A mother goes to ER

I know a mom who had to rush her baby to the emergency room one night because she was extremely tired and overwhelmed. She hadn’t been able to sleep for months because her baby kept waking up every hour, and she was breastfeeding throughout the nights. She was so tired that she couldn’t even think straight. She realized that if she was exhausted, her baby might be feeling even worse. She decided it was time to talk to a doctor and find a way for both of them to get better sleep.

Picture this: A mother and her 9-month-old baby find themselves in the emergency room, desperately searching for help due to their sleep troubles. Every night, the baby keeps waking up too often, causing a lot of exhaustion and stress. While this situation is quite common, it’s important to address since it affects both the baby and the mother.

But the ER couldn’t offer much help. They suggested something that might have seemed counterintuitive— stop breastfeeding altogether. You see, there’s this myth floating around that weaning babies from the breast will miraculously make them sleep better. Now, I can’t blame those ER professionals entirely, because there may be a grain of truth in that myth, just not in the way you might expect.

When a mom stops breastfeeding, she might unintentionally affect how her baby sleeps. This is a time of change for both. At first, the baby might cry for breastfeeding, but eventually, they learn to live without it. If the baby used to fall asleep on the breast, this change can impact how they sleep. But, it’s important to know that this doesn’t always happen. It only works if the new sleep habits help the child sleep on their own. Otherwise, the child might just start relying on something else to fall asleep.

Here’s something truly touching. Some moms have shared their experiences of hearing their baby’s little cries as they transition from breastfeeding. But isn’t it curious that these very moms might hesitate when it comes to their child’s cries during the process of adopting healthy sleep habits? It’s a missed opportunity, a heartfelt one. After all, sleep is a precious gift.

Here are some experiences mothers are sharing from the time they weaned their child from the breast:

It was bittersweet when I weaned my baby from the breast. On one hand, I felt a sense of freedom and relief, but on the other hand, my heart ached hearing my little one’s cries for comfort that only breastfeeding could provide.”

“I’ll never forget the moment I decided to wean my baby. The sound of her cry, full of confusion and longing, tugged at my heartstrings. It was a tough transition, but we eventually found new ways to bond and comfort each other.”

“My baby’s cry during the weaning process was incredibly challenging for me emotionally. I had mixed feelings of guilt, sadness, and even a sense of loss. However, I reminded myself that I was making the best decision for both of us, and over time, the crying lessened.”

“Weaning my baby was an emotional rollercoaster. Hearing her cry, desperately seeking the comfort of breastfeeding, brought tears to my eyes. But with patience, love, and reassurance, we made it through the tough moments together.”

“The weaning process was both physically and emotionally draining. Every time my baby cried, it felt like a stab in my heart. It took time for both of us to adjust, but as the tears faded, we discovered new ways to nurture our bond.”

Many parents start a journey towards better sleep for their little ones without even realizing it. Often, their initial aim might be to stop breastfeeding, but in the process, they unknowingly introduce positive sleep routines. As a beautiful result, their child starts sleeping more peacefully, waking up less during the night. It’s like a hidden bonus: while focusing on one goal, they unintentionally gift their child with better sleep. What’s fascinating is that this happens naturally, without any force.

The misunderstanding persists because this transformation often occurs without parents noticing the connection between improved sleep and the little changes they make. The success of better sleep is sometimes wrongly attributed solely to the weaning process. However, contrary to common belief, weaning itself isn’t what directly brings better sleep.

Sleep doctors and sleep scientists, are out there in their labs, debunking myths like the one I mentioned earlier. But sadly, their knowledge often stays confined within scientific papers, rarely reaching a wider audience.

This is why I’ve made it my mission to bridge that gap. I’m here to share scientific knowledge about sleep in a way that anyone can understand. You don’t have to choose between breastfeeding and sleep, and you shouldn’t. Your baby needs both feeding and sleeping, so let’s find a balance that works for everyone.

In conclusion, our findings suggest that early breastfeeding may play a role in promoting longer night- and total-sleep trajectories in infants and preschool children. Although breastfed infants experienced more night awakenings than formula-fed infants, there were no differences in the duration of night awakenings. Furthermore, the frequent night-sleep disruptions experienced in breastfed infants may only be short-term, because this observation typically weakened from 18 mo of age. 

Nur K Abdul Jafar, Elaine KH Tham, Wei W Pang, Doris Fok, Mei C Chua, Oon-Hoe Teoh, Daniel, Lynette P-C Shek, Fabian Yap, Kok H Tan, Peter D Gluckman, Yap-Seng Chong, Michael J Meaney, Birit FP Broekman, Shirong Cai, Association between breastfeeding and sleep patterns in infants and preschool children, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 114, Issue 6

Now, back to our story. The mother in question continued breastfeeding for almost two years, and that’s perfectly fine. But guess what? Good sleep came their way much earlier when she took a conscious and responsible parental act and started to change their sleep habits. She found a way to prioritize both breastfeeding and healthy sleep habits.

So there you have it — a story of a mother’s determination to provide the best for her baby. Remember, sleep is important for all of us, and there are ways to gently guide our little ones toward independent sleep without sacrificing the joys of breastfeeding. It’s all about finding that delicate balance and creating a harmonious sleep routine for the whole family.