Hunger or Habit?

Does your baby wake up in the middle of the night for feeds? Were they once sleeping longer stretches and now they are back to waking for a feed every few hours?

I know how frustrating and confusing it can feel not knowing if your baby needs a feed or is waking up for comfort. In this blog post I will help you determine whether your baby is waking out of hunger or habit and what you can do about it.

Waking up at night for feeds is common and natural for babies, especially in the first 6 months. Most newborns are going to wake up every few hours for a feed. As your baby gets older, they will have the ability to sleep longer stretches at night without milk. But how do you know when your baby is ready for that and why they are waking?

First, let’s chat about hunger.

Hunger

In the newborn months, you can expect your baby to wake out of hunger every few hours at night. If your baby is older than 4 months, they may also be waking out of hunger. Some babies hang on to a night feed until between 6-9 months old. Below are the average number of night feeds for each age:

0-3 months: 2-3 feeds per night

4-5 months: 1-2 feeds per night

6-8 months: 0-1 feed per night

9+ months: 0 feeds per night

Even if you sleep trained at 4 months, your baby may still need night feeds. Most babies who can fall asleep independently naturally reduce their night feeds as they grow. If your baby is able to fall asleep and sleep cycle transition independently and they are still waking for a feed, they are most likely hungry.

Now, let’s talk habit.

Habit

If your baby continues to wake up every few hours at night for a feed well past the newborn months, they are most likely waking out of habit, not hunger. If your baby is older than 4 months and does not know how to fall asleep without being rocked, fed, or snuggled they are likely to wake at night in between sleep cycles needing that same comfort to get back to sleep.

I know, I know. Feeding and rocking your baby back to sleep all night long may feel like the easiest and quickest way at the moment to get back to bed as soon as possible. But if your baby doesn’t know how to transition sleep cycles independently, they will rely on you to do this multiple times throughout the night.

Another way you can determine if your baby is waking out of habit is to take a look at how they have previously slept. For example, if your 6-month-old was once only waking for one feed at night, and now they are awake every few hours, it is more likely they are experiencing a sleep regression rather than waking out of hunger.

How can I reduce night feeds?

Have you determined that your baby is probably waking up out of habit? Are you ready to reduce your baby’s night feeds? Here are some things to focus on:

1. Optimize their daytime sleep. If your baby is overtired or undertired, it is going to be tricky to cut down on night wake-ups. Good daytime sleep leads to better nighttime sleep. Before attempting to drop night feeds, make sure your baby is on an appropriate nap schedule for their age and body. Wondering how to do this? Check out my free nap schedule guide here.

2. Make sure your baby is getting enough to eat during the day. Offer your baby a feed every 2-3 hours during the day. This can help ensure they are getting most of the calories they need before going to bed. You may want to try adding in an extra daytime feed if you can.

3. Eliminate one feed at a time. The early morning feed (4-5 am) is typically the last feed to drop, so start by eliminating one earlier in the night.

4. Try slowly reducing the amount you are giving your baby at their night feed. Reduce the ounces in their bottle or the minutes they are nursing each night. This may look like offering 4 ounces on night one, 3 ounces on night two, 2 ounces on night three, and 1 ounce on night four. For nursing babies, it may look like 10 minutes on night one, 7 minutes on night two, 4 minutes on night three, and 2 minutes on night four. Eventually, your baby’s body should get used to no longer waking for that feed.

5. Teach independent sleep skills. Cutting down on night feeds will feel nearly impossible if your baby does not know how to fall asleep independently. When your baby can fall asleep on their own, they can learn to fall back asleep in between sleep cycles in the middle of the night. Wondering the best way to do this? Check out my services here or grab your spot in my next group sleep coaching session.

Looking for more? Follow @sleepbyalex on instagram for daily baby and toddler sleep tips.