Reverse Cycling

What is reverse cycling?

This is when a baby swaps his days for his nights, nursing more at night than during the day. Reverce cycling is normal and does not necessarily need to be changed unless mom feels she can’t cope. It doesn’t matter when baby is receiving milk, just as long as he is getting in enough.

Why does this happen?

- Disruption of breastfeeding sessions during the day usually caused through baby being very distracted, stressed out or mom returning to work.

- Mom may also be very busy during the day, especially if she has other children that she needs to see to. She might not get enough time to sit and breastfeed baby enough during the day and this can also contribute to baby needing to feed more at night. A busy mom should consider using a breastfeeding sling.

- Newborns sometimes just confuse days with nights

How to handle a distracted baby

- This is a normal developmental stage that all babies go through and is usually worse during growth spurt periods… read more on breastfeeding a baby during growth spurts.

- Mom can swaddle younger babies to keep them from becoming distracted and from moving their arms and legs all over the place.

- Mom can use a breastfeeding necklace to keep baby's attention on one place while breastfeeding.

- Read more on calming a breastfeeding baby here

The working breastfeeding mom

Baby may feel that he wants to breastfeed more at night because he wants to be close to mom and “reconnect” since he hardly sees her during the day.

Reverse cycling for a working mom is often used and encouraged as a way for mom to continue breastfeeding while working by keeping milk supply sufficient. This means less pumping and bottles during the day.

Mom just need to keep an eye on baby’s weight and number of soiled nappies daily to make sure baby is getting in enough milk.

Read more on breastfeeding while working

Tips on how to cope with reverse cycling

- Make sure baby is at easy access during the night. Co-sleeping can be done not just by keeping baby in the same bed as yourself, but many moms keep a baby bed next to their own beds that are just an arm reach away. This insures that mom and dad can still be intimate… read more on sex and breastfeeding here

- Get baby drinking more just before bed time, this will ensure a longer stretch of sleep before the next feeding… read more on breastfeeding at night

- Tips above on how to work with a distractible baby

- Make extra time during the day for nursing as often as possible, get somebody to help you with other chores if possible. Breastfeed at least every 2 hours.

- Relax while breastfeeding

- Make sure you take naps during the day when baby sleeps.

- Keep a bedtime routine…bath, bedtime story, breastfeed then bed.

- Keep the lights off and things quiet during night feedings

- Using a breastfeeding sling during the day can keep baby closer and help with extra breastfeeding if mom is very busy.

Baby sleep tonight guide

Other pages on "breastfeeding problems" in connection with reverse cycling

- Growth spurts in the breastfed baby

- Pacifier use in the breastfed baby

- Night weaning

- Comfort nursing

- Breastfeeding with a sling

- Cluster breastfeeding

- Breastfeeding strike or refusal

- Working and breastfeeding

- Breastfeeding a toddler

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