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Comfort Nursing

Comfort nursing

The comfort theory in nursing

Breastfeeding provides comfort, contentment and relaxation for baby. Breastfeeding can also calm baby and reassure him. Non nutritive suckling “comfort sucking” is actually just as important to baby as the nutrition he is receiving from mom. Comfort breastfeeding only becomes a problem when mom starts to feel that it’s a problem!

Moms need to keep in mind that extra nursing is not always comfort sucking or a low milk supply, it can also be that baby is going through a growth spurt and is hungry more of the time.

The benefits of comfort nursing “non nutritive sucking”

- Baby learns to trust and interact

- Helps for parental attachment and bonding

- As mentioned above it is comforting and reassuring

- It decreases baby’s heart rate which helps him relax and sleep

- It helps for mouth and jaw development.

Sometimes a mom might feel a little guilty for breastfeeding her child to sleep, fearing that she is allowing a bad habit to form. Why not use breastfeeding to get baby to sleep…it comes in very useful!

Breast milk was made specially to have different components that actually make baby sleepy at night and actually wakes them up in the morning like a cup of coffee would do for us. This is why it is so important that when moms pump and store their breast milk that they label what time of the day they expressed. You don’t want to give baby “morning milk” in the evening as this will keep him awake.

How to limit nursing for comfort if mom feels overwhelmed

- Carry baby in a sling , this will give him assurance and he might not need to comfort himself with your breasts as much... read more on sling nursing

- Recognize signs that baby is asleep (flutter sucking, facial grimaces, twitching muscles) this can give you a signal as to when you can try leaving if he is breastfeeding before a nap. This will ensure that you don’t get stuck “comfort nursing” while baby is sleeping which is unnecessary.

Using a dummy as a soother instead of breastfeeding for comfort

- Do not use a dummy for the first 6 weeks, this could get baby breastfeeding less

- It’s okay to use a dummy after this period if the constant comfort nursing becomes a little too much for you. (just remember weaning from pacifier can be a little difficult for some children)

- Only use a dummy if your milk supply is fully established

What if baby is falling asleep while breastfeeding and not drinking enough?

- Try “switch nursing” ~ When baby starts falling asleep you can switch him to the other breast, this will usually wake him enough which will stimulate a let down on that breast

- Try breast compression ~ This will keep your milk flowing which will keep baby drinking

- Try tickling baby’s feet of putting a cold face cloth on his feet

Can you overfeed a breastfed baby?