NEW mums are given a wealth of advice when it comes to raising their babies and it’s hard to know what is best for your own kid.
Fitness blogger and mum-of-three Anna Strode has revealed she threw the rule book out the window when it came to breastfeeding her third child – and the youngster has been the best sleeper of the lot.
The Melbourne-based mum said that she was told by advice books that she shouldn’t breastfeed her baby to sleep if she wanted little Madi to slumber through the night.
Although she followed the guidelines for her eldest kids, twins Lachie and Sammy, she chose to let Madi suckle herself to sleep, and she sleeps the best out of the three.
Anna said to her 124,000 followers on Instagram: “Iwant to tell you something. It's important.
“The authors of many books are going to hate me for it, sleep consultants might call me crazy... but here goes...... IT IS 100% OK to feed your baby to sleep.”
She explained that this isn’t a guaranteed method of helping them sleep independently through the night.
Fitness blogger and mum-of-three Anna Strodes shows how to workout even with children around the house
Anna added: “All this means is right now it feels right and right now, if that's what you want to do, DO IT!!!
“With my first borns Lachie and Sammy (twins) I had this crazy idea (thanks to too much googling and "research") that if I fed the boys to sleep I was basically setting myself up for sleep failure.
“'Must finish last feed of the day 30 minutes before bed’ was usually all the advice I read.”
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She shared how her mum had advised her to breastfeed her tots to sleep but she had shunned this for Lachie and Sammy.
This all changed when Madi came along.
Anna shared: “Turns out, mum was right - aren't they always?! Because here's the truth... You can never EVER spoil a baby with love.
"If you want to feed to sleep - DO IT! I have absolutely NO regrets of feeding Madi to sleep every night.
“These cuddles, the way she nuzzles into me, the moments where I just felt lost in time... I wouldn't change them for the world! And if feels right because I'm doing what felt right for me this time. I wasn't guided by books, I was guided by my heart and maternal intuition.
“Madi has been a much better sleeper than our boys ever were as babies so there's the evidence... feeding your baby will NOT set you up for sleep failure. Ditch the books, believe in your choices, follow yourheart.”
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According to the NHS website, there isn’t a set guideline when it comes to timings of feedings.
The website advises: “All mothers and babies are different, and you and your baby will work out your own feeding pattern together.
“As a very rough guide, your baby should feed at least eight times or more every 24 hours during the first few weeks.
“Don't worry about feeding your baby whenever either of you wants.”
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However, Laura Mcfarlane, a professional nanny onChildcare.co.uk: told the Sun Online: "I believe that the last feed should be 30 minutes before bed, as it's the most beneficial way to ensure a good night's sleep for babies.
“Feeding babies to sleep creates an attachment to being comforted while drifting off and can lead to issues self-settling further down the line.
“Babies who can settle are generally better sleepers in childhood.”
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Dr Sarah Jarvis, clinical director of Patient.info,told the Sun Online that every baby is different, and the same baby’s needs change over time.
She said: "For instance, small babies often need to feed much more often than larger ones.
“This means that bringing their feed forward before bed means they’ll probably wake up sooner for another.
“However, reflux is very common in babies and is more likely if your baby lies down straight after a feed.
“So if your baby is prone to reflux, it’s important to wind them properly and consider smaller, more frequent feeds.”
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Aussie mum Anna, who works as a personal trainer, exercises five times a week, and makes sure any photos of her workouts feature her adorable kids.
She added: “Before babies, it was quite easy to fit in a workout. I could choose when I would workout, where I would workout and what type of workout I would do.
“When Lachie and Samuel arrived I worked out pretty quickly that I wouldn’t have the freedom to workout as I once did.
“It’s then that I started coming up with my own 20 minute high intensity circuits that I could do with my bubs in tow - and believe it or not, I’ve had better results from this than I ever did in a gym.”
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