12/06/2026
Breastfeeding is designed to comfort and help children (and mothers) sleep. Sucking releases the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) in both mother and baby, which results in a sleepy feeling.
Breastmilk also contains sleep-inducing hormones whose concentrations are higher during the night and may actually help babies establish their own circadian rhythms¹.
Feeding to sleep is normal and natural and more often than not the easiest and quickest way to settle babies during the night.
So don't worry that you might be creating bad habits; if your baby is 'only' feeding for comfort (just as valid as hunger); that your child will never fall asleep without your breast; that they will never 'learn' to sleep if you continue feeding them back to sleep.
Your little one will learn to sleep on their own in their own time or if feeding to sleep becomes unsustainable you can always change it in the future if you want to. If you are happy nursing your child to sleep - enjoy the sleepy feeds whilst you can, they really don't last forever 🤍
And if someone tells you you're creating bad habit, point them to the research that says otherwise.
If you'd like support with your family's sleep from a biologically normal perspective, get in touch.
1.https://kellymom.com/bf/normal/comfortnursing/
