For moms and babies: 6 benefits of nighttime breastfeeding

Are you a mom and are you nursing? In LatinAmerican Post we bring you the benefits of breastfeeding at night

Many studies have proven that breastfeeding during the first months of the baby is extremely important both for the well-being of your little one and yours. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), only in the little ones "breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development, and protects against infectious and chronic diseases." Exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to diseases common childhoods, such as diarrhea or pneumonia, and helps a faster recovery during illness. "

Leer en español: Para mamás y bebés: 6 beneficios de la lactancia nocturna

This also contributes to the health of the mother and even helps to prevent diseases, as mentioned by the international organization. Now, breastfeeding your baby is an activity that must be done both in the day and at night, something that can be exhausting for moms. But did you know that breastfeeding at night also has multiple benefits for moms and babies? Here we tell you more.

Read also: After breastfeeding: Discover what you can give your baby

For moms

1. You will produce more milk. Moms produce more milk at night than during the day, as prolactin levels increase, as Eroski Consumer explains. Prolactin is the hormone that is responsible for stimulating the mammary glands, to produce the milk your baby consumes. Thus, and according to Infant Stage and My Baby and I, the nightly shot will help to increase milk production "not only during the night but also the next morning".

2. You will rest more. Contrary to what is thought and as suggested by a study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), mothers who breastfeed their baby at night sleep 40 to 45 minutes longer than those who feed the baby with formula. According to My Baby and I, prolactin will also help you relax and rest better.

2. No more mammary obstructions. Not breastfeeding or not doing regularly can be counterproductive for the nursing mother, as this could contribute to the onset of diseases such as mastitis or breast obstructions. According to Mothers Today, that's why it's essential to have a nighttime drink and remember that your baby is the one who decides when to eat, even if it's at night.

It may interest you: Do you feel pain when you breastfeed? You could suffer from mastitis

For the little ones

1. Your baby will also sleep better. According to a study by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, the breast milk produced during the day is very different from the one produced at night, because the components in it change. Thus, thanks to this, breast milk at night will help your baby to relax and rest better, also your closeness will help the child feel calmer.

2. You will feel more satisfied. As you produce more milk due to prolactin, your baby will also feel more satisfied during the nightly shots because "you will be able to feed more and better," according to the Infant Stage. Hence the importance of breastfeeding the baby during the night.

3. Your health will also benefit. During the night, the mothers secrete melatonin through milk, "a hormone that intervenes in the natural sleep cycle," as Mayo Clinic explains. This, in addition to helping your baby to sleep, also contributes to better gastrointestinal health by its relaxing effect. In this way, as the NCBI explains, preventing the little one from suffering from irritability or colic.

LatinAmerican Post | Diana Rojas Leal

Translated from "Para mamás y bebés: Estos son los beneficios de la lactancia nocturna"

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