Is it OK if I dont feed my baby at night?

Many babies who are born full-term and are healthy can go through the night without a feeding by about 6 months. Susan E.C. Sorensen, a pediatrician in Reno, Nevada, explains that by the time they’re this age, most babies can sleep comfortably for at least six hours without waking up to eat.

How many hours can a baby go without eating at night?

Our resident infant sleep expert, Dr. Natalie Barnett, says yes if your baby is 4-6 months old. “Many, though not all, babies are able to make it through the night without food at 4 months. By 6 months, almost all healthy babies are physically and neurologically able to go 12 hours without food.”

Should I always feed my baby when she wakes at night?

If your baby is older than 6 months, and/or weighs more than 15 pounds, then barring any medical issues, they are absolutely capable of sleeping through the night (11-12 hours) without needing a feed. But this is only true if they are able to take in their entire caloric needs during the daytime hours.

Can a newborn go 7 hours without eating?

As newborns get older, they’ll nurse less often and have longer stretches between feedings. Newborn babies who are getting formula will likely take about 2–3 ounces every 2–4 hours. Newborns should not go more than about 4–5 hours without feeding.

What happens if you don’t breastfeed your baby?

For infants, not being breastfed is associated with an increased incidence of infectious morbidity, including otitis media, gastroenteritis, and pneumonia, as well as elevated risks of childhood obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, leukemia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Is it normal for a newborn not to feed?

All babies are different, but it’s very common for babies not to feed all that much in the first 24-48 hours, and some don’t attach at all. However, from day 2-3 days babies should become much more awake and feed in more frequent (but probably irregular) bursts at least 6 times in 24 hours.

When can I stop waking baby up to eat?

Newborns should be nursed anytime they cue hunger, but at least every 2 hours during the day and at least once during the night. Once your baby has established a good weight gain pattern (at least 4 ounces per week, for babies under 4 months), you can stop waking baby to nurse and let him set his own pattern.

How do you know if your baby is underfed?

Signs that a baby is underfed or underfeeding include:

1. He’s often cranky and seldom smiles.
2. When awake, he’s alert but not active.
3. He wants to be held constantly.
4. He demands full attention.
5. He has trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep.
6. He has four or less wet diapers (based on milk feeds alone).

How do I know if baby is waking because of hunger?

If a baby is hungry, they won’t give up easily. If you comfort and soothe your baby and they go back to sleep for a long stretch. Then they likely weren’t hungry. If baby doesn’t settle or settles for 10, 20 minutes and is up again.

Should you wake your baby up to feed?

Newborns are growing fast, which is why they seem like little eating machines. His body can’t take much of a break, and neither can you. That’s why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends waking your baby to feed if he sleeps more than four hours at a time for the first two weeks.

Will a hungry baby sleep?

As a rule of thumb, a truly hungry baby will rarely choose sleeping over eating. So, if your baby falls asleep in your arms without taking a full feeding, it’s likely he was tired — not hungry.

Is it OK to not breastfeed at all?

Do babies really feel hungry at night?

So, sometimes, a baby really does feel hungry at night, but it doesn’t mean he can’t go all night without a feeding. It simply means he needs to adjust how much he’s eating during the day.

When can a baby go all night without a feeding?

Pediatricians all seem to disagree to the answer to the question when a baby can go all night without a feeding. There is Ferber who claims babies don’t need to eat at night after 3 months old and then there is Weissbluth who says that babies need 1-2 feedings up through 9 months old.

Why do some parents not want their kids to eat enough?

These parents often are afraid that if their child does not eat enough, he will be underweight and will not develop properly. The result: Hunger avoiders usually raise kids who eat a monotonous diet of a few favorite foods, kids who snack too much and kids who use their hunger to get their parents’ attention.

Should you feed your baby on demand or schedule feedings?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents tune into those hunger cues and feed their baby on demand rather than using scheduled feedings once your baby is gaining weight well and if the breastfeeding mom has no issues with low milk supply.