About breastfeeding and sleep
: J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2007 Jul-Sep;21(3):200-6. Links
Breast-feeding increases sleep duration of new parents.

Doan T, Gardiner A, Gay CL, Lee KA.
Department of Family Health Care Nursing, School of Nursing, University
of California at San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
OBJECTIVES: This study describes sleep patterns for mothers and fathers
after the birth of their first child and compares exclusive
breast-feeding families with parents who used supplementation during the
evening or night at 3 months postpartum. METHODS: As part of a
randomized clinical trial, the study utilized infant feeding and sleep
data at 3 months postpartum from 133 new mothers and fathers. Infant
feeding type (breast milk or formula) was determined from parent
diaries. Sleep was measured objectively using wrist actigraphy and
subjectively using diaries. Lee's General Sleep Disturbance Scale was
used to estimate perceived sleep disturbance. RESULTS: Parents of
infants who were breastfed in the evening and/or at night slept an
average of 40-45 minutes more than parents of infants given formula.
Parents of infants given formula at night also self-reported more sleep
disturbance than parents of infants who were exclusively breast-fed at
night. CONCLUSIONS: Parents who supplement their infant feeding with
formula under the impression that they will get more sleep should be
encouraged to continue breast-feeding because sleep loss of more than 30
minutes each night can begin to affect daytime functioning, particularly
in those parents who return to work.

Regards /Mia Westlund in Gothenburg Sweden



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