But Feeding Your Baby To Sleep Is Biologically Normal

​A mom recently came to me after 14 months of doing all the things: nursing, rocking, bouncing—sometimes for over an hour—just to get her baby to sleep.

She was exhausted. Her baby was waking multiple times a night, and the only way to get him back down was to repeat the entire routine again and again. But more than anything, she was afraid.

Afraid that if she tried to make a change—if she dared to set a boundary around sleep—she would somehow damage her child.

Because everywhere she turned, she kept hearing the same thing:

“It’s biologically normal for babies to eat to sleep.”

“Just wait—they’ll grow out of it.”

“If you sleep train, you’re harming your child.”

She didn’t want to harm her baby. She just wanted to sleep. She wanted to feel like herself again. She wanted to know that it was okay to want that.

And maybe you do too.

Let’s talk about what’s actually “normal”… and what’s sustainable.

​Feeding to sleep is often described as “biologically normal”—especially in the early months. Babies are born with a strong suck-to-soothe reflex. Falling asleep while nursing or bottle-feeding feels cozy and safe. It’s common. It’s instinctive. And if it works for your family, there’s no problem.
That said, I’m always a little cautious with the word “normal.” Because too often, it gets used in ways that make tired parents feel ashamed for wanting things to be different. Just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s the only way—or that it’s working for you.
You’re not doing anything wrong if your baby feeds to sleep.
And you’re not doing anything wrong if you’re ready for something more sustainable.
What becomes problematic is when feeding to sleep is the only way your child knows how to fall asleep—at bedtime, and again between every sleep cycle all night long.
The result? A baby who wakes every 1–2 hours crying for help… and a parent who’s running on empty.
Yes, night waking is biologically normal. But so is learning to fall asleep independently. Sleep is a skill. And if a child has never had the chance to practice falling asleep without help, it makes perfect sense that they don’t know how to do it when they wake in the night.
It’s not about eliminating comfort. It’s about building your child’s capacity.
So if you're stuck in a cycle of rocking, bouncing, or nursing back to sleep for every wake-up—and it’s not working anymore—you don’t have to wait for your child to “grow out of it.”
You can make a change with kindness. You can support your child’s sleep without sacrificing your own.
And no, you are not harming your child by doing so. Quite the opposite. When sleep improves, everything else tends to feel easier—connection, play, feeding, regulation. That’s true for parents and kids alike.
If you’re feeling stuck, but scared to take the leap, I’d love to talk it through with you. I offer a free, no-pressure discovery call where we can explore what’s going on in your home, what kind of support feels right, and whether we’d be a good fit.
You can book a time here: [Insert your scheduling link]
You are not alone. And you’re not doing anything wrong.