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But older babies often want to breastfeed several times a night because they are hungry or need to be close.

This is quite normal, because firstly, the baby stomach can only absorb a limited amount of volume. The stomach of a 1 month old baby only has a storage capacity of 80-150 ml.

And secondly, breast milk becomes relatively quick, i.e. digested in the baby's stomach within about 90 minutes.

Frequent meals therefore ensure your baby has adequate food intake and your protective closeness and thus its survival.

Although some babies “sleep through” several hours at a relatively early stage, this is not the rule, but rather a happy coincidence.

Rejoice if your baby does you this favor!

But don't expect it to stay that way for the next few months.

Do you think this post is helpful? Then pin him out into the world!

Sleeping baby

Babies change and their sleeping habits also change from time to time, without the parents having much influence on them.

Nevertheless, you can do a lot so that nighttime breastfeeding is less strenuous and you get enough sleep yourself.

Here are 8 tips to make breastfeeding easier at night

Sleep with your baby in the same room.  Baby Falls Asleep While Breastfeeding  Then your sleep cycles synchronize. You do not have to be woken up by the crying of the baby from deep sleep, but wake up yourself when it is about to wake up and you can still put it on directly in half sleep.

Breastfeed in your bed at night. This is less time-consuming than sitting in an armchair for breastfeeding, which may even be in another room and where you also have to keep yourself upright and awake while breastfeeding. Practice breastfeeding while lying down (see tips 3 - 5) during the day when it is light and you are both awake and rested.

Lie comfortably on your back with your torso slightly elevated, e.g. with a breastfeeding pillow or several U-shaped pillows under the head and arms. And lie the baby on your stomach while breastfeeding, pull your arm (supported by pillows) a little closer to your baby so that it can lean its head against it. So you can relax optimally while breastfeeding and your baby is also stable and safe and can even help himself.

Or breastfeed on your side. In this position, however, putting on well is a little more difficult for you than in the supine position described above. When your baby has finished drinking on the first breast and you want to bring it to the other breast, hold it close to you, turn with the baby on your body from the first side to the back and from there to the other side. This costs less energy and time than if you bedded yourself and your baby separately or crawled over the baby to the other side.

Give your baby both breasts in the same side position. To do this, you tilt your body just a little further towards the baby for the upper breast and maybe turn the baby a little more on your back so that it can also reach the second breast easily.

Quiet at least once during the day, preferably at lunchtime or when you are most tired during the day. And stay still after breastfeeding, read, doze, listen to relaxing music, or do whatever is good for you and allows a little rest. Even lying and resting once during the day means that nightly breastfeeding is less of an effort for you.

Wake your baby again to breastfeed if you go to bed a few hours after him. This gives you a better chance that it won't wake you up shortly after you fall asleep because you're hungry again.

Sleep longer in the morning. And go to bed with your baby earlier and earlier. Especially if you are very exhausted from the nighttime interruptions or are currently suffering from a severe lack of sleep, this is highly recommended, since the first phase of a baby's sleep is usually the longest. So if you absolutely have to sleep a few hours at a time yourself, it is best to do this together with your baby!