We all function best with an uninterrupted good night’s sleep. When you have a baby, it’s inevitable that sleep will be fragmented for some time during those first few months. But how long will it take for a baby to drop night feeds and start sleeping through the night?
Actually, nobody sleeps through the night. We all wake up briefly in between sleep cycles. Adults can link sleep cycles easily, whereas a lot of babies need help getting back to sleep. For most babies, the quickest way to get back to sleep is a quick feed. Here’s the good news, there are a few things you can do to encourage your baby to drop night feeds.
What is “sleeping through the night”?
When I refer to ‘sleeping through the night’ I’m talking about a healthy baby that’s gaining weight and sleeping the necessary 11-12 hours without needing a feed. That doesn’t mean that you won’t hear baby babbling, briefly crying out, or moving around because all wake up a bit in between sleep cycles. The magic is when a baby can get themselves back into a sleep cycle without needing help from a caregiver.
How do you know if baby is ready to drop night feeds?
There are a few things you can take note of. Is baby 15 pounds or more? Have they doubled their birth weight? Are they 6 months old or older? Although some babies will drop night feeds much earlier on their own. Talk with your pediatrician about dropping feeds before you move forward.
Often, a baby isn’t waking from hunger, but because they simply need the feed to help them get back to sleep. Is your baby waking from hunger?
Other signs it might be time to drop the night feed
A night waking that consistently occurs in addition to the night feed. This waking is typically longer than 10-20 minutes.
A night waking that consistently occurs at a time when baby was not having a night feed.
A decrease in daytime appetite and a decrease in the amount of breastmilk or formula baby is consuming.
You have been seeing one or more of the above behaviors for more than 2 weeks.
Healthy sleep habits when baby still needs a night feed
If a baby learns to fall asleep without relying on something external like a feed, pacifier or being rocked, then they will start to link sleep cycles on their own and fully wake up when they need a feed. This results in a heck of a lot fewer night wakings. Yes, you can sleep train and keep night feeds.
Follow these two tips to encourage dropping night feeds.
Pause when baby wakes. Wait 5-10 minutes before offering the feed to make sure baby has the opportunity to go back to sleep. This also allows baby to be fully awake before the feed.
Turn on a bit of light and make sure baby is fully awake before the feed, during the feed, and when baby is placed back into the crib.
When should you NOT drop the night feed?
If baby is sick
If baby is in the midst of a growth spurt
If you are not ready to be consistent and see it through
How do you drop the night feed?
Once you’ve discussed dropping the night feed with your pediatrician, it’s time to come up with a plan and most importantly, be consistent and patient.
Pick a start date. Remember, if baby doesn’t take a great feed during the bedtime routine, that’s totally normal as it’s often pretty close to the feed after the last nap and it’s more of a top-up.
Is your partner around to help? If baby is breastfed, having the other parent go in during the night for check-ins for nights 1-3 can be helpful.
When baby wakes at night, set a 10-minute timer before going in for a check in. This allows baby the opportunity to fall back to sleep.
If after 10-15 minutes your baby is still crying, then go in and offer some comfort. Offer your voice for about 1 minute, shushing and humming work well, not so much talking. Then offer your voice and touch for about 1 minute, firm pressure on baby’s tummy or chest works well as well as a little gentle jiggling. Pick up for 1-2 minutes as a last resort. Repeat until baby falls asleep.
Be consistent, respond to every night waking the same way.
Don’t feed him after 6 am and then lay him right back down to sleep.
Don’t start his day until 6 am at the earliest. 6 am is the earliest a baby’s day should begin. If he wakes a 5 am (which is very common at the beginning of making these changes) treat it like you would any other night waking. Once it is at least 6 am, then turn on the lights and make a big deal about it being morning and start your day. Try to wait at least 10 minutes before the first-morning feeding.
Feed in a brightly lit room, not baby’s room or your room.
This will take a few nights for a baby to adjust to. For some babies, I have seen this take a few weeks before nighttime sleep is consistent. Some babies need a top-up bottle feed in the bedtime routine. This bottle should be 2-6 oz and be given before you read stories.
Stay committed to this to help your baby sleep more consistently at night.
There are so many health benefits of good nighttime sleep for babies and kids . Once your little one is sleeping through the night you will both be feeling well-rested and full of energy. And, you get some “Me Time” in the evenings after you put baby to bed since you won’t be so exhausted from multiple night wakings.