If you think the kind of food you eat is the only thing that effects your breast milk think again.
The time of day also plays a part perhaps not in the taste or colour, but definitely in how it influences your baby’s wake and sleep cycle.
Welcome to the world of chrono-nutrition, the less talked about side of nursing and motherhood where you can improve your child’s wake and sleep cycle by timing their feedings.
Turns out you don’t just change your breast milk with your diet, but your hormones as well as this one mum on TikTok found out.
Breastmilk is so wild! #pumpingmom #pumpingmama #breastfeedingjourney #firsttimemom #breastmilkstillbestforbabies
There’s morning milk and night milk. And each has its own uses and benefits for your baby.
According to various studies, breast milk contains powerful hormones that not only boost growth and regulate hunger, but also control your baby’s wake and sleep cycles?
Morning milk contains cortisol, the hormone that keeps us alert and awake. And night milk contains melatonin, the hormone that’s responsible for sleep.
Both cortisol and melatonin are produced naturally in human bodies. And in nursing mothers, some of these hormones are shared to help your baby adapt to the normal circadian rhythms of adults.
But here’s where the advice comes in.
The time you express your breast milk makes all the difference in how potent your morning and night milks are. Especially for putting your baby to sleep at night
For morning milk, the best time to pump is typically between 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. This is when cortisol levels are at their highest throughout the day.
For night milk, the best time is between 2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.
But generally, anytime you feel sleepy is already a good time to pump. There should be enough melatonin in your breast milk around 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
You don’t have to worry about how you store your milk, either. If you’re worried you have to use your stores of morning/night milk immediately.
Studies show that freezing night milk, for instance, doesn’t kill the melatonin in the milk.
Finally the last advice is label your milk bags either ‘a.m.’ for morning milk, and ‘p.m.’ for night milk. You don’t want to accidentally give your baby morning milk before bedtime.
With any luck, you’ll be able to help wake your baby up fresh and early.
And most of all, help them sleep all through the night, which means more shuteye for you as well.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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