Can you breastfeed and help your baby sleep longer and more independently?

If you’re breastfeeding and struggling with sleep, it can feel like everything rests on you.

You might be feeding to sleep at bedtime, waking multiple times overnight, or feeling unsure how to make changes without giving up breastfeeding altogether. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone - and you do have options.

Breastfeeding and sleep can work together

One of the biggest misconceptions is that breastfeeding and better sleep can’t coexist. Breastfeeding is comforting and completely normal, especially at night. But it doesn’t have to be the only way your baby learns to settle.

Sleep support doesn’t mean stopping breastfeeding if you don’t want to. It means gently adjusting how feeding fits into sleep, in a way that supports both your baby and you.

There’s no one “right” goal

Every mum’s feeding journey is different, and your goals matter. You might want to:

• Stop feeding overnight

• Gradually reduce night feeds

• Keep night feeds but make bedtime feel easier

• Share bedtime so it’s not all on you

All of these are valid. Gentle sleep support meets you where you are, without pressure or rushing change.

Making bedtime feel lighter

For many mums, bedtime can feel heavy and stressful, especially when feeding is the only way your baby settles. One gentle approach is to slowly change the order of your routine so feeding isn’t the very last thing before sleep.

This isn’t about removing comfort, it’s about adding other calming supports alongside feeding, and reducing pressure over time.

Gentle changes overnight

If reducing or stopping night feeds is your goal, this can be done gradually and responsively. That might include spacing feeds out, shortening them slowly, or introducing other ways of comforting your baby first, always with support and reassurance.

It’s never about ignoring your baby. It’s about responding differently, in a way that still feels kind.

You don’t have to do this alone

Wanting more sleep doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It means you’re exhausted and human.

With the right support, you can protect your breastfeeding journey while gently improving sleep, without guilt, pressure, or forcing independence.

I support breastfeeding mums to find a balance that feels calm, supportive, and realistic for their family.

You deserve rest, too 🤍