Q: How do you know if your baby is ready to sleep through the night?
A: Did you know that most babies are ready to start sleeping through the night without needing a nighttime feed between 4 and 6 months? Assuming your baby is healthy, putting on weight and there are no other concerns, that’s when you can typically expect baby to be able to take down all the calories they need during the daytime hours that they don’t need to be eating at night anymore.
Typically, by 8 months, if not earlier, but by at least 4 months, you can usually get them down to one night feed. If that’s not happening for you, see if your baby might be experiencing what we call the reverse cycling. Also, take a look if they rely on milk or something else to fall asleep and fall back to sleep, which can absolutely be getting in the way of your little one learning how to sleep through the night.
If you find yourself up every hour at night, feeding your baby to sleep, it might be time to start weaning them off the nighttime feeds. While some sleep training might be needed after you remove nighttime feeds, you don’t need to do the whole “cry it out” method. Once those feeds are reduced, your baby’s nighttime sleep and daytime feedings will likely improve.
Q: How do you know your baby is ready to drop night feeds?
A: So, not every baby will naturally stop feeding at night. If you baby is over 4 months old, here are some signs that they might be ready to drop those nighttime feeds:
- Your baby might be snacking during the day instead of taking in full feedings.
- Your baby wakes up at the same time every night, regardless of what happens during the day, and falls back asleep quickly after starting that feed.
- Your baby doesn’t take full feedings at night
It’s important to remember that not every nighttime wake up is due to hunger. While feeding is often the quickest way to help your baby fall back to sleep, it can also interfere with the daytime appetite. Over time, this can lead to a cycle known as reverse cycling, where your baby eats less during the day and wakes up more at night to make up for those lost calories.
You should do what works best for you and your baby, however if you are aiming for those 10-12 hours of uninterrupted nighttime sleep, and you feel stuck in a pattern of frequent wakeups, we can definitely help you.
Q: Is your little one struggling with short naps?
A: Short naps are so frustrating, but if your little one is older than 6 months, they are perfectly capable of having long naps sooner than you think, and here’s what you need to do:
- Check how your baby behaves when you lay them down. If they are crying and taking 15-20 minutes or longer to fall asleep, they might not be tired enough. A very tired baby usually falls asleep quite quickly.
- Check how your baby behaves when they wake up. If your baby is happy, give them a longer wake window next time. If they wake up crying straight away and they seem very upset, they are still tired and need more sleep, so keep them in the cot to see if they can sleep on their own, or rock them back to sleep.
- Feed before nap, but not to sleep. If feedings are too close to nap time, your baby might become drowsy and have a hard time going to sleep. If your little one keeps falling asleep during the feed, move it to slightly earlier or make sure they’re wide awake - by speaking to them, tickling their toes, or stroking their faces.
- Put your baby down awake. This is the most important one. If you want your baby to have those nice, long naps during the day – they have to go down awake.
If you have done all of that, and your little one is still having short naps, contact us and we’ll be able to help. Closing Thoughts:
Better Sleep is Within Reach
We hope this Q&A session with Misha Pellova, The Gentle Sleep Nanny, has provided you with valuable insights and actionable tips to improve your little one's sleep routine. Whether you're working toward getting your baby to sleep through the night, reducing night feeds, or extending those daytime naps, remember that you don't have to go through this journey alone.
Misha’s gentle, supportive approach to sleep teaching is designed to meet you and your baby where you are, offering guidance that respects your family's unique needs. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to Misha for a free assessment and personalized support.
Better sleep is possible, and with the right strategies in place, both you and your baby can enjoy more restful nights and happier days. Here's to sweet dreams and well-rested mornings!
