Is Your Baby Waking Up For Frequent Feedings Throughout The Night?

If your baby is waking up to eat multiple times per night after the newborn phase (3 months), she's not only waking up from hunger. She's also waking up because she's relying on feeding to fall asleep, because she's actually overtired, or very likely, a combination of the two.

After the "fourth trimester," assuming bottle feeding or a well-established breastmilk supply, a baby doesn't need to eat more than every 3-4 hours at night, and many babies are eating only once or not at all by this age. 

If you are happy to feed multiple times per night, carry on!

But if you would like to cut back, it is safe to do so. 

If your baby wakes up during the night and it has been less than 3 hours since the start of the previous feeding, simply don't offer milk. You can either soothe in some other way or you can let your baby cry it out, with or without timed checks. All are safe options. 

The first time your baby wakes up at least 3 hours since the start of the previous feeding, go in promptly and offer a feeding. If you'd like to wait longer than 3 hours, that's perfectly fine, too. Most babies at this age can easily go 4 hours at night without eating. 

After that feeding, put your baby back in his crib and then wait at least 3 hours again before feeding. Handle the crying in the same way as you did before. 

If you are a breastfeeding parent and have a partner or other support person around at night, I suggest having that person go in to do any soothing you would like the baby to receive at night wakings where you will not be offering a feeding. Your baby may be upset at first if he's accustomed to seeing you, but if you are the one to check on him and you don't offer the breast, that's probably even more upsetting for him.

Once your baby is accustomed to eating only every 3 hours or more per night, you can start gradually reducing the duration or volume of one feeding per night. Leave the other feedings alone. Only when one feeding is eliminated should you move on to reducing the next one.

In this way, you can gently and gradually reduce the number of night feedings you offer until your baby is entirely night weaned, if you like, or else is at a number of night feedings that feels manageable to you. 

Have more questions? Night weaning can feel daunting. I can help. 

​Schedule a free consultation and we can walk through the steps involved to get your family sleeping peacefully at night.