Are you a tired parent wondering when your baby will finally sleep through the night without needing a feed?

As a Pediatric Sleep Consultant who has supported countless families with this concern, I'm here to offer some guidance.

Understanding What's “Normal”

When it comes to nighttime caloric intake, there's no one-size-fits-all rule. Some babies naturally drop feeds by 10-12 weeks, some by 6 months, and some parents choose to keep a night feed up to 9 months. The key point is that feeding and sleep are separate and don't have to be dependent on each other.

Identifying a Feed-to-Sleep Association

Is your little one over 3 months and waking every two hours to feed?

Do they ONLY fall asleep if fed?

Are they not really gulping down milk and just slow sucking for soothing?

Do you have to actively feed them until they are asleep?

Is your baby waking up in the morning and not hungry or not getting a full feed?

These are signs that feeds are now an “association” and you might see your caloric intake during the day start to be affected. This means that your baby is now dependent on taking in calories at night AND needs it to fall back to sleep at the end of each sleep cycle.

This is something we look for in babies over 3 months when sleep cycles have matured.

Understanding Different Age Groups

Newborns

Your newborn will likely still need 1-3 feeds a night and it’s important to consult with your doctor about weight gain and if they are surpassing their birth weight they are likely to give you the okay to not wake for feeds every 3 hours at night.

For newborns their bodies are still not able to store nutrients for long periods of time and may need overnight feeds to keep them full. It’s okay to feed your newborn overnight and let them tell you when they need a feed.

4-6 months

After 4 months (and sometimes as early as 3 months), we see a big change in your little one’s ability to retain nutrients and sleep longer stretches between feeds.

At this age we are counting a minimum of 4-6 hours between feeds and sometimes drop down to one feed at night (we want to avoid “snacking” all night long but instead taking full feeds).

**If your baby is feeding often, less than 4-6 hours apart we need to get you a sleep plan and weaning plan to work away from that association. That is not likely to resolve on it’s own.

6-12 months

In this age group we start to see the biggest shift in the need for night time feeds. This is where babies will start dropping feeds all together and can go 12-13 hours without a feed. However, whether you keep a feed a night depends on your comfort level. Some parents choose to keep a feed until 8-9 months and then wean it.

By 12 months we really want to see your baby getting most of their calories during the day and nutrients from meals (breastfeeding and formula can still complement meals during the day). This will help increase ferratin levels which aid in sleep. Feeds at night as your baby grows will start to cause sleep troubles as your baby’s body actively wakes and warms up to digest and they could have trouble falling back to sleep.

12 months and Beyond

After 12 months your little one does not need feeds at night. They can get all the calories they need during the day. However, if they are getting calories at night they are likely not eating enough during the day. This is where a plan to wean feeds is necessary as well as a sleep plan to help baby change the dependence on feeding to sleep or the habitual wake up of waking to eat.

Get a customized sleep plan and weaning plan here.

Choosing What's Best for Your Family

Ultimately, you must decide what works best for you and your baby regarding nighttime feeding. If your current routine allows for undisturbed 12-hour sleep, it might not require changes. However, if sleep struggles are affecting your baby's well-being and overall family dynamics, it's essential to consider adjusting the nighttime feeds and weaning them all together for better quality sleep.

If you're struggling and need a tailored plan to improve your baby's sleep and feeding patterns, schedule a free discovery call to discuss how we can resolve this for good.

Here's to better sleep for both you and your little one!

**If you have any concerns about feeding, please discuss them with your health care provider.