Breastfeeding vs. Formula: Not a Bit of Difference! (...in Maternal Sleep, that is)

Breastfeeding, with many well-documented benefits to both infants and mothers, is often assumed to be more disruptive to maternal sleep than formula feeding.  A recent study examined this assumption, comparing 80 mothers and their infants between 2 and 13 weeks postpartum.  Each week, mothers reported on feeding habits: exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive formula feeding or a combination of both. There were no differences between any of the mothers in either sleep quality or hours of sleep!  Also, among all three groups (breastfeeding, formula, or both) sleep disruptions, lost sleep, sleep quality, daytime fatigue were identical! Hopefully these findings will reach the tired ears of sleep-deprived mothers and give them the reassurance they are not sacrificing sleep by breast-feeding (they are in good company with all new moms!)

Sources: Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, January 12, 2011.

Written by Elsa Waldman, CNM