Sleep Problems and Your Baby's Nighttime Feedings: Care Instructions

Overview

If your baby is more than 4 months old and is waking to feed more than twice a night, it may be time for a change. You can help your baby—and yourself—sleep better and longer. The goal is to help your baby learn self-comfort so that you're not your baby's only source of comfort at night.

During the newborn phase, your baby needs to eat every 1 to 3 hours. Feeding your baby on demand leaves you little time to sleep between nighttime feedings, but it only lasts a few weeks. You can expect your baby to start feeding less often at night than during the day.

After 2 months of age, babies settle into a regular feeding schedule. A baby feeds about every 3 to 5 hours. So by 4 months, your baby may be able to go 5 or more hours at night between feedings.

Adding cereal to a bottle won't make a baby sleep through the night. Babies don't need solid foods until they are about 6 months old. Some babies may be ready for solid foods at 4 or 5 months. Ask your doctor when you can start feeding your baby solid foods.

How can you care for your child at home?

Helping your baby be a better sleeper

• Set a regular schedule of naps and bedtime. Your baby will settle into nap times at certain times of the day. Put your baby down for a nap as soon as your baby acts sleepy. Your baby may rub their eyes when sleepy. If your baby gets too tired, it may be hard for them to get to sleep. If your baby misses a nap, try to keep them awake until the next nap time.
• At night, set up a soothing routine. Give your baby a bath, sing lullabies, read a book, or tell a story. These activities can relax your baby. They also signal that it's time to sleep. Don't get your baby excited with active play right before sleep.
• Put your baby down for sleep in a quiet, darkened room. Keep the room slightly cool so your baby doesn't get overheated.
• Don't rock your baby to sleep. Your baby will learn that you are needed to help get to sleep. Instead, just rock your baby for a short time. Then lay your baby down while your baby is drowsy but still awake.
• You can try letting your baby cry for 5 minutes when you first put them to bed, and then go into the room. Pat your baby and say comforting words, but don't pick up your baby. You may want to slowly increase the time 10 to 15 minutes between visits to your baby's room until your baby falls asleep. This may help your baby learn to fall asleep without you.
• During the second half of the first year, expect that things like a growth spurt, a change in routine, or teething can change your baby's sleep pattern. To help your baby sleep as well as possible, try to follow your usual nap and bedtime routine.
• Until your baby's first birthday, remember to put your baby down to sleep on their back. This decreases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Getting your baby back to sleep

• If your baby cries at night, don't pick them up right away. Some babies cry out in their sleep and then stop without ever waking. Or your baby may wake up and go back to sleep on their own. If your baby cries for more than 1 to 2 minutes, briefly comfort your baby with soothing words and a gentle touch. Don't turn on the light or pick up your baby.
• If your baby isn't acting hungry during a nighttime feeding, settle your baby down to sleep as quickly as possible.
• If your baby doesn't settle down, check to see if your baby is hungry or needs a diaper change. Feed or change your baby quietly. Keep the light low. Don't play with or sing to your baby. Put your baby back in the crib after feeding or changing. It is okay to let your baby cry for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Try to stay calm. Young children are very sensitive to a parent's frustration and fatigue. Try to sleep when your baby does, even during the day if you can, so you will have more energy for those times when your baby is fussy at night.
• Be consistent with your baby from night to night. If you change your plan for how to handle nighttime crying, make sure that other people caring for your baby agree with the plan.