When it comes to nighttime breastfeeding, there are quite a few things that will make your life and the 3am feeding easier, if you have them a few feet or inches away!  Since newborns need to feed about every 3 hours, your baby will wake up right when you fall deep asleep, so brace yourself!  However, waking up in the middle of the night is not the tough part; making sure you stay awake while nursing your little one IS!  Here are 5 must-haves my husband and I kept within arm’s reach to avoid falling asleep while breastfeeding at night.  Without them, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to stay awake while feeding Caleb.

1. Water.  Breastfeeding tends to do a number on your body.  While it helps you recover your pre-baby body quicker, it can dehydrate you.  You will find yourself extremely thirsty.  My husband made sure I had 1 or 2 water bottles on my nightstand to avoid me having to walk all the way to the kitchen in the middle of the night.
2. Boppy pillow.  I absolutely LOVE my Boppy pillow and do not know what I would have done without it!  When Caleb woke up at night, I would pick him up, wrap my Boppy pillow around my waist, and place him comfortably on top.  Comfort is key when you are trying to make your baby latch on properly and this pillow did the trick, especially at night!  (Alternative: No Boppy pillow?  Use a bed pillow for support.)
3. Night light.  Confession – I was in charge of the nighttime feeding.  Although some parents share this responsibility, I decided to takeover and let my husband sleep through the night for 2 reasons: 1. He had to wake up in the morning to work and 2. I wanted to increase my milk supply and the best way is to breastfeed frequently.  Therefore, I always tried not to wake my husband and I used a night-light.  It also kept the room dim which helps your newborn know that it is night-time not play time.  (Alternative: If you do not have a nightlight, turn on your closet or bathroom light.)
4. TV.  Because you are sleeping about 2.5 hours straight 2 to 3 times a night, you will find yourself somewhat exhausted.  While nursing your baby, your eyes may get heavy and you will want to close them for a few seconds.  This is a big no-no!  A few seconds of resting your eyes will turn into minutes if not hours of sleeping while nursing, which can potentially be dangerous for your newborn.  To avoid this, I turned on the TV in our room and lowered the volume.  Try putting a show or TV program that you like to keep you awake.  I watched Shark Tank or FRIENDS.  (Alternative: No bedroom TV?  Tune into your favorite podcast, Pandora, or radio station. Or use your cellphone to stay awake.)
5. Hair tie.  They say breastfeeding makes you burn calories; technically it is a workout.  There is no wonder why I would sweat sometimes at night while I nursed.  If you sleep with your hair down, make sure you have a hair tie on your nightstand. Before picking up your hungry newborn, tie your hair in a bun to avoid it getting in your way while breastfeeding and also to help cool you off.  Trust me, you will need it!  (Alternative: Braid your hair prior to bedtime.)