When newborns stop eating at night. When the baby stops eating at night: how babies are fed, the age of the baby, the rules for stopping night feeds and advice from pediatricians

Babies under 3 months old may wake up several times a night to eat, and this is considered normal. There is no definite answer to the question of when a child stops eating at night. After all, all children develop in different ways, differ in temperament and behavior. There are factors that lead to the baby waking up to eat.

When does a child stop eating at night?

It should be noted that those children who are breastfed eat at night more often than artificial ones. This is due to the fact that the mixture is more satisfying than

Many women are interested in when the baby stops waking up at night for feeding, and are waiting for this moment. After all, this will give them the opportunity to get enough sleep. However, mothers need to remember that at night they are good for lactation. But if the baby needs to eat too often, then perhaps he does not gorge himself during the day. This is especially true for children over six months. They are already actively moving, which means they spend a lot of energy. Quite often, toddlers fall asleep in the evening, not full, and then wake up to make up for the calorie deficit.

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Every newly made parents dream of the day when their baby starts to sleep peacefully, without colic, whims and, most importantly, night feedings. Even knowing how important good nutrition is for a baby, it is difficult for mothers to get up every 3, or even 1.5-2 hours after the day's bustle and constant worries to attach the baby to the breast or give a bottle with the mixture. Especially if the months go by, the child grows, and the habit of eating at night, and even more than once, remains unchanged. The question arises: up to what age are additional snacks considered the norm, and how do you know when it's time to stop your baby from waking up his parents in the middle of the night?

Up to what age does a child eat at night

This is one of the main issues of concern to young mothers who know firsthand what chronic lack of sleep and constant fatigue are. In the daytime, a good appetite of a toddler, which grows by leaps and bounds, is a matter of pride and affection for any parents. But with the coming of night, things don't look so rosy. Newborn babies often require attention for days on end, kissing their breasts every hour or two. But this does not mean that something is wrong with them. In the first months of life, due to the immaturity of the digestive system, it is difficult to properly organize the baby's nutrition, hence the need for frequent nighttime snacks, which can persist for quite a long time.

Each child has its own individual maturation schedule, so there is no definite answer to the question of when it is time to stop feeding at night.

In the first 3 months of life at night, the mother applies the baby to the baby to the breast 3-4 times on average. Closer to 4-5 months, the number of additional snacks is reduced to 2-3. Starting from 6 months of age, most babies wake up even less often at night - no more than 1-2 times. This is primarily due to the introduction of complementary foods and the increase in portions during the day. From morning to evening, the baby receives such an amount of nutrients that he can sleep for 6-7 hours at night. Babies who are still breastfed at 9-12 months can also sometimes wake up to feel the presence of their mother and have a little snack, but not more than once a night.

And what time do bottle-fed babies stop eating at night? Milk formulas are more nutritious than mother's milk, so the need for additional snacks in such babies arises less often. Even crumbs under 3 months old can wake up no more than 2 times per night, and by six months, as a rule, they wake up their parents no more than 1 time. Starting at 9 months of age, pediatricians recommend gradually reducing the number of night feedings for artificial babies, replacing the mixture first with water and then with a dummy.

The approximate number of night feedings of children under one year old on breast and bottle feeding

How to tell if your child is ready to stop snacking at night

It is necessary to wean the baby from the habit of eating at night gradually. It is impossible to decide once that the child is already 6 months old, which means that he should sleep peacefully until the morning and not disturb his parents. But even with a sparing approach, you can proceed to active actions only after making sure that the child is ready for this, and the absence of snacks in the dark will not harm him. There is no more acute need for night feedings if:

the child is healthy, active and develops in accordance with age;
the baby is gaining weight;
the child began to kiss less often or ask for a bottle during the day;
complete and varied complementary foods were introduced;
every night the child wakes up the parents at about the same time;
the baby does not finish eating milk or night snack formula.

As a rule, parents notice these signs in children from 6-7 to 12 months. Therefore, when the child is one year old, and he still continues to demand food several times a night, most likely he is not hungry, but is used to doing so. In addition, parents themselves often contribute to the formation of such a habit. During the natural change in the phases of sleep, the baby may wake up for a short time, move or even cry, and the mother, instead of letting him calm down without assistance, immediately offers a breast or a bottle with the mixture. Therefore, before feeding a child over six months at night, it is worth waiting a couple of minutes - it is possible that he will fall asleep again, without snacking and motion sickness.

Do I need to wake him up for this?

If the baby sleeps all night, do the parents need to wake him up specifically to feed him? It is believed that a newborn should, on average, eat 2-3 times a night, and only when the baby is 3 months old should the number of night feedings be gradually reduced. But in practice, this rule does not always work. Not all children need snacks at night. Breastfed babies, eating with appetite during the day, often rest for 5-6 hours without waking up at night, and at the same time gain weight and actively develop.

For artificial people, the intervals between feedings can be even longer because formula is more nutritious than breast milk and takes longer to be absorbed. So, waking up a sweetly sleeping baby in the middle of the night and trying to force feed him is not a good idea. This confuses the baby's biorhythms, creating conditions for sleep disturbances in the future, interferes with the digestive system and forms the habit of waking parents up in the middle of the night to “communicate”.

For the normal development of the baby, a full night's rest is no less important than regular nutrition, so you should not satisfy one need to the detriment of another

The only exceptions are premature and low birth weight newborns, for whom complementary feedings are vital. In the first months, until their weight and height return to normal, pediatricians recommend giving them breast milk or formula every 3 hours, both during the day and at night. One more point related to snacks during sleep deserves attention. Some mothers, in order to give themselves the opportunity to rest at night and not suffer from constant lack of sleep, leave a bottle of formula or expressed milk in the crib next to their baby. If the baby is already showing independence and during feeding keeps her unaided, such a way out of the situation may seem ideal: he will wake up, have a snack half asleep and continue sleeping without disturbing anyone. But this is a misconception. Leaving a baby unattended while feeding is dangerous at any age if he is strong enough to remove the nipple from the bottle, putting himself at risk of choking. Well, if the parents believe that he wakes up at night not from hunger at all, but to satisfy the sucking reflex, you can leave a pacifier next to him. This is safer and will help to quickly relieve the baby of the bad habit of eating in the crib.

Not all kids really need a snack at night.

When you shouldn't stop feeding at night

Even if the baby is old enough to sleep peacefully all night, you need to choose the right time to refuse additional feedings.

It is important to pay attention to the child's well-being and behavior during the day: if he is sluggish and capricious, it is better to postpone serious changes in the established lifestyle for later

the baby is slowly developing and gaining weight;
have health problems (digestive upset or teething);
the situation in the family is unfavorable (quarrels between parents, living conditions);
the child does not have enough attention from the mother, for example, if she had to leave the maternity leave ahead of time, etc.

There is another reason why it is not always worth rushing to completely abandon additional snacks. If the mother intends to continue breastfeeding for as long as possible, or she has too little milk, you need to pay attention to the amount of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for lactation in the female body. The peak of its production falls on the period from 3 am to 7 am, and it can be stimulated just by regularly applying the little one to the chest. Accordingly, if you constantly skip feeding at this time, milk will become much less.

In the first 3 months of life at night, a newborn baby is applied to the baby's chest by an average of 3-4 times

The main thing to remember is that babies grow much faster than it seems at first glance. Therefore, you should not rush too much and categorically deny the opportunity to refresh yourself at night and touch your mother once again - it is possible that in a couple of years she will regret that this time has passed.

Nutritional needs are a newborn's top priority. Both breastfed babies and babies receiving formula milk may require food every 3-4, or even 1.5-2 hours, which is, in general, natural. A tiny but rapidly growing organism needs a lot of energy. However, if during the day the baby's wonderful appetite causes pride and tenderness in the mother, then night feedings for her are far from always colored in rainbow tones.

Daytime chores already take a lot of energy, and if, in addition, you need to get up and give the baby a breast, or even more, prepare a mixture for him, and this is repeated more than once or twice during the night, there is no question of good rest. And a mother tired of such a busy schedule can often feel overwork, despair and even irritation.

First of all, you need to calm down: everything is not so scary, and night food for a baby is a normal and even mandatory phenomenon. Children who receive breast milk at night ensure the development of stable lactation in the mother, but for bottle-fed babies, nutrition at night is no less important: for a sound and restful sleep that ensures the health of the nervous system, the baby needs to be properly satiated.

In addition, a night meal is not only a satisfying hunger: for a newborn child, who is just getting to know the vast world, it is important to feel the closeness and warmth of parents and the usual mother's heartbeat, which allows you to feel confident and safe. Children grow up, and sooner or later, absolutely everyone stops eating at night. Therefore, it is undesirable to wean the baby from night feedings ahead of time.

Until what age should a baby eat at night and should he be woken up for this?

Particularly strict pediatricians believe that for a baby up to three months old, 2-3 feedings per night are optimal, up to six months, one is enough, and from 6 months no night feedings are required. However, few babies fit into such a rigid framework: breastfed babies can demand milk every hour and even fall asleep at the breast, continuing to feed all night. For artificial people, the intervals between feedings, as a rule, are longer: the milk mixture is digested more slowly, and the baby feels full for longer. However, if a bottle fed baby wakes up more than three times a night, it makes sense to check what is causing him to sleep.

There is another extreme: a mother, disturbed by the baby's long night's sleep, wakes him up herself to feed him. In no case should this be done: the child's need for sleep is no less important, and if he does not wake up, then he is not hungry yet. A violent awakening brings confusion to the baby's biorhythms, because of which he can be capricious and sleep poorly in the future. If the baby is fast asleep, it is better to give him the opportunity to wake up on his own for feeding, and while he has not done this - to rest on his own.

There is no exact indication of up to what age night feeds are allowed. All children are different, and each has its own appetite, character and daily biorhythms. If the mother is not tired of feeding at night, it can last up to 3-4 years - there are many such cases. But most often, parents get tired of lack of sleep by the age of one year, and they are faced with the question of weaning the child from food at night.

How do you know if your child is ready to stop snacking at night?

Before you think about how to wean your baby from night feeds, you need to determine how much he is ready to give up a breast or a bottle. Often after 6 months, especially after the introduction of complementary foods and the development of an individual daily regimen, babies stop waking up at night, providing sound and healthy sleep for both themselves and their parents, and before this age it is not worth taking measures to wean. But closer to the year, the following signs of a child's readiness to stop night feeds can be determined:

He receives complete and varied complementary foods.
The number of breastfeeding or bottle requests during the day has decreased.
The child is gaining weight well.
He has no health problems.
At night, the baby wakes up at exactly the same time.
The child does not eat the nightly portion to the end, is constantly distracted.

If there are such signs in the baby's behavior, it means that eating in the dark has turned from a need into a habit, and, most likely, weaning from night feedings will be painless.

How to wean?

Stopping feedings at night involves working in two directions: managing sleep and daytime meals.

During the day, you need to feed your baby at regular intervals with slightly larger portions than usual. Pediatricians advise to make the penultimate meal easier, and before bedtime - to feed more densely. It is possible that a satiated child will sleep for a long time.

Another answer to the question of how to wean a child from night feedings is create a comfortable microclimate for sleeping... Among the causes of sleep disorders, pediatricians call warm and dry air. Establishing a suitable temperature regime in the room (18–20 degrees), maintaining optimal humidity (for this it is recommended to install an ionizer-humidifier) and a comfortable bed will help make the child's sleep sound and long.

Often, babies cannot fall asleep, because the energy accumulated during the day requires release, and, not knowing how to use it, they reach for the breast or bottle. Active games, long walks in the fresh air and an evening swim in cool water will tire your baby and make him sleep all night to gain strength.

If the child still woke up at night, do not feed him right away. Brief quiet games, hand-rocking, or a soft lullaby - there are many ways to distract your toddler from eating. You can also try giving the baby water (not juice!): He may wake up from thirst.

In the case when nighttime awakenings are caused by habit, and not by real hunger, the baby will quickly get tired and fall asleep. Little by little, the craving for night food will begin to fade away, and, perhaps, in a few days, the child will please the parents with a sweet dream that lasts all night. But if the baby stubbornly continues to wake up, cry and demand a bottle or breast, it is better to give in - obviously, the baby is still in dire need of night feeding. After a couple of weeks, you can try again.

Eating in the crib

Mothers, tired of getting up at night, prefer to solve the problem easier: when the child can already drink from the bottle on their own, they simply leave it in the crib so that the baby, upon waking up, can eat without the participation of the parents. However, firstly, this is a rather risky way: the baby can accidentally remove the nipple, roll over into an unfortunate position and drown. And secondly, the parents who decide to trick will have to wean the child from the bottle in bed, and this process takes much longer. Between night feedings and this way of feeding, the first, perhaps the lesser of the evils.

For some unknown reason, all young mothers are wondering when a child stops eating at night?

The state of chronic fatigue may be to blame.

It's clear, because after the baby was born, perhaps, there was not a single full night. However, nighttime meals are the norm for children. To be honest, adults also sometimes get up at night to refresh themselves.

When does a baby stop eating at night while breastfeeding?

As a rule, before reaching three months of age, children wake up at night to eat several times. This is considered the norm. Breastfed babies are more susceptible to night feeding. The reason that artificial people wake up less often is the fact that dairy dares are more satisfying than.

For example, breastfed babies may be asked to eat every three hours, while formula-fed babies may be hungry five hours after feeding.

So, we found out that artificial people wake up less often, but this does not mean at all that it is worth limiting.

Benefits of night feeds

Usually after three months, babies can withstand about six hours between feedings. However, children may continue to wake up at night just out of habit, and not because of an urgent need for a snack. Do not worry about this, especially since frequent feedings contribute to milk production, which means that you can delight your baby much longer with all the beneficial substances that are present only in breast milk.

If a child wakes up at night and asks to eat at intervals of an hour and a half, there is reason to worry. Maybe the baby is just not eating enough? Gradually minimize night feeds.

Night feedings after six months.

The baby is already six months old, he is already sitting confidently, is more and more interested in the world around him, knows the taste of some products, except for milk and milk formula. What if, even at this age, the child continues to eat at night? Try increasing the volume of your dinner first. Often, children fall asleep without full, this becomes the reason for nighttime awakenings for a snack.

Many mothers continue to do household chores after their child falls asleep. Therefore, before falling asleep, offer the baby a breast, do not wake the baby up. If he is hungry, the offer will be accepted, if not - feel free to go to bed.

The baby's body requires more and more calories - this is understandable, because the child already performs a lot of movements, which requires a large number of calories. If for the whole day the baby does not receive the necessary amount of energy from food, night is the ideal time to replenish the calorie deficit. Therefore, make sure your child is full of food during the day.

Another reason a baby asks to eat at night is the smell of breast milk. Moreover, if the baby sleeps with you. Frequent night feeds are not beneficial if the baby is not hungry. Therefore, connect dad - he does not smell of milk, and, most likely, dad will be better and faster at putting the child to bed without food.

It is impossible to give an exact answer to the question when a child stops eating at night, since all children develop and grow in different ways. You must admit that even our adults have different eating patterns, food volumes, and the nature of food, so why should there be norms for children?

The absorption of breast milk is one of the main "tasks" of the newborn. Until about six months of age, a child needs a constant intake of food, since his body requires a huge amount of energy.

But if the "daytime" appetite of a baby to a nursing woman brings only joy, then night feedings are not always associated with something pleasant. A mother who managed to take care of a baby in a day, to do household chores, often feels annoyed and annoyed when she hears a hungry cry at night.

Expert advice will help you know how and when to stop feeding your baby at night.

Feeding at night is becoming a big problem for some young mums. For the sake of sound sleep, women even switch to a convenient feeding schedule for themselves, but such a step does not delight babies. So should you stop eating at night?

For a naturalist, nocturnal feeding is a necessary element of normal growth. It is extremely important for a child under one year old (and especially a newborn) to have constant contact with the mother, both day and night.

Babies under 6 months of age cannot tolerate long pauses between feedings. Waking up and crying at night in order to eat is not a whim, but a natural need for young children.

In addition, feeding at night is important for both the baby and the new parent. The hormone prolactin, which regulates the secretion of milk secretion, is produced precisely in the early morning hours. If the baby does not eat at night, the amount of breast milk will soon decrease.

Breastfeeding experts warn that stopping nighttime snacks too early will disrupt optimal milk secretion, leaving the baby on starvation rations and switching to formula, and the mother may expect breast problems.

An infant whose diet is dominated by formula milk is most often fed on an hourly basis. It's a little easier for mums to set at least an approximate meal time. However, up to 6 months, artificial people must eat at night, as do babies who are breastfeeding.

Some parents, especially experienced ones, can easily tolerate feeding their newborn at night. Others try to stop nighttime snacks as soon as possible for various reasons. It is the latter who are actively interested in at what age it is better to wean a child from feeding in the dark.

There is still no consensus among HB experts, pediatricians, psychologists and lactating women on this issue.

If a breastfeeding woman has a normal attitude to night feeding, this process can last up to the fourth year of life. However, usually new parents get tired of lack of sleep already in a year, so the advice of experts on hepatitis B will come in handy.

How do you know if your child is ready?

Weaning choices are best done after women have determined whether babies are ready to give up breast milk or formula. Quite often, after 6-7 months, when additional foods are introduced, the child stops waking up at night, allowing the mother to get enough sleep.

The main symptoms of a baby's readiness to give up nighttime snacks appear at about 11 months or a year and look like this:

babies receive the most varied feeding;
the number of breastfeeding or formula preparation during the day is significantly reduced;
babies have a good weight gain;
the child is absolutely healthy;
at night, children get up at a certain time;
the child cannot be forced to eat the entire last portion, he can often be distracted.

In the presence of such symptoms, it can be assumed that the night meal for the child is not a vital need, but a formed habit. In this case, it will most likely be possible to wean the baby without any problems.

Slowly or instantly?

Canceling snacks at night can be gradual or instantaneous. Each of these methods has positive and negative characteristics. This is why a woman who is breastfeeding or using formula should make her own decisions about the preferred technique.

The essence of the technique is that breastfeeding at night is stopped gradually due to denser meals in the daytime. For example, before bedtime, the baby is additionally fed with porridge or vegetable puree so that he does not wake up in the middle of the night.

Simultaneously with the introduction of more complementary foods, the total volume of breastfeeding should be reduced. In this case, the woman will have a decrease in the amount of milk secretion.

The main advantage of this method is that the babies fall asleep well-fed and satisfied, and the mother will not need it, which reduces the likelihood of nipple cracks and lactostasis.

This technique also has disadvantages:

When Mom starts to cancel nighttime snacks, GW experts recommend that she show her love to her child in every possible way - by fondling, talking and kissing. Such attention in infancy is vital!

This method is usually used when weaning a child up to one year old, but it is also useful for older babies. From 6-7 months, babies can already receive complementary foods. Even this “gentle” method is not suitable for children under six months old.

2. Instant way

This technique is permissible if the newly-made parent needs to wean the child as soon as possible. Of course, the reasons should be weighty, for example, chronic lack of sleep, going to work or forced separation from a baby.

The main advantage of this method is that the woman saves the time that it would take to gradually cancel night feedings. The disadvantage is very significant - such a sharp rejection of milk and formula can cause stress in a baby of an early age.

Of course, situations are different, but most HV experts do not advise weaning babies under one year old instantly. A child at 2 months, and at 11 months, and even a year reacts extremely painfully to the deprivation of his mother's breast.

When asked at what age it is worth weaning a baby from night feeding, a popular pediatrician answers - after 6 months. Komarovsky assures newly-made mothers that a child of the seventh month of life no longer needs to eat at night.

Nocturnal breastfeeding of a child over this age is a common habit formed due to the indulgence of the mother. Baby tears at night are not necessarily caused by hunger. If, for each squeak, you feed a baby toddler, his digestion may be disturbed.

Your pediatrician advises you to follow these guidelines to help you finish your nightly meals.

Do not give your baby too much food in the penultimate meal. But before falling asleep, the baby needs to be fed pretty so that he does not wake up from hunger.
When breastfeeding (and when using the formula), late bathing has a positive effect on fast and sound sleep. Any additional treatments (bathing or massage) should be done prior to feeding to keep the baby hungry.
At an early age, the microclimate in the room is especially important. Cool and humid air (up to 20 ° C) promotes sound sleep. It is better to put on warm pajamas on the child than to lay him in a stuffy room.
You can try, if not remove, then shorten the daytime sleep. Children of the third month of life sleep about 16-20 hours a day. After the sixth month, sleep duration drops to 14.5 hours. A child spends an hour less in a crib a year. A woman can try to wean the baby from sleeping too much during the day.
It is extremely important to establish a regimen practically from the first month. If the newly-made parent follows the daily routine, then the child at 11 months, a year, and at preschool age will firmly understand when to eat and when not.

The well-known pediatrician is sure that if these rules are observed, the child will eat only during the day as early as a year, and at night it is sweet and sound to doze, not forcing the mother to wake up and apply it to the breast.

The older generation of the family, who raised seven babies, claims that in the absence of any problems, night feedings should be saved. The child will decide at what age to refuse such snacks.

If babies do not stop demanding breast milk or a mixture after a year, a nursing mother can use the following recommendations.

With excessively bright tantrums, a decrease in weight gain, it is better to adjust the refusal technique. You can also wean off nighttime snacks in a more gentle way.

What shouldn't be done?

It is very difficult to stop doing something, especially for a young child. When do parents fail to wean their babies from nighttime snacks? If the mother does not take into account the main mistakes that are possible in the process of refusing to feed at night.

Also, there is no need to deceive the child, explaining the change in the habit by the fact that the mother has "overactive milk" or "chest pains". Why lie to a crumb, even on such trifles?

Many new parents have doubts about the age at which to stop feeding their baby at night. Maybe six months? Or is it better at 11 months? Experts recommend focusing on the well-being of the baby and your own intuition.

If you are sure that the baby is ready for a change in eating habit, proceed with the refusal. If you have any doubts, continue to feed the baby at night, not forgetting that the benefits of milk for the baby compensate for all the mother's inconveniences and fatigue.

Hello, I am Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully completed her studies at SUSU as a special psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and consulting parents on raising babies. I use the experience gained, including in the creation of articles of a psychological orientation. Of course, in no way do I pretend to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers to deal with any difficulties.