Breastfeeding tips for night time

If you're going to breastfeed, you're going to have to do it at night time too so we have some tips & to make it as comfortable and easy as possible:

1. Master the art of feeding lying down. It makes life so much more comfortable. Especially useful if you're having a c-section.

2. Have plenty of water to hand. Breastfeeding can be thirsty work and it's important to keep well hydrated.

3. Make it easy on yourself by having the right nightwear. Easy breastfeeding access is of course a must, but if you need to wear breast pads you will need to wear something to keep these in place. This could be a nursing bra, or wearing breastfeeding nightwear with hidden support is another option to keep the pads in place and can be more comfortable than wearing a bra. After birth you might find yourself sweating at night so a cool, light fabric is much more comfortable and you can always layer up with a dressing gown. Fortunately, we've designed all our nightwear collections at MamaMoosh with these features in mind.

4. Avoid using your phone or iPad or having a nightlight if possible. The light can disrupt the hormones needed (for you and your baby) to sleep and the electromagnetic waves from mobile devices can disrupt brainwaves. If you really need them in your bedroom at least put them in airplane mode, keep more than 1 m away from your heads and turn the brightness right down.

5. If your baby has a dummy keep plenty in or near the cot.

6. Don't fight the night time feeds - to keep up your supply, the feeds during the night are very important as it's the feeds at this time that 'put the order of milk in' for the next day (so expressing in the day for someone else to feed at night may not work in the long term). If your baby is suckling more than usual it could be that she's coming down with something and desperately trying to fight it off using the antibodies in the milk. Remind yourself that by going with it you could well be saving a trip to the doctor and dealing with a sick grizzly baby over the next few days.

7. Familiarise yourself with the latest safe co-sleeping advice from a reputable source. Even if you don't intend to have your baby in bed with you all the time, sometimes you might find it easier to bring her in for a while. Know that this is a no-no if you or your partner have been drinking or taking drugs or medication that may make you drowsy. Know that blankets and pillows are not recommended, don't put the baby near the edge of the bed or against the wall where she could fall down the gap. Always ensure your baby is asleep on her back and never co-sleep on a sofa. Consider getting a co-sleeping side cot- even if it's not used as the main cot, it's a handy, safe extension to your bed, safer for your baby and more room for you and your partner to get a better night's sleep.