There are several questions that I am asked regularly by parents and I will answer some of these in the next few posts.
When will my baby sleep through?
I have heard of babies sleeping through at a very young age but realistically, there is an enormous range of when baby will be able to sleep for long periods overnight.
Bear in mind, some parents define overnight as 6 p.m to 6 a.m and some will say 10 p.m. onwards.
Somewhere around 4 months is not uncommon after the last feed in the later evening for a good long overnight sleep. Certainly, by 6 months of age, it is widely agreed that most babies will get adequate nutrition throughout the day so they do not require feeding overnight.
Mostly, your baby will start to shorten a particular night feed-they might feed for a shorter time or seem a bit less awake or interested in that feed. You can be pretty confident that this feed will be the first one they drop.
If your baby is a bit older and you are trying to eliminate a night feed, there are a few things that will encourage them to drop the feed: give them a cuddle and get them back to sleep without feeding; gradually decrease the feeding time or amount you are offering at that particular feed; offer water instead of breast or bottle.
Of course, baby will sleep for longer if they are full before bed time but a word of caution, don’t over do it, especially with solids or you might contribute to an upset tummy.
If you have a tip that has worked for you, I would love you to share with our mums.
Thanks,
Kathy
If you have any questions or there are any topics you would like to see in future posts please don’t hesitate to get in touch.