, I can quickly offer the breast. However, he usually eats a little and then falls back asleep. He'll only nurse laying down these days too. I've noticed that he doesn't get a full feeding before I go to work and wonder if it is because he's snacking at night. My nanny just told me he took 4.5 ounces in one feeding this morning!

I want to BF for at least a year and I work full time so pump at work. I want to make sure I encourage the boob more than the bottle.

SortaCrunchy · November 2012

Yes, studies have shown that bedsharing babies nurse about twice as often at night as noncosleepers. The theory is that because babies sleeping near their mothers don't sleep as deeply as infants who sleep alone this is a fact, they arouse more often and eat. The way I look at it is, babies evolved sleeping with their moms, so eating this often is biologically appropriate, and the solitary sleepers actually eat half as much as they should.

DCMerged · November 2012

Interesting, thanks. I totally get that it is appropriate to wake in the night to eat and totally okay with that. However, maybe evolution didn't take into account a full-time working mom's need to get some sleep:) I wondered if he didn't sleep in our bed, his night feedings might be fewer but better if that makes sense. I guess I could do the experiment.

KateLouise · November 2012

I don't really view that kind of "snacking" as eating. I see it as baby seeking comfort to settle back to sleep. Which I'm fine with baby feeling comforted.

I don't know that it meas they eat more or less than a none bed-sharer. We didn't bedshare with DD1 and she ate less often, but when she did nurse at night she really had a good drink.

I don't think you really need to worry about snacking. DD2 has bedshared since birth. She nursed frequently through the 4mth wakeful, and now nurses once at night, and sometimes twice. She eats "fine' through the day, in that she eats/drinks a good meal, and I don't feel like she snacks. She has nursed frequently at times when teething, or out of sorts.

My basic approach to babies and eating and sleeping is to just go with it.

I'd say he's not eating very much in the morning because he's eaten through the night. But on balance he's probably eaten the same amount in total.

If he always gets BF by you rather than the bottle, then he hopefully should continue to prefer the breast when you're around.

SortaCrunchy · November 2012

DCMerged:
Interesting, thanks. I totally get that it is appropriate to wake in the night to eat and totally okay with that. However, maybe evolution didn't take into account a fulltime working mom's need to get some sleep: I wondered if he didn't sleep in our bed, his night feedings might be fewer but better if that makes sense. I guess I could do the experiment.

I don't know if this helps at all or not, but I sleep with my breast uncovered and let DD basically help herself. She latches on and nurses then drifts right back to sleep. And I don't even notice. In the morning I know she ate because that breast is not full, but I can't recall waking to feed her, and I feel MUCH more refreshed than when I need to totally wake up and tend to her in the middle of the night. Could you try something like that?

SortaCrunchy · November 2012

KateLouise:
I don't really view that kind of "snacking" as eating. I see it as baby seeking comfortp

I agree. It isn't necessarily that the baby needs the extra nighttime calories. Rather, bedsharing babies' sleep cycles are different from solitary sleeping babies' cycles. Bsbies sleeping near their caregivers spend less time in deep stages of sleep, and when they rouse, they naturally seek out the warmth/comfort of the breast. Some researchers theorize that cosleeping is protective agsinst SIDS because it prevents the baby from sleeping more deeply than nature intended.

ETA: I also agree that the OP's LO is probably getting roughly the same amt from "snacking" all night that he would if he took a full feed first thing in the morning.

DCMerged · November 2012

SortaCrunchy:
DCMerged:
Interesting, thanks. I totally get that it is appropriate to wake in the night to eat and totally okay with that. However, maybe evolution didn't take into account a fulltime working mom's need to get some sleep: I wondered if he didn't sleep in our bed, his night feedings might be fewer but better if that makes sense. I guess I could do the experiment.
I don't know if this helps at all or not, but I sleep with my breast uncovered and let DD basically help herself. She latches on and nurses then drifts right back to sleep. And I don't even notice. In the morning I know she ate because that breast is not full, but I can't recall waking to feed her, and I feel MUCH more refreshed than when I need to totally wake up and tend to her in the middle of the night. Could you try something like that?

I'm envious of the ladies who can nurse while not fully waking. I haven't been able to not wake when he stirs and then nurses. I try to switch sides, too, or my one boob will be so full I'll have to pump first thing in the morning.

MomtoH · November 2012

DCMerged:
SortaCrunchy:
DCMerged:
Interesting, thanks. I totally get that it is appropriate to wake in the night to eat and totally okay with that. However, maybe evolution didn't take into account a fulltime working mom's need to get some sleep: I wondered if he didn't sleep in our bed, his night feedings might be fewer but better if that makes sense. I guess I could do the experiment.
I don't know if this helps at all or not, but I sleep with my breast uncovered and let DD basically help herself. She latches on and nurses then drifts right back to sleep. And I don't even notice. In the morning I know she ate because that breast is not full, but I can't recall waking to feed her, and I feel MUCH more refreshed than when I need to totally wake up and tend to her in the middle of the night. Could you try something like that?

I'm envious of the ladies who can nurse while not fully waking. I haven't been able to not wake when he stirs and then nurses. I try to switch sides, too, or my one boob will be so full I'll have to pump first thing in the morning.

I fall asleep while she nurses and just wake up to switch sides, but I can't sleep topless unless I want to wake up in a puddle of milk.

indiana101 · November 2012

The 4 month wakeful does pass and you don't keep waking as often to feed baby. I would definitly agree that bedsharing encourages snacking, or rather babies use it as a means of settling themselves, DD certainly does and it is so much easier feeding her in bed than getting up, especially now she is bigger. I am not, however, looking forward to breaking the habit, I have no idea how I'm going to do that one.