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When to Night Wean Your Baby


As your baby grows, so does their little tummy.  Some infants eat enough during the daytime that they sleep through the night.  Fewer nighttime feedings mean that you are not woken by your baby as much, so you can get a little more sleep.

By age 4-6 months, your baby might even be ready to sleep through the night.

Below, you’ll discover everything you should know about the weaning process when you and your baby are ready to take that step. 

Factors Affecting Nighttime Weaning

While your baby might be ready at 4-6 months, there are several conditions that must be in place beforehand. Here are some things you’ll want to consider. 

Your Child’s Age

In most cases, the earliest your baby will be able to night wean is four months.  It is more likely, however, that nighttime waking will become less frequent around six months old, especially if solid foods have been introduced (source).

Before that, some babies are able to sleep for 6-8 hours without waking.  However, there is usually a period between 3.5 to four months old where your baby has a growth spurt.  During this time, babies wake more frequently because they need to feed more for growth.

Additionally, younger babies have small stomachs, and aren’t able to take enough breastmilk or formula during feedings in order to sleep for longer periods at night.

Trying to night wean too soon might make it harder for your baby to get enough nutrition, especially if they aren’t feeding well  during the day. 

Your Child’s Food Intake

Nighttime weaning is only a good idea if your baby is eating enough during the day to meet their nutritional needs.

In order sleep longer at night, your baby may need to feed more frequently during the day.  Prior to introducing solid foods, you should expect your baby to breast or bottle feed every 2.5-3 hours (source).  Once your baby is eating solids, he or she will take less formula or breastmilk.  Up to three meals per day is appropriate by the time an infant is six to eight months old.  The meal portions don’t have to be large;  keep in mind that your baby’s stomach is as small as a fist. 

If you choose to start to night weaning around 4-6 months, it’s also important that your baby is showing consistent gains in weight and length at well care doctor visits.  Reducing needed nighttime calories can impair growth (source).

Your Child’s Nighttime Routine

Having a nighttime routine is incredibly beneficial when you are trying to night wean your baby.

Doing the same steps before bed each night helps your baby’s brain to form a connection between that set of activities and going to sleep (source).  It doesn’t have to be an especially long routine, just something that you repeat every night to prepare for bed.

Not only is a routine helpful for weaning, but it also makes transitions easier if you ever need to adjust your baby’s sleep schedule. 

Once the bedtime routine has been done,  it is also important that you allow your infant fall asleep on their own.  You can tuck them in, or wait until they are almost asleep to lie them down, but they should be at least a little awake (source). This teaches babies how to self-soothe.

As your baby goes through their natural sleep/wake pattern, there will be periods of light sleep, causing them to wake up. Once your baby knows how to self-soothe, it will most often be easy for them to fall back to sleep if they wake at night.

Your Child’s Sleep Pattern

There are several things that affect your baby’s ability to sleep through the night.

Some babies sleep six to eight hours, then wake up on their own during the early hours of the morning.  Other infants struggle to sleep more than a few hours at a time.  Ideally, babies who wake at night should soothe themselves back to sleep without waking you.

If your baby is having trouble sleeping through the night, you can find a few strategies for getting your baby to sleep until 7 a.m. here. This article can also help you to pinpoint the problem if your baby struggles with falling asleep at night. 

Your Child’s Readiness (and Yours!)

It’s also important to consider whether or not you and your baby are ready to start nighttime weaning.  There is no set rule which says that you must start around age 4-6 months.  The “right” timing varies for every mom and infant (source).

I know personally.  I night weaned my oldest around age six months, and I didn’t fully night wean my youngest until he was almost a year old.  For my kids, the differences were because of my lifestyle change.  I was working in retail when my oldest was born, and getting up for nighttime feedings left me exhausted in the morning.  With my youngest, I was working at home.  I had a much more flexible schedule, so it didn’t bother me that he wanted to feed once or twice a night. 

Your Child’s Digestive Problems, Allergies, and Other Conditions

Babies with underlying health issues, even something as simple as teething, are more likely to wake up at night.  In these situations, unless your baby is very good at self-soothing, it’s likely that you’ll have to get up to calm them back to sleep.  This can make it significantly harder to night wean, especially if feeding time is a source of comfort (as is common for babies).

Babies with food or environmental allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), diaper rash, or eczema are also more likely to wake at night due to feeling uncomfortable.  Infants who have an untreated cow’s milk protein allergy experience nighttime stomach pain, and may have blood in their stools.  Unlike normal baby “spit ups,” infants who suffer from GERD have painful acid reflux that is worse while lying on their backs.  The intense itching of eczema is often more bothersome while an infant is trying to sleep than during awake hours (source).   The best advice in these cases is to consult with your pediatrician on how to best manage these symptoms so that your baby can sleep through the night. 

Teething babies are also likely to wake at night, and often want to feed for comfort. Check with your pediatrician for teething remedy recommendations.  A pain reliever like Infant’s Tylenol can be helpful on those nights when your baby seems to be in a lot of pain (source).  Teething pain is tends to be worse at night.  Much of the tooth movement necessary for eruption occurs while the body is still during sleep.

Your Pediatrician’s Recommendations

Finally, if your baby is around the right age and weight, and you believe they are ready to begin weaning, discuss this with your pediatrician.

Since every baby has a unique size and nutritional need, your pediatrician will be able to tell you if nighttime weaning is appropriate.  If your baby is having difficulty gaining weight, or is smaller than expected for their age, your pediatrician might tell you that it’s best to wait.  The additional nighttime feedings will give your baby the extra nutrition that he or she needs to thrive. 

a mother breastfeeding her baby at night with light on

How to Night Wean Your Baby

Once you’ve made the decision that your baby is ready to night wean, it’s best to use a gradual approach.

Some parents have had success with going “cold turkey”, however, it can be frustrating for both of you to try to force this on your baby before they are ready.

If “cold turkey” doesn’t work or you want to try a more gradual approach, here are some useful strategies.

Make Sure Your Baby is Comfortable

One of the easiest ways to night wean is to take steps to make sure your baby is comfortable at night.  A baby that is comfortable is significantly less likely to wake up at night.  Some of the things you’ll want to consider include: 

  • Room temperature
  • Teething pain
  • Discomfort from digestive problems, skin issues, or allergens
  • Reflux or illness
  • Light or other stimulation

Minimize Distractions During Feedings

Babies can become very distracted while feeding, so much so that they pull away from the breast to check out the world around them.  It can be helpful try to feed your baby in a calm area during the daytime.  Dim the lights or close the blinds.  If you have older children, give them other tasks to do while you are feeding the baby.

When undistracted, your baby is more likely to focus on feeding. This prevents the need to make up for missed daytime calories at night. 

Feed Right Before Bed

While you may want to avoid solid foods right before bedtime, you should let your baby nurse or bottle-feed before they go to sleep.

One strategy that some mothers use is feeding only from one breast for the last 1-2 hours before bedtime.  As your baby empties the milk from the breast, this last portion has a higher fat content that will keep your baby feeling full longer at night. 

Have Someone Else Tend to Your Baby at Night

Breastfeeding moms may find it difficult to soothe their baby back to sleep at night without feeding them.  Some moms try placing a pillow between their breast and the baby as a barrier while still offering comfort.  Your baby, however, may not understand that you are trying to eliminate the nighttime feedings.   It’s also natural for your baby to want to feed as a source of comfort.

It can, therefore, be very helpful if your partner or another adult tends to the baby at night.  This might include diaper changing, making sure they are comfortable, or rocking them until they are nearly asleep. 

Gradually Reduce Feedings

If you know how many feedings your baby typically has each night, you can slowly reduce the number of them (source).  For example, if your baby wakes three times each night, try to reduce the feedings to two per night.  Do this for a week, then reduce it to one feeding per night.  You may need to set an alarm to do this;  it’ll be easier to reduce the feedings when done on a set schedule. 

What to Do If Baby Doesn’t Night Wean

It’s important to remember that night weaning is something that occurs at your baby’s own pace.  Like learning to walk or talk, it’s a developmental skill that takes some babies longer to grasp than others.  If you become too frustrated with the process, or your baby isn’t following your cues, it may not be the right time.

The best thing to do if your baby resists nighttime weaning is to wait a bit longer.  Let your baby continue to feed and grow, and try again 3-4 weeks later.  If you have any concerns about their inability to night wean, talk to your pediatrician to be sure that both of you are on the right track. 

Even if your baby is not yet ready to night wean, there are strategies to help maximize sleep for the entire family.  These will help you to make the most of the hours you are able to sleep, even if your baby cannot yet sleep through the night. 

Feed Before You Go to Sleep

Even if your baby’s bedtime is a few hours before yours, you can gently wake them for a feeding right before you go to bed. Since the baby is eating later, the sleep interval before the next feeding will be longer.

Consider Room-Sharing

While most authorities do not recommend co-sleeping because it can be dangerous for your baby, room-sharing is recommended.  This means that your baby is in your room, but they sleep alone in a nearby bassinet or crib.

Not only does having your baby in your room make it easier and faster to get to them for nighttime feedings, but it also reduces the risk of SIDS.  The AAP recommends room-sharing for at least the first six months  (but, preferably one year) of their life. 

Watch for Hunger Cues

It’s important to look for signs that your baby is hungry, and not just seeking comfort at night.  If your baby is hungry or thirsty, you should feed him or her.  It can be very traumatic for a baby to not have their basic needs (like hunger) met.  Even adults need to wake up for a drink of water in the middle of the night!

FAQs About When to Night Wean

What is night weaning?

Night weaning is the process of transitioning your baby from eating on-demand at nighttime to feeding less frequently (and eventually not at all) during the night.  This typically means that an infant will sleep for six to eight hours without waking (source).  As babies’ stomachs grow, they should hold enough food so that a bedtime feeding should be sufficient.  This allows you and your baby get a better night of sleep. 

Can my baby night wean on their own? 

If you are very fortunate, you might find that your baby naturally starts sleeping through the night around 4-6 months old.  In most cases, however, your baby will need a bit of help with nighttime weaning.  By following the strategies above, the transition should go smoothly. 

Can I put cereal in my baby’s bottle so they sleep longer? 

According to the CDC website, you should never put cereal in your baby’s bottle.

In the past, mothers recommended this ‘trick’ to help babies sleep longer, with the reasoning that cereal makes your baby more full.  However, cereal-thickened formula or breastmilk is harder for infants to suck from a nipple.  This method should also be avoided prior to age four months because the immaturity of the digestive system in younger infants.

Furthermore, and most importantly, putting cereal into your baby’s bottle increases the risk of choking and possibly aspirating (breathing in) the cereal into the lungs (source). . 

Final Word

The decision to night wean could mean more rest at night for babies and parents, but only when a baby is ready.  Once your baby is eating enough during the day and sleeping longer hours at night, nighttime weaning may be possible if they are over four months of age.

Keep in mind that the best thing to do if your baby resists nighttime weaning is to wait a little longer, and try again in a few weeks.  It’s important that you wait until your baby is ready.  It’s a milestone, just like walking, and babies will do it once they are ready. 

Sources

  1. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/142/6/e20174330, pediatrics.aappublications.org
  2. Feeding Baby in the First Year, my.clevelandclinic.org
  3. Predicting growth of the healthy infant using a genome scale metabolic model, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  4. The 4 B’s of Bedtime, www.healthychildren.org
  5. Infant sleep training: rest easy?, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  6. Weaning from the breast, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. Factors influencing quality of life in children with atopic dermatitis and their caregivers: a cross-sectional study, www.nature.com
  8. Safe Sleep…, www.aap.org
  9. When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night?, www.sleepfoundation.org
  10. Feeding From a Bottle, www.cdc.gov
  11. Solid foods: How to get your baby started, www.mayoclinic.org

Medically Reviewed by

Dr. Alexander began her pediatric career at Elizabeth Pediatric Group of New Jersey in 2000, and has practiced at Pediatricare Associates of New Jersey since 2005. After graduating from Kalamazoo College and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, she completed her pediatric training at Overlook and Morristown Memorial Hospitals. She is board certified in General Pediatrics. In addition to pediatrics, Dr. Alexander pursued her interest the culinary arts with study at the French Culinary
Institute. In 2007, she opened Global Palate, LLC, catering small group events for six years. Dr. Alexander has also been a professional writer and editor since 2018, engaging in a variety of medical editing and writing projects.



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