How to stop breastfeeding to sleep: A 4-step guide

While breastfeeding can be beneficial up to their 2nd year and beyond,¹ sometimes you want to drop particular feeds for your convenience or as your baby develops new routines.

In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about breastfeeding to sleep including:

• Is breastfeeding to sleep beneficial?
• What are the advantages of choosing to stop nursing to sleep?
• How to spot the ‘feed-to-sleep association’ when breastfeeding at night?
• A 10-step guide for how to stop nursing to sleep
• An introduction to combination feeding as a next step when you stop breastfeeding to sleep

Are you ready? Read on to discover our guide for how to stop breastfeeding to sleep in a couple of simple steps.

Is breastfeeding to sleep beneficial?

There are several benefits associated with breastfeeding and sleeping including:

• Your body produces ‘night time’ milk with unique traits which help your baby sleep.²
• Breastfed babies sleep for longer at night.³⁴
• Breastfeeding at night lowers the risk of irritability and colic.⁴
• Breastfeeding to sleep can reduce stress and anxiety.⁵

Top tip: Not everyone finds breastfeeding easy, and if you want to keep breastfeeding but need a little help, check out our advice, tips, and tricks for solving common breastfeeding problems.

Advantages of choosing to stop nursing to sleep

Whilst breastfeeding to sleep can be beneficial, there are also advantages to choosing to stop nursing to sleep including:

• Exclusively breastfeeding is associated with less maternal sleep.⁶
• Breaking the feed-to-sleep association can help your baby sleep for longer at night.
• You will feel more rested.
• Reducing night feeds often means your baby will feed better during the day.⁷

Top tip: If you’re wondering when you should stop nursing to sleep, the choice is yours. Whether you want to have more time to yourself in the evening or want to break the ‘feed-to-sleep’ association it’s a personal choice to stop nursing to sleep.

How to spot the ‘feed-to-sleep association’ when breastfeeding at night

There are two main ways to spot the ‘feed-to-sleep association’ when breastfeeding at night:

1. Your baby stops using other forms of comfort such as soothers or sucking their thumb.
2. Your baby becomes over-tired but refuses to sleep or go back to sleep if they wake at night.

A 4-step guide for how to stop nursing to sleep

You know that breastfeeding at night can be beneficial but breaking the ‘feed-to-sleep association’ is crucial for your baby’s development. Here’s our simple guide for how to stop breastfeeding to sleep:

1. Start at naptime.
   The first step in how to break the nursing sleep association is to stop feeding to sleep at naptime. This will help you be more successful in dropping the pre-bedtime feed.
   Top tip: Over time, it can become more difficult to breastfeed your baby to sleep, which could be an indicator that it’s time to stop nursing to sleep. With a change in routine, how many feeds are normal for your baby? Check out our guide to a baby breastfeeding schedule for more advice.
   
2. Feed them in a different room.
   A simple way to break the cycle is to remove the association between being breastfed and going to bed. By feeding them in a different room you are saying, “We eat here, we sleep there”.
   
3. Change the routine.
   Stopping the pre-nap or pre-bedtime feed doesn’t mean getting rid of it altogether. Offer them a feed earlier than normal, then give them time to play or have a bath in between the feed and sleep.
   Top tip: Your baby’s sleep pattern cannot be taught; it will develop in its own time, so be patient. If you want more information on what’s ‘normal’ for your baby, read our article on baby sleeping schedules.
   
4. Keep an eye out for sleep cues.
   Once your little one becomes tired, you will notice cues such as when they rub their eyes or yawn. Use these as an indicator that it’s time to head to bed.
   Top tip: If they’re used to using your breast to comfort and feed to sleep, introduce an alternative option such as the Philips Avent ultra soft soothers which are orthodontic and BPA free.

An introduction to combination feeding as a next step when you stop breastfeeding to sleep

Combining breastfeeding and bottle feeding can help to ease the transition when you stop breastfeeding at night. Here are some simple steps to start combination feeding when you stop breastfeeding to sleep:

• Introduce a bottle when your baby is calm – not when they are stressed, tired, or hungry
  You now know how to break nursing to sleep, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop comfort feeding your baby. When introducing your baby to a bottle, do so when your baby is happy to make the transition easier for both of you.
  Top tip: If you’ve been exclusively breastfeeding, moving to a bottle can be daunting. Don’t panic! We’re here to help with our guide on how to bottle-feed your baby the right way.
  
• Try expressing directly into a bottle and feeding them straight away.
  Not only will the smell be the same as when they are breastfeeding, but the temperature of the milk will also be the same. This will allow your baby to associate the bottle with the same smells and tastes they have when breastfeeding.
  Top tip: Why not try the Philips Avent electric breast pump? With its quick and comfortable pumping, you can express more milk in less time* and get straight down to business introducing your baby to the bottle. Don’t forget that expressing in between feeds will help to maintain your milk supply if you are offering your baby a bottle.⁸
  
• Use a bottle designed to mimic breastfeeding.
  The Philips Avent Natural Response bottle range, with or without AirFree Vent, works like a breast and offers an ergonomic, easy-to-hold design perfect for you or your baby to hold on to. The soft, flexible teats, available in various sizes, help your baby to latch and feed comfortably, ensuring an easy transition from breast to bottle and bottle to breast, enabling a customisable experience from newborns to infants over 6 months.

Now you know when you should stop nursing to sleep and how to stop breastfeeding to sleep. With this guide, you’ll be moving into a new routine with your baby in no time!

* Based on milk flow initiation time (time to Milk Ejection Reflex — MER) results.