Breastfeeding and Melatonin just don't mix. Melatonin is not a good way to get sleep while breastfeeding - here is what you need to know. Often, when women give birth to their sweet baby, they believe that they can go back to all of their normal activities and start taking the same medications they were before they were pregnant. It is very important for breastfeeding mothers to understand that many of the medications, supplements, and vitamins go straight through your breastmilk and will affect your nursing child. Always be sure to discuss all of your medications (both prescribed and over-the-counter) during breastfeeding with your health practitioner to make sure that it is not harming your child.
What is Melatonin?
Melatonin is something that your body makes naturally to help regulate your sleep. According to WebMD, "Melatonin's main job in the body is to regulate night and day cycles or sleep-wake cycles. Darkness causes the body to produce more melatonin, which signals the body to prepare for sleep. Light decreases melatonin production and signals the body to prepare for being awake. Some people who have trouble sleeping have low levels of melatonin. It is thought that adding melatonin from supplements might help them sleep."
Although Melatonin, when found in the body, is a natural hormone, the Melatonin pill is not. Melatonin as a pill is synthetically made in a laboratory. It is essential for people to understand that melatonin isn't a vitamin or a supplement, it is a hormone. “People think of it as a vitamin, but in reality, melatonin is a hormone,” says Craig Canapari, MD, director of the Pediatric Sleep Center at the Yale School of Medicine to WebMD.
Is Melatonin Safe?
Generally speaking, Melatonin is safe when used at the right dose, right age, and the right time. Melatonin shouldn't be used on a long-term basis. Experts have shared that many people overuse the amount of Melatonin taken and parents are using them on children when they are way too young. Leslie Swanson, Ph.D., clinical associate professor in psychiatry at Michigan Medicine’s Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory says that "smaller doses of melatonin supplements — 0.5 milligrams or less — produce levels similar to what the brain makes naturally. After taking a larger dose, such as 3 milligrams, melatonin levels may rise to be 10 times higher than normal." It is hard to find the right dose.
Melatonin & Breastfeeding; Is It Safe?
Now, let's talk about why you came to this article in the first place; melatonin and breastfeeding. It is not advised to take any type of hormone while breastfeeding. Melatonin goes straight through the breastmilk and it can affect your baby very negatively. Although the side effects are not all known, experts do know that it can mess up your child's sleep schedule.
According to Hello Motherhood, "A baby who is struggling to develop a regular sleep schedule could have her efforts disrupted by melatonin in her mother's milk." Mothers should understand that natural Melatonin already comes through the breastmilk so the baby should not be getting any more. Melatonin will also decrease your milk supply because "it lowers levels of prolactin, a hormone necessary for milk production. Melatonin could also have other hormonal effects."
Alternatives To Melatonin
Don't get frustrated. Melatonin is not the only thing you can use to help get more sleep. There are many natural ways to help with your sleeping.
- Eat Healthier: According to Sleep Score, eating a healthy diet can improve your sleep substantially. Not only will you notice being able to fall asleep quicker but it will also enhance the quality and duration of your sleep. When you are having to wake up multiple times a night to feed a hungry fussy baby then you probably crave quality sleep when you do get to sleep; a healthy diet can achieve this goal. In turn, getting enough sleep can actually encourage you to eat better.
- Less screen time before bed: According to SLC Health, The National Sleep Foundation says that you should not use any type of electronic device 30 minutes before bedtime; this includes watching television, playing on a tablet, or looking at your phone. If you avoid screens before bed you will go to sleep quicker and have a more restful night sleep. Experts advise that you not look at your phone or turn on the television during nursing sessions because it is much harder to fall back to sleep.
- Glass of warm milk: According to UMAS Health there is nothing really inside milk that would cause people to feel more drowsy, but the warmth of the milk combined with the full stomach can cause a physical effect.
- Unisom: If all of the natural remedies are not working, you can try Unisom, which is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It does go through the breastmilk but a very small amount that should not cause any side effects in your baby.
It can be very difficult to sleep while pregnant or nursing. It is very frustrating when you are so tired yet it seems like nothing you do gets you the sleep that you need. Make sure that you talk to your doctor if you feel like you are having a difficult time sleeping while nursing. Your doctor might be able to give you specific and personalized advice as to the best way to help with your sleep.
Sources: WebMD, Mayo Clinic, Health Blog, Hello Motherhood, Sleep Score, UMAS Health, NCBI, SLC Health