Why does my baby always wake at night for breast-feeds?
All babies are unique and all have their own individual breast-feeding needs. It’s not unusual for a baby to want a night breast-feed for the first three months at least because their tummies are so tiny that they can’t fit that much breast milk. Other than that, there are many possible reasons why your baby is still waking for breast-feeds.
Possible reasons include:
• They could be thirsty or hungry.
• Are they teething?
• Check the temperature of the room – are they cold?
• If your baby is feeling poorly this could disturb them.
• Or maybe they just enjoy the warmth of your body and the comfort of your special cuddles at night.
Breaking the pattern
Whether your baby really needs to wake during the night for breast-feeds really depends on their age. A newborn baby only has a very tiny tummy so they’ll need to wake up because they can’t take in as much breast milk.
But if your baby is older, they can start to grow out of it. You could try feeding your older baby more often or giving their last breast-feed of the day as late as possible, just before you go to bed. Before you know it, you and your baby will hopefully be enjoying an uninterrupted night's sleep!