Feeding Tips

Read: Is Sleep Training a Baby Bad or Dangerous? Let’s Talk Facts!

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

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Getting Babies and Toddlers to Sleep In: The Easy Way

Now, this will change as toddlers grow up, drop naps, and change eating habits. And, of course, we know babies aren’t robots who confirm to our every whim.

That said, done consistently, this will help your children sleep later and it will help them be content if they wake early. Use our daily baby logs to start this process.

Read: Tips For Swaddling Baby At Night

Feed your baby or toddler every morning at the same time

It’s that simple. Choose a reasonable time each morning and feed your baby or give your toddler breakfast at this time.

The End.

Now, you may have to gradually move breakfast back until your desired time since they are not used to this new time, but it’s worth the effort.

If your baby is screaming the house down, of course, feed baby. However I’ve found babies wake early often and are content to play or be played with.

Do this for 15 minute increments or until you’re able to move breakfast back without having a seriously fussy baby or toddler on hand.

The reason this works? Their metabolism gets used to eating at that time and, at that time, they will wake up. It’s why you get hungry at noon if that’s your lunch break.

Babies will get used to being fed at a certain time (and not earlier) and they’ll gradually adjust until they wake up close to this time.

It’s why your stomach growls for a snack when you’re used to eating crackers at 3:30 pm.

Same for adults, same for babies.

Read: Feeding Baby Until One Year of Age

If you are nursing throughout the night, time your early morning feeding accordingly

So, for babies who are still nursing at night, this can seem a bit tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. If your baby normally feeds at 5:00 am and is tempted to stay awake… wake yourself up at 4:00 and feed them.

Don’t unswaddle baby if baby hasn’t swaddle weaned yet. Simply feed in a dark place without unswaddling, then put immediately back to bed.

Follow these tips with swaddling and basic night feeding good practices and then try to wait until your desired wake time to feed them again.

This may be 6:30 am or even 7.

If they generally feed every 2 or 3 hours at night and you want them to wake around 6:30 then feed them sometime between 3:30 and 4:30, even if they don’t wake up naturally.

You wake them up, feed them, then put them immediately back to sleep. No stimulation, no talking or cooing, simply feed your baby and put him right back down to bed.

Read These While You’re At It

The Baby Sleep Myth That Backfires (And Makes Overtired Babies!)

A No-Fuss Guide To Sleep Training (With Printable!)

Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

Bedtime Battles: How To Avoid Stalling, Tantrums, & Constant Questions

If they wake early, try to delay breakfast until your desired time

With a toddler, if they wake very early do not give them breakfast yet. You can let them play quietly with books or soft toys in their bed or room and simply start having breakfast at the time you desire each morning.

With my babies, they’d often wake up a tad bit early depending on teething, the sun, and time changes.

However, unless they were going through a growth spurt and were truly starving at that early time (in which case I fed them) they were usually content to remain in the crib for a time playing, talking, or cooing.

This is a good sign!

It means with consistency they can learn to sleep later.

If your desired wake time is 7:30 a.m. and baby wakes at 7, don’t rush to feed. Let baby sing, play quietly, crawl, or start a slow morning routine. Try to hold off on feeding until 7:30.
If baby is crying from hunger, feed baby. The goal is to get to the desired wake time and gradually will work as well. Add a few more minutes each day until you get there.

Wind-down Routines Guaranteed to Help Your Baby Sleep

0-5, 13-18, 6-12

Smooth Start Morning Routines

Mornings don’t have to feel like a mad dash of lost shoes, whining, and cold coffee. Here’s a simple, no-nag plan to get kids up, ready, and out the door on time — without the rage.

Start Now

Allow play in the crib or bed until time to eat

This may seem like a stretch to you, but allowing my babies to play happily in their cribs until our normal wake time has been a lifesaver.

➡️ If you’re a tired mom, you need to grab hold of this.

Its okay for your baby to play in their crib for 20 minutes before you feed them. Our normal wake time is 7:30 am. Does this mean every child wakes at 7:30 am each day? No.

Some kids wake around 6:45 and play on their bed until I come. Sometimes they all sleep until 8:00 a.m. Regardless, unless there’s a growth spurt or we’re leaving the house early, no one eats until 7:30 a.m.

And, before you send me hate mail, they are okay with this and no one is crying. In fact, we often push breakfast back until 8:00 because everyone is milling about in their rooms or playing.

It’s all about consistency and offering breakfast at a set time each day.

Give big bedtime snacks if necessary

This is the name of the game. As soon as your baby is eating solids, be sure to give them a hearty bedtime snack before (or after) nursing at bedtime.

This will often help them sleep another hour later each morning. I did this regularly with my first three kids, but when I had my 4th I was so busy with the Bedtime Routine that the snack slipped my mind.

When he didn’t get a snack, he’d wake up as much as one hour early! So if you know your kids are waking up starved, give them a hearty and filling bedtime snack that can help carry them over later in the morning.

If you have a baby, cluster feed in the late afternoon hours then offer a dream feed before you drift off to sleep.

Read These While You’re At It

2-Year-Old Sleep Regression – Common Signs & Guaranteed Solutions

Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

Be consistent (but not legalistic)

This is pretty much applicable in all of parenting.

We want to be consistent. Communicate our values. Keep our boundaries firm so the kids feel secure. Not be willy nilly changing our minds, changing the rules, and surprising our kids with “Don’t Do That!” when yesterday we allowed it.

And yet, sometimes we have to go with the flow.

Growth spurts mean feeding when they are hungry. Time changes mean sleep disruptions. Being in survival mode means doing what it takes to survive. That is okay, that is fine. That is right. Keep consistent with your goals, but be willing to read your children and meet their needs in a flexible way.

As they say…

“Blessed are the flexible. They don’t break when bent.”

How do I train my kids to stay in their rooms until I come and get them in the mornings?

Practice, consistency, and positive reinforcement. If your children are used to coming out of their rooms early, transition them gradually. Start by extending the time they stay in their rooms by just a few minutes each day until they reach the desired wake-up time. Have some things for them to quietly read or play with until breakfast time to keep them busy. There are some clocks on the market that have red and green lights to indicate when kids can leave their rooms if they need a visual reminder.

What do I do if my child’s growth spurt is over, but they are having a hard time adjusting back to the ideal breakfast time?

Start back at the beginning by remaining consistent in breakfast times. Move breakfast back in 15 or 20 minute increments each day until you are serving breakfast at your ideal time.

Newborn Feeding Schedules – All You Need To Know!

Inside you’ll find info on a newborn feeding schedules for the breastfeeding (or formula feeding) mom and how to make it work for you.

When my first baby was born I knew I needed a good routine.

I’m a predictable person, and the fact that I had a tiny human doing all manner of things I wasn’t familiar with, made me realize a need for some order.

For me to be a calm and settled mother, I decided to breastfeed on a schedule. I’m a big believer in mothering to your strengths.

As long as the baby’s needs are being met in a nurturing and loving way, why shouldn’t a mother order her day in a way that benefits everyone?

If you prefer to go with the flow, and you find peace and relaxation that way, go for it. But even as you do so, realize this…

➡️ Some mothers don’t love routines or schedules, but babies do.

Read: Advice For New Moms Your Doctor Won’t Tell You

a newborn resting, newborn breastfeeding schedule

The research is so overwhelmingly in favor of routines for young ones, it doesn’t hurt to give it a try!

If you want to breastfeed on a schedule, don’t listen to the naysayers and loud angry voices who say it isn’t possible. It’s very possible. It’s doable. Mothers around the world do it every day.

Even life with a newborn can be calm and predictable when you breastfeed on a schedule. You can also use this daily log for babies to help you keep track of all the newborn feeding scheduled times and what’s going on.

Must Know Info

#1 – If your baby is hungry, feed him.

Scheduling isn’t really about getting your baby to follow some arbitrary time for feeding.

It’s about feeding your baby in a way they get the calorie rich hind milk at each feeding (aka. a full feed) so they naturally go longer between feeds and don’t try to snack for 5 minutes every hour.

It’s also prevents you from constantly breastfeeding a baby 24/7 who snacks for five minutes then falls asleep for 20. I call this frequent feeds all together “cluster feeding by accident.”

We can aim for a newborn feeding schedule, but this bears repeating: if baby is hungry, feed him.

When you naturally give your baby full feeds they’ll fall into a predictable routine.

However, when they are hungry, going through a growth spurt, or just generally needing to feed and they are off schedule… feed them anyway.

All 5 of my babies naturally fell into a 2.5 – 3 hour feeding schedule from birth, but on occasions when they needed more milk at various times I just fed them.

Period.

Feed the baby when she’s hungry.

Read: What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

newborn in white muslin blanket with black crosses with his mother kissing his cheek

The Biggest Thing You Should Focus On…

Full feeds.

I cannot tell you how important this is, no matter if your baby feeds at the breast or bottle. You can track baby’s feeds with this daily log, but know that the newborn feeding schedule can be flexible, but should always include full feeds.

Especially if your [thrive_2step id=’9673′]baby won’t sleep.[/thrive_2step]

Watch this video below on why full feeds matter.

A general rule of thumb, feeding for at least 20 minutes usually means baby got a full feed.

Read: What to do when your baby is feeding all day every day

#2 – Be flexible with your nursing times

I have nursed 5 babies on a flexible but consistent newborn routine and it has worked well each time.

Babies can easily adapt to a routine and follow it well, but there will be times – like when teeth are breaking through or time change or if they have some problems with reflux – where you need to be flexible.

Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

As the saying goes…

“Blessed are the flexible, for they don’t break when bent.”

If you are from a certain area or country that promotes demand feeding and strongly discourages newborn schedule feeding, do some little research on your own.

Often practitioners are concerned you’ll make the clock your master instead of simply using the clock to facilitate a nice routine.

It is not child abuse, cruelty or neglect to work towards a schedule and routine, it may be the best thing you can do for everyone, especially if you cannot cope with too much unpredictability.

Related Reads:

Examples That Work

First, you’ll want to get our newborn’s morning and evening confusion sorted out. You can do that typically in less than a week.

After you’ve done that, begin with these suggested infant feeding times.

Note: Formula fed babies can probably go longer between feeds while breastfed infants will follow the schedule below.

⭐ Sample Newborn Feeding Schedule #1

7:00 am – full feed
8:10 am – wind down routine, nap
9:30 am – full feed
10:45 am – wind down, nap
12:00 pm – full feed, “play time”
1:30 pm – wind down, down for nap
3:00 pm – full feed, “play time”, bath time, family time, etc.
4:15 pm – wind down, nap
5:30 pm – full feed, family time
7:30 pm – cluster feed, wind down, down for nap
9:30 pm to 10:30 pm – dream feed (swaddled), immediately back down to bed
Night feeds throughout the night as baby wakes up

⭐ Sample Newborn Feeding Schedule #2

4:30 am – feed baby swaddled (no lights on)
7:00 am – wake up, feed unswaddled (here’s why) in well lit area, play time
8:15 am – wind down routine, down for nap
10:00 am – full feed unswaddled
12:45 pm – wind down routine, down for nap
2:45 to 3:00 pm – full feed
4:15 pm – down for nap
5:30 pm – cluster feed
7:30 pm – cluster feed swaddled then immediately down for nap
9:30 pm to 10:00 pm – feed again swaddled, put immediately down to sleep
Feed at night as baby wakes up

#3 – Monitor supply and demand, and adjust accordingly

With all five children I’ve been able to maintain an adequate milk production until nearly their first birthday, or longer if desired.

My two sons stopped breastfeeding just shy of one year because I’d become pregnant again, and the milk had changed.

But that’s another post.

My firstborn never fed for more than ten minutes at a time (and this is a full feed) and I was still able to maintain supply feeding 2.5-3 hourly and then as she slept through the night at 4 months.

This is without any extra pumping, expressing or tricks to keep up my milk supply.

Read: How To Dress A Newborn Safely In Summer (Day & Night)

It just naturally worked.

Some mothers find their milk supply on the low side and need to more breastfeeding sessions to keep up supply.
This may mean that scheduling is difficult for you unless you pump during the day.
You’ll have to determine whether it’s more convenient for you to feed more frequently throughout the day (like with feedings clustered together), or if pumping and storing breast milk will be enough demand to keep up your supply.
You’ll want to feed at minimum 8 baby feedings within 24 hours for those early weeks. See a detailed newborn routine here, a detailed newborn feeding schedule here, and a newborn sleeping schedule here.

When you drop a feed you may need to express or pump for a while to maintain your supply.

And, when babies begin sleeping through the night, much the same.

If baby is having a growth spurt, you will find your baby feeding more frequently, and this is a good thing. It means that your supply will build up to meet their need because, again, you always feed your baby when they’re hungry.

As with demand feeding, monitoring your milk supply may help you stop any issues before they progress.

Read: How To Know If Baby Is Getting Enough Milk

#4 – Menstruation may return earlier, depending on the individual

Okay this is partially in jest, but something worth mentioning.

I followed a newborn breastfeeding schedule and my period returned anywhere from 3 months postpartum (though I kept feeding for a year minimum) to as late as 7 months postpartum.

That’s just how my body worked.

Nursing did NOT equal birth control.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I love talking about the pros and cons of having babies close together.

Perhaps the reason I was able to have babies close together while breastfeeding might be due to the fact that I feed on a schedule.

Meaning, less constant stimulation may produce less milk which can trigger menstruation. Enough milk to feed baby, yes!

Enough to stave off menstruation for a whole year? Perhaps not.

It might not be true for every mother, but it is something to consider.

It depends entirely on the woman, but in my experience, menstruation resumed long before I finished breastfeeding.

#5 – It’s not “selfish” to want predictability

People’s criticism of newborn feed scheduling often revolve around two areas.

That you’re a slave to the clock and don’t care if your baby is hungry.
That the baby’s needs aren’t being met since you are worried about a routine instead of just meeting needs as they come.

We’ve already addressed the first concern since we agree to feed the baby when they show any sign of hunger.

Now, I’d like to wager that many mothers use routine and schedules specifically to meet the baby’s needs.

If the routine doesn’t meet their needs, well, the routine gets changed.

If you are a routine oriented person and feel more confident, comfortable and calm in this setting, I recommend working towards a schedule.

Ultimately, the mother is in charge of everyone’s well-being and if she is going against her own natural rhythms there will be depression, stress, and even anger.

You must live within your own limits and boundaries.

Babies adapt well to the rhythm the mother sets, and as long as the baby is well-fed, well-rested and content, then you are on the right track.

➡️ A mother should feel free parent to her strengths so long as the baby’s needs are met in a nurturing and loving environment.

Benefits of feeding baby on a schedule

Predictability

Part of why the adjustment to parenting is so difficult is the complete life change a mother goes through.

Wonderful? Of course.

Challenging? Yes.

With a newborn on a schedule your days are still, for the most part, predictable. You know when you’ll have time to cook dinner, have visitors, or take a nap.

Some days have their challenges, but for the most part you can rest easy knowing what the day will hold.

Read: How To Run Errands With Baby And Not Regret It

Easier to manage all children’s needs

Having had no experience in this area, I honestly don’t know how mothers of multiple children who demand feed newborns get through the day.

I would probably have a nervous breakdown on day 8. If you aren’t a go with the flow type of mother, you likely couldn’t handle it either.

When you have a schedule and routine you’re able to determine how you can meet everyone’s needs in a timely way.

The baby can be fed during playtime, naps, or outside time.

The family dynamic will certainly change, but having a routine means the baby isn’t the only one whose needs are met while everyone else just waits.

Read: A Sample Joint Daily Routine For Baby, Toddler, And Preschooler

Newborn finds their place within the family instead of the family being completely baby centered

Inevitably life changes when a new baby enters the home.

And what a great change it is!

A new sibling to cuddle, a new baby to love, and a host of new needs to be met.

I believe it’s comforting to everyone when a newborn can come home to an orderly, peaceful, and well-run home.

Of course some days are bonkers and sometimes we lose it, but on the whole, a schedule allows for the family to continue running as a whole even with a newborn.

The mother meets the physical needs of the newborn and the older children while still maintaining order in the home. Everything doesn’t become all about the baby to the detriment of other family members.

The baby simply enters into the family who patiently waited for its arrival.

Read: How to teach your little one to sleep well as early as possible

You’re able to schedule errands around feeding easily

The best way to develop good sleep habits with your baby is to let them sleep.

Without a schedule they are constantly in the stroller, car seat, or carrier being carted from one place to another.

This works fine for a few months until they are about 4 months old (and have a sleep regression) or 5 months old and they are gearing for solids. They start becoming more aware and then, if you haven’t done the hard work of sleep training up front, you’ll have a baby who doesn’t want to sleep.

By having a schedule and a routine you can organize your play dates, appointments, visitors and errands loosely around the baby’s daily routine and schedule.

Again, baby’s needs are being met while things are getting done at inconvenience to no one.

Read: The Real Reason Moms Never Have Enough Time (Hint: It’s Not Because They Waste It!)

Routine helps everyone settle into the new norm.

The first few months postpartum can be a challenge for the entire family.

Children are learning new roles and adjusting as well as the parents.

Developing a new routine and schedule that benefits all will help everyone settle into the new norm. Because routines bring security and boundaries to children, they crave them.

When a major (and exciting) life change, like a new baby, occurs settling into a new routine is one of the best ways to help the dust settle.

Read: How to get through the mentally trying newborn weeks

It’s mentally and emotionally helpful for mothers who flourish in routine

I cannot stress strongly enough (oh if you could hear my real voice which gets very loud when I stress things enough) how important it is to parent how you were made.

If you love routine then I can’t see why you’d parent any other way.

Children get a sense of security from routines (source) naturally so if you feel calmer in a routine environment, the entire house will run more smoothly.

Stress, depression, and weariness are bi-products of functioning too long in environments we aren’t suited for, so don’t make your home one of those.

Basic Baby Sleep Times

Here are some basic baby sleep times. These will vary by baby, but it’s important to look at these and realize that babies sleep more than you think.

Newborn to 2 months: 16-18 hours a day | 7 to 9 naps (one after each feed)
2-4 months: 15-17 hours a day | 4 to 5 naps (after each daytime feed)
4-6 months: 14-16 hours a day | 4 naps or so (probably dropping the last nap before bedtime)
6-9 months: 14-16 hours a day | 3 to 4 naps a day (eventually getting down to 2 naps a day)
9 – 12 months: 14-16 hours a day | 2 to 3 naps (eventually getting down to 2)
12-18 months: 14-15 hours a day | 2 naps a day (eventually getting down to 1 nap a day)

Handy tips for these early weeks

Get on a good sleep routine
Learn the signs of hunger for your baby, and use your routine to anticipate baby’s needs before he needs to cry.
Set the foundation in the first days after birth by following these strategies.
Remember that babies go through growth spurts at age 6 weeks of age and again at 3 months, so you will have to feed more (cluster feeding (feeding a few times close in time) works!) to increase your milk supply to get them through.
A breastfed baby can also learn to take a bottle on and off, which will help if you have to run errands or need to be away on occasion.

Your milk supply will ebb and flow throughout the day and is often at its lowest quality by late afternoon early evening, so cluster feedings will help this.
Pay attention to the signs that your baby is over tired.
The exact feeding time is not nearly as important as feeding on a routine or schedule. As in, every 3 hours is more important than feeding every day at 7:30 a.m. Both work well together, but if you hate working to a clock, aim for full feeds at set intervals.
Note that many newborns will feed from 30 minutes up to even 45 minutes. I had one son who would feed for nearly an hour! Less than 15 minutes and that’s considered snacking, so aim for full feeds.

FAQ

Let’s dive in.

“How often do you feed a newborn at night?”

As often as they wake up hungry. Before you go to bed, give a feed right before you go to sleep then lie down to sleep. Sleep until baby wakes up ready to eat.

“How many days after birth do I start on a routine or schedule?”

I like to start Day One. Your routine will mainly consist of full feeds, snuggling/cuddling, then putting baby down for a nap, but this is the foundation for all sleeping schedules to come.

“How do I keep my newborn awake during feeds?”

Unswaddle them, first of all. Then you can rub their cheeks, the bottom of their feet, and even use a wet wipe to keep them alert during feedings.

“Do I always need to nurse on both sides during each feeding?”

No. If you have a baby who wants to feed for one hour, you’ll likely end up nursing from both breasts. If you have a baby who has a “strong suck” (a fun term from my midwife) then you may end up only nursing from one side.

It’ll depend on your baby, your milk supply, and whether or not baby is truly getting full feeds.

“My newborn is sleeping through feedings, what should I do?“

So this can easily happen, these precious babies are so comforted by both your physical touch and the breastmilk, that they happily drift off.

This can also, if it happens throughout the day, contribute to significant daytime and nighttime confusion. Baby will sleep through feeds all day, then want to be up feeding or playing all night.

“Should I wake my baby to breastfeed on a schedule?”

During the day, it is helpful to feed baby routinely to ensure they are getting enough calories during the day (example: every 3 hours). In this case, if it’s time for baby to eat, it’s okay to wake a sleeping baby.

“How can I ensure my baby is getting enough milk on a schedule?”

It’s important to monitor your baby’s feeding patterns, wet and dirty diapers, observe their growth and behavior, and make adjustments as needed when breastfeeding. We want to observe these things and change our schedule to meet baby’s needs, not the other way around.

Sources:

The 6 to 9 Month Routine Your Baby Will Love

Inside: A 6 month to 9 month schedule routine for your baby.

Congratulations, you’ve survived the newborn phase!

Around 6 months is truly one of the best baby phases. They are still babies, but smiling all the time. Learning to sit up and move and getting their own personality.

I hug my baby every day and say, “Don’t grow up… no wait you have to. But I just love you so!!”

Very nauseating around here…

Anyway, here’s the 6 to 9 month routine I recommend (as a certified baby and toddler sleep consultant and mama of 5) for 6 month old babies.

6 month routine cards for babies — *(These routine cards are a great way for you to remember the routine and to eventually help your toddler follow their own.)*

Read: Baby Fighting Diaper Changes? These Hacks Stop The Madness

A 6 to 9 Month Sample Routine:

Note: These are the times to aim for. If they don’t happen because baby is hungry earlier, then adapt and try to get back to this when able.

7:30 am – wake up, feed, solids for breakfast
8:15 am – play (floor time on a play or development mat, sibling play)
9:00 am – down for nap
11:00 am – wake up, feed, solids
11:45 am – free play (floor time, practicing sitting or standing, sibling plan)
12:30 pm – down for nap
2:30 pm – wake up, feed, solids
3:14 pm – free play (floor time, sibling play)
4:30 pm – down for nap
6:00 pm – wake up, feed, bedtime snack
6:45 pm – bedtime routine (bath, singing, cuddling, putting on lotion, etc.) We use this for the kitchen sink and absolutely love it.
7:30 pm – quick feed, bedtime (some cluster feeding here too)
10:00 pm – dream feed right before you go to bed

Some Thoughts on the 6-9 Month Age

Routine or Rhythm?

Research overwhelmingly supports a good routine for young ones. A routine does not, however, necessarily mean you follow the clock per se.

If you prefer to have a rhythm where you do one thing after the other, but not necessarily watch the times and that’s fine. Pick whichever works best. And either way, you’ll have to be mindful of wake windows. Read on the wake windows vs nap schedule thoughts here.

Babies can’t be up for 3 or 4 hours at a time at this age without getting really cranky.

At any rate, using a routine will be a sanity saver for both you and your baby. Here are some sample routines with different times that also have baby/toddler combinations.

Read These While You’re At It

Wake Windows vs. Nap Schedules: Pros, Cons & How to Choose

12 Medical Reasons Your Baby’s Not Sleeping (With Symptoms Of Each)

How To Stop Contact Naps (Peacefully) – And What To Do Instead

7 Reasons Your Baby Still Wakes Up At Night – And What To Do

Bossy Baby? Being Responsive Without Creating A Tyrant Toddler!

Read: A 7 Month Old Feeding Schedule That Works Like A Charm

Eating & nutrition is very important

Whether you waited until the 6 month mark to introduce solids, or started in the 5th month gradually, solids are very important.

At 6 months of age if your baby has trouble napping… they are likely hungry. If your baby starts waking up frequently at night, check the amount of solids.

12 Ways to Enjoy Your Baby Right Now

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

Getting Ready to Drop a Nap

Right now your baby likely takes 3 naps a day, the third perhaps being the shortest.

The goal is to shorten the third nap so the first two naps of the day remain until around 15-18 months.
If you notice your baby naps shorter during the first or second nap, but longer on the third, you can wake the baby early in the third nap.
Too long of an evening nap may mean getting to sleep at bedtime is harder, so best to shorten the nap that will drop soon.

Read: When Babies Go To One Nap (A Step-By-Step Guide)

Bath Time

I waver between giving the baby a bath in the morning or in the evening. Some days it’s the morning, some days it’s the evening. I try to just fit it in when I can or when it’s most convenient.

Read These While You’re At It

8 Useful Ways to Use the Pack And Play (They Might Surprise You!)

Anxiety, Sadness, Crawling Out Of Skin, etc. When Nursing – How to Cope

Growth Spurt

A growth spurt often happens at this age so make sure the baby is getting enough milk. I’ll often feed, give solids, let the baby play, feed again briefly before putting him in the crib (awake but drowsy).

This is called a split feed.

This helps make sure they’re getting enough to eat during the day.

Floor Time

While an infant seat is a minimalist must have, in my opinion, I like to give my babies any and every opportunity to be on the floor. They’ll roll, sit up, commando crawl, and start spinning in circles.

Tummy time is, by now, a daily staple, but make sure and give baby a lot of opportunities to play on the ground safely.

Read These While You’re At It

Bath Time: Avoiding Battles And Messes – Plus Awesome Bath Toys

The Low Down On Tummy Time: When, Where, Why & How

12 Ways to Enjoy Your Baby Right Now

8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby (And How To Fix It!)

Common issues that happen to babies 6 months of age

While we’re here, let’s dive into some common things 6 month olds, 7 month olds, 8 month olds, and 9 month old babies experience. You’ll be prepared, mama.

Teething can disrupt sleep for 6 to 9-month-old babies

Now, I will say something that may be hard to hear. But I’m a certified sleep consultant so please believe me.

If you have a baby who sleeps well, you’ll notice some sleep issues when teeth are about to erupt.
But if your baby hasn’t ever really slept well, it’s definitely not because of teething.

Babies teethe for months… years. So there’s no reason to expect that babies won’t sleep simply because they’re teething. If you can tell the tooth is about to erupt, offer comfort and pain management that fits your values.

But know that teething doesn’t sentence you to months of sleep deprivation.

Babies can resist solid foods around 6 or 7 months

Often, at the 5 month mark, moms start seeing sleep disruptions. The 5 month old sleep schedule mentions this. Babies are gearing up to start eating more solid foods and wean, so if they don’t get more nutrition they become more hungry.

Introduce foods as soon as you feel ready (okay’d, of course, by your doc). Keep offering, don’t force-feed obviously, but baby needs that nourishment now.
Get in some yogurt, avocado, or banana, etc. Something that will stick in the tummy and help prevent early morning waking or frequent night waking from hunger.
You may end up seeing baby wake up MORE in the night than before and truly want a feed. Of course, feed baby, but try to work in more daytime feeds vs. nighttime ones.
Take heart, baby won’t resist foods forever.

Sleep disruptions – 6 months is a perfect time to sleep train

Remember, sleep training simply means helping baby learn to sleep well. Creating healthy sleep habits. That’s it. If you’ve got negative connotations about it or feel some feelings on the subject, journal it out.

Don’t let your opinions about how other moms deal with their babies keep your 6 to 9 month old in bad sleep habits.

6 months is a perfect time to sleep train because baby is in more mature sleep cycles.
6 month old babies are not mobile enough to try and escape sleep initiatives.
The personality and strong will resistance can really come into play during sleep training by the 9 month mark and onwards. It’s never too late to start healthy sleep habits, but the longer you wait the more attitude and protest you’ll have to deal with.

Rolling and getting stuck, oh my!

Has your 6 month old kept themselves up when they should be napping by rolling around in their crib like a rock down a grassy hill?

Oh yes!

Developmentally babies at this 6 to 9 month mark are changing and growing so much. Also, swaddle weaning has typically happened by now. So babies are checking out life! Don’t change your baby’s daily routine to account for this, just let them practice.

Babies can get a lot of tummy time and exercise between naps that will help them feel rested and ready for sleep.

Nap routines for 6 months olds

Follow the routine given above, with whatever mild tweaks you need to make, but take note: nap routines are key.

6 months may honestly be the best time to sleep train, if baby is having sleep issues, but it’s the perfect age to start creating more predictable naps as well. Daytime naps are still a must at this age and it can be more difficult to get baby to sleep.

Follow baby’s sleep cues, but put baby down for nap even if the cues aren’t present to avoid overtiredness.
Give baby age-appropriate playtime so baby is tired for naps. That includes tummy time and doesn’t include screen time.
Around this age you may start adjusting baby’s routine to drop a nap, go gradual.

Mom self-care at the 6-month mark

At this point you may be feeling nearly back to normal. If baby isn’t sleeping you won’t be, but if baby is napping and sleeping through the night you may even feel more “you.”

Get as much sleep as you can (naps count!).
Stay in touch with your needs so you know what to do.
Avoid “gentle asks” (aka hints) because you don’t want to drop clues, you want to ask directly for what you want.
Give yourself some screen time limits and boundaries so you don’t throw your self-care time into a black hole.

Enjoy this time with your 6 to 9 month old baby, mama.

Read: 7 Simple Reasons Why Your Baby Won’t Nap & What To Do

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The Key to a Good 6 to 9 Month Routine:

This may be so simple it goes without saying… but the key to a good routine is keeping the routine. It can be tricky to remember everything in order when you’re beginning, but once you get the hang of it, routine will be second nature.

It can seem very difficult to get started doing or keeping a routine when you do not have one at all.

Here are 3 ways you can learn to keep your routine:

1) Hang it Up

In my Rhythms, Routines, and Schedules ebook I have 25+ sample routine printables from babies age 6 weeks to 5 years. You can take these printables and hang them in your nursery, on the fridge, or keep them in your planner.

Whatever works.

You can hang the routine cards as well and pretty soon you won’t need to reference anything, it’ll be second nature.

2) Set Alarms or Notifications

While you don’t need to live and die by the clock, setting your phone, watch, or a timer will help you keep aware of routine transitions.

We can often get so wrapped up in what we’re doing we forget we’ve let the baby sleep 4 hours. Why is that bad? Because 4 hours is a stretch littles ones should only sleep at night!

I set alarms on my phone that show on my watch and this works for us.

3) Practice and Keep at It

As with anything, if you want something to work then work it. Keep pushing what you’ve decided to do. If it doesn’t work then change it up a bit and keep going. Move forward.

I assure you 100% that a routine will work if you keep at it.

Want visual routines to hang up?

If you want routines and schedules for not only the 6 to 9 month age, but for the 12 month, 18 month, and on I’ve got great news. I’ve created a book chock full of routines that work.

Routines that keep babies well rested, happy, and content. Routines that account for all the things you need to do and they are mom tested. The best part?

The book comes with printable routines (3 choices for each age) that you can hang up and use!

So instead of having to reinvent the wheel every few months, you’ll have tried and true mom tested routines right at your fingertips.

Get your own Routine Book and Printables Here!

What are 6 month wake windows?

2.5 to 4 hours is the general window. If baby is taking 3 naps still, it can be 2.5 hours more or less during the day, and the longest span (from the last nap before bed) shouldn’t be more than 4 hours.

So, if baby wakes at 7 am, then by 9:30 am have a nap. Baby sleeps until 11 am, then by 1:30 pm is another nap. Baby wakes up around 3 pm, then bedtime no later than 7 pm.

Is 6 months a good time to sleep train?

6 months is actually the perfect time to formally sleep train. I have a whole post on why it’s the best age.

They’re not newborns anymore, they can go longer between naps, they are a little more aware and they catch on much more quickly than at a later age. It’s too early for extreme resistance that can accompany toddler years, and baby can’t walk yet.

When you wait to do formal training when a child is in a bed and can stand up and get out, there are a lot more variables.

Can 6 month olds sleep through the night?

Absolutely. Sleeping through the night is typically defined as 7 to 8 hours at a time. So even if your child still has a dream feed, but sleeps from 10 pm all the way until morning, then that still technically counts as sleeping through.

You can wean night feeds or combine them at this age without much trouble.

Sources:

The Dream Feed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Wondering how to do a dream feed? This post will tell you exactly when to do dreamfeeds, how to make sure baby stays awake, and when to wean them.

Oh these little squishy babies…

I remember the first time I heard about a dream feed with my firstborn.

What is it?

Why do you do it?

Who came up with these names for things?

Why, oh why do a dream feed?

I read around and then tried to implement it with my baby girl. It took a while, but eventually we got the hang of it and Oh My Goodness… game changer.

Now, as a certified baby and toddler sleep consultant… it’s a go to sleep and feed strategy.

If you don’t currently do the dream feed then this post will help you for a few reasons.

And if you’re serious about making a few nightly changes, I suggest using a baby log to help clear our head and get it on paper.

What is a dream feed, anyway?

A dream feed is a feeding you do in the late evening hours before you go to bed. You’ll usually have to rouse baby for this feed.

Or rather, baby will be sound asleep typically and you will feed baby while they’re still mostly asleep. Hence the name: dream feed.

I’ll get into the details… keep reading.

Read: End Your Baby’s Fussy Evening Hours (Witching Hours) In A Few Steps

Why do you do it?

First, let’s tackle why we want to do a dream feed in the first place. Here are the two main reasons dream feeds are a good idea.

Necessary? Of course not! Helpful? Absolutely!

You get a longer stretch of sleep each night | By feeding baby in the later evening, before midnight, you’ll hopefully get yourself a longer stretch of sleep. Sleep is very important to moms for sanity (lack of sleep is literally like torture), healing, and to help you get back to your normal self in the postpartum fog.

Baby will eventually sleep from after the feed then sleep until your desired wake time | It’s hard for a baby to sleep from 7 pm to 7 am. When baby is old enough, adding in a dream feed can get baby to sleep from the dream feed until your desired wake time.

Read: Baby Bedtime — 4 Essential Elements To All Evening Routines

The Why, The How, & When To Stop The Dream Feed

So let’s dive into it. By the end of this post I hope you’ll have all you need to know about the dream feed and why its so useful.

Read: Simple Baby Advice That Stands The Test Of Time

mother breastfeeding baby for a dream feed

When to offer this sleep-inducing feed

Ideally, you want to dream feed right before you go to sleep, but usually no later than 11:30 or else it is simply a night feed.

Somewhat, the time you feed depends on what time you go to bed.

You want to feed baby right before you go down to sleep. So if you go to bed around 10:00 then feed baby at that time, then lie down to sleep.

Feed baby while keeping him swaddled (how to do that here) and not fully rousing him, then baby will sort of feed in his sleep and “top up” his tummy.

Doing a dream feed between 10:00 and 11:30 is usually a safe bet, but any later than that becomes a night feed.

Read: The Ultimate Sleep Schedule For Newborns For The First 6 Weeks

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newborn baby lying down — This convertible swaddle will allow you to keep baby’s arms swaddled while you zip up and change diaper at night.

How To Dream Feed When Baby Is Drowsy

Those first early hours after you’ve put baby to bed are often baby’s deepest sleep. The sleep from bedtime to midnight is the deepest most restorative sleep, so babies are usually conked out at this time.

This means it can be tricky to rouse baby enough to get them to feed.

That’s okay.

We don’t want to force it when it isn’t working.

However, often you’ll be able to rouse baby enough to take a feed, even half a feed, and this can help them sleep longer at night.

For those first few weeks, there’s really no need for this feed.

Try these things to wake baby up a bit

When baby is drowsy, here are some ways to rouse him enough to give him the feed.

Unswaddle from the bottom to change his diaper.
Rub a wet wipe or cloth across his cheek.
Tickle the bottom of his feet or cheek.
Put some milk on his lips.

If these don’t work, then put baby gently back down. Then, if you’re still up half an hour later then you can try again briefly. If it still doesn’t work, go to bed.

Keep trying nightly until baby is used to taking this feed. This helps push the next feed off until later after midnight and gives you a few uninterrupted hours of sleep which is good for mama.

Read: Want A Content & Happy Little One? Use The Foolproof Baby Schedule

Does Dream Feeding Always Work?

Now, I’m a big believer in the dream feed. I know – having had 5 babies – it’s the reason they routinely slept until at least 7 a.m., if not on closer to 8, even as tiny babies.

They were given milk at the dream feed which enabled them to sleep later in the morning.

Next – when they were ready – I dropped the dream feed and they slept all night!

That said, sometimes they can be a bit tricky. Sometimes the dream feed timing is tricky and other ties it just wakes babies up. When you wake your baby for a dream feed at 11:00 pm and baby wakes at 12:30 am for another feed, mom might be resistant to that.

If you find a dream feed wakes your baby up right after midnight, drop it and see what happens.

It might work out better for baby to simply go to bed at night, sleep a long stretch, and then wake up for that 12:30 am feed. This will mean baby sleeps a long restorative stretch.

You can, with time, add in that dream feed if you want them to sleep later.

Often babies will start sleeping through the night but waking up at 4:30 or 5:00 am and not want to go back down. This is why the dream feed is so helpful. They will feed at 10:30 pm or so and then sleep until 6:30 or 7:00 am instead.

Unless you need baby up that early to leave the house, it’s a more pleasant proposition for baby to sleep later.

Read: A Quick & Easy Way To Survive The 4 Month Regression

happy smiling chubby baby holding his foot on a white bed

When to wean the dream feed – this is important!

Let’s reiterate here that if you only have one feeding per night, it’s very helpful if it’s a dream feed. It should – theoretically – be the last feed you drop.

Here’s the reasoning…

By having a dream feed you are helping baby sleep longer stretches between night feedings. Baby may need a 3:00 am feed and a 5:30 am feed then sleep on until 7 or so.

You’ll eventually drop that 3 am feed and focus on the 5:30 am one. After a while, you’ll work to drop that 5:30 am feed so they are sleeping later in the morning.

Then, they are going from the dream feed all the way until the morning time.

Read: How to Stop Contact Naps (Peacefully)- and What to Do Instead

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How do babies end up sleeping all the way through until morning?

This feed!

If you haven’t had a dream feed and baby is under 5 months but not yet sleeping through the night, try adding it in.

See if it helps baby sleep later. I always kept the dream feed even though I dropped all the others because that extra time in the morning meant a lot to me.

Read: 7 Month Feeding Times That Work Like A Charm

Recap benefits of this feed

Helps top baby up to sleep a longer stretch.
Allows mom to feed right before she lies down so mom has a longer sleep stretch.
Hopefully gets baby to at least 2am before needing another feed.

Some moms even wake their babies up completely at this 10pm feed, give a proper feed, a quick little play, then back down to bed by 11pm. I’d never suggest this initially, but sometimes when babies simply will not stay asleep, it can help build up the sleep pressure.

FAQ

When do you stop dream feeding?

The dream feed is the last feed that you drop. You usually drop the dream feed when baby sleeps from bedtime until their morning wake time with only the dream feed. This should be dropped by 6 months.

What if a dream feed doesn’t work?

After 6 months dream feeds can trigger more wakings. By 6 months if baby is doing a feed at 10:30 p.m. then waking again at 1 a.m., it could be that the dream feed isn’t working anymore.

Is the dream feed a full feed?

Yes, try and give baby a full feed which should last them a few hours before the next waking.

Should I introduce the dream feed?

If you have a newborn who wakes frequently, introducing the dream feed may get you a longer stretch of sleep. Try it out for a few days if it triggers more after midnight wakings, just drop it.

Do you burp after the feed?

If you can easily burp baby without waking him, yes. If not, rub baby’s back on the left side (stomach side) and up the back to get out any air bubbles and simply put baby back down to bed.

Should I keep baby upright after a dream feed?

Dream feeds should happen while baby is sleeping. If baby will wake up if you put him upright, don’t do it. You can feed enough to satisfy baby and get a good long stretch of sleep without going through great lengths to burp.

Do you change baby’s diaper at the dream feed?

Unless baby is leaking, changing the diaper isn’t needed. If baby isn’t unhappy, don’t wake them to change a diaper. If you feel you need to, however, change the diaper before feeding so baby will remain asleep for the feed then be put straight back to bed.

Can I dream feed at 9pm?

The best time to do a dream feed is between 10 and 11. Much after that is a night feed and much before that is just a regular evening feed.

Sources:

End Baby’s Witching Hours — In 4 Simple Steps

The witching hours are so difficult! Here’s why it happens and how to get past it without losing your marbles.

I remember when my second child was just a few weeks old.

Things had been going well… it wasn’t my first rodeo… I thought I was completely prepared.

Then the witching hours started…

It actually took me a few weeks of off and on craziness before I even realized what they were. I was trying this and that and freaking out and imagining he’d cry for hours until he was 3 and let’s just say…

I was wiped out and desperate.

Then one evening I Googled exactly what was happening and – lo and behold – this evening fussiness had a name.

It’s name was The Witching Hour. Or… if it persisted for quite a while… The Witching Hours.

Read: 8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby (And How To Fix It!)

The Witching Hour Baby — How To Deal

So let’s dive right in since you are tired and likely holding a baby during the witching hours right now. Am I right?

This is a great time to break out your daily baby log and start getting a handle on what’s happening.

Oh but first… here are some signs your baby is having witching hours:

A normally content baby seems to cry and cry for no discernible reason, usually in the early evening to late evening.

A few nights a week, baby will find it hard to settle to bed and will cry for a few hours, usually in the 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. time window.

Nothing that will normally settle baby (feeding, rocking, in a swing, etc.) seems to have any affect.

Baby will cluster feed but still not really settle down.

Is that your witching hour baby?

Read on…

Step 1 – Evaluate Your Routine (it does affect witching hours)

One of the biggest potential reasons your baby has witching hours is over stimulation and over tiredness.

This means by the early evening to nighttime period baby is worn out and hyped up.

Has your baby had sufficient naps throughout the day? Here are some sample baby schedules that work and help reduce fussiness.

Make sure baby is not overtired because overtired babies have a very difficult time settling down.

If they don’t nap well throughout the day then, by early evening, they are well and truly worn out.

Read: 7 Simple Reasons Why Your Baby Won’t Nap & What To Do

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This means the standard methods to settle just don’t seem to work.

Morning naps are the most important of the day, get that one right.

Figure out your baby’s awake window, meaning the time they are able to stay awake after they begin feeding until they become overtired (they start crying, whining or fussing). Then, always put then down to nap throughout the day within this window.

Don’t keep them up just to make them sleep better at night. That is a LIE and does not work with basically all babies. Babies who are over tired do not go to sleep or stay asleep well. They just don’t. And if they do conk out quickly, they usually wake up inconsolable soon after.

Read: The Baby Sleeping Myth That Backfires Every Time

Step 2 – Cluster Feed During The Witching Hours

Babies also get into witching hours because your milk supply is low. The wear and tear of the day and stress of having a newborn can catch up with a mama’s milk by late afternoon early evening.

This can mean baby is feeding for the same amount of time, but not actually getting the calorie rich hind milk.

So the answer?

Clusterfeed.

Instead of feeling like you’re breaking your newborn routine, add some cluster feeds into the routine.

Here’s what a cluster feed looks like with a little one.

3:30 pm – Feed baby

4:30 pm – Nap

5:30 pm – Feed baby

7:30 pm – Feed baby and put to bed

9:30 pm – Feed baby while still sleeping

11:30 pm – Feed baby (called a dream feed) then put back to bed

Of course, this is just an example.

But if the reason for the witching hours is low milk supply, doing this type of routine for a few days will increase your supply and help baby to settle.

Within a few days you’ll know if hunger was the culprit.

Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

Read These While You’re At It

Cluster Feeding Newborns: Do’s & Dont’s (& How To Do It Right)

quick and easy sleep tips to help your newborn sleep well for the long run

How To Get Your Newborn To Sleep Well From Day One

clusterfeeding a newborn, clusterfeed newborn baby

The Dream Feed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Step 3 – Note Fussiness Patterns

Witching hours are mysterious.

Sometimes, the truth is, you try All The Things and nothing works.

These are true witching hours.

This means it’s something similar to colic (or baby reflux). It comes out of nowhere, makes you fear you’ll never survive the newborn period, then goes away just as quickly.

So observe baby and answer this…

Is baby mostly content all the time and well rested but then – in the evening hours – cries inconsolably?

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If your answer is yes then you’ve got a case of the Witching Hours on your hands.

Alternatively, if your baby is fussy a lot during the day and struggles sleeping at both naps, evening time, and throughout the night, then it’s probably not witching hours.

It’s probably something routine, sleep, or discomfort related.

Read: Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

Step 4 – Comfort Baby Through The Tough Witching Hours

So let’s recap…

If baby is fussy all day and doesn’t sleep well… focus on baby’s routine.
Next, if baby is pretty calm all day and rests well, but gets irritable and fussy in the late afternoon, early evening… first try cluster feeding.
Or, if baby is pretty calm except during witching hours and cluster feeding doesn’t seem to help… you’ve got Witching Hours on your hands and you just gotta get through it.

You love baby. And, of course, it hurts to see baby upset.

It also hurts your nervous system to have an upset baby that won’t settle.

It feels lose lose.

But you can be there for baby, comfort baby, and practice honing in your parenting intuition skills as you progress through the witching hours.

Remember, they will NOT last forever and will probably be well and truly gone by the 3 month mark give or take.

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Get a stuffed animal pacifier (shown below). If your baby will take it, that’ll help.

Carry, wear, or sit with baby if you can. If you have other little ones and aren’t able, let your spouse have a go. He’s not doing you a favor watching the kids, after all.

Use a swing. I do not recommend putting baby to sleep every nap with a swing as this is a big sleep prop, but during witching hours, anything that comforts baby goes.

If this is your only baby or you don’t have any in school, use this as time for an evening stroll. Baby may calm down to the rhythm of the stroller or carrier and fresh air often helped my kids when they were feeling fussy.

To Wrap It Up… How To Help Your Tired Baby

I want you to take this to heart: you comforting, trying to soothe, and being there for your baby is just the thing that good mothers do.

Right now and as they age, you won’t be able to always do the exact thing that makes them perfectly happy at all times.

Even if you always knew what that thing was – which you won’t – that isn’t an expectation you can set for yourself.

You do the things I’ve shared in this post and you’ll cut the number of witching hours down to a minimum.

Also, you’ll set yourself up to have a baby who sleeps well.

You cannot underestimate the positive effects of a baby who sleeps well in a home.

Read: The Nap Trap- How to Deal with It and Not Resist It

Basic baby sleep tips for sleep deprived mamas…

Follow the eat, play, sleep rhythm. This means you feed baby, let them stay awake a bit, then put them down. This helps them learn to sleep on their own which saves baby (and you) hours of tears and exhaustion.
Set this morning habit and do it daily. It’s the easiest way to get babies to sleep later.
Have a good baby bedtime routine.
Make the nap and bedtime routines full of positive sleep associations, not sleep props.
Don’t fall for the biggest baby sleep myth of all.

You can do this, mama!

Can newborns have witching hours?

The answer is yes. In fact, it’s usually in this newborn period up until about 3 months of age that babies have the witching hours. After that, it levels off.

When do witching hours end?

They usually end around the 3 month mark, but might end sooner. Babies will really have a lot of crying in the evenings if they are hungry or if you don’t quite have enough milk.

Can a low milk supply cause witching hours?

It can cause fussiness and irritability, yes. However, if baby is fine some evenings and appears full and content, then a few evenings a week seems to be going through fussiness, then it’s likely NOT hunger, but the vaguely mysterious witching hours.

How do I comfort a baby during the witching hours?

You bring comfort to baby any way you know how. Cuddling, carrying baby, putting baby in an infant seat, offering the pacifier and, basically, waiting baby out.

Why do babies have witching hours?

While there isn’t one specific answer to this question and it can vary from baby to baby, there are some developmental strides taking place that could lead to witching hours. Some possible causes include: overstimulation, fatigue, digestive immaturity leading to evening discomfort, circadian rhythm development as they develop their internal body clock among others.

How can parents cope with the stress of witching hours?

Know that this too shall pass. Take shifts with your spouse to care for the baby during witching hours, delegate tasks to family and friends to lessen your burden, create a soothing environment for you and baby, express your emotions, and practice self-care to help rejuvenate your spirit.

Sources:

The Habit Every Mom Starts When Nursing — But Wishes She Hadn’t

Inside: Many moms develop this habit of reliance on our smart phone during nursing and later find hard to break. Here are some proven strategies to help you beat this habit.

My firstborn made me think things were so easy.

She was a fast nurser. (I know this because I wrote down her exact feed times.)

For one whole month

She would feed no more than 12 minutes then purse her lips together and refuse any more. At the hospital the midwives looked at each other and said, “Look at that, what a strong suck!”

I was so enamored with her, and she fed so fast, that feeding sessions were over before I’d barely settled in. I thought this is how babies fed.

Naturally, I assumed they were all efficient fast feeders. Then, move on with baby life.

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4 kids later… I was wrong

I’ve had the barracuda feeders, the gourmet samplers, and one or two of the other fun terms used for babies that take a long time to feed.

With two of my babies, for the first few months, each feed took at least 25 minutes, sometimes 40 minutes. I am not exaggerating!

Unfortunately, like most moms do these days… I learned reliance on my smart phone simply because of the time it took.

Read: Breastfeeding Schedules By Month – To 1 Year Of Age

I Nursed Multiple Times a Day

So… multiple times a day I could be found sitting nursing a baby. I couldn’t get up to use the bathroom or tend to anyone else. I nursed when they napped or played independently to try and minimize any sibling jealousy.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly and working out just fine…

But… what did not work out fine was the bad habit I started during these long nursing sessions.

I wonder if that’s how soap opera additions started back in the day. Were housewives sitting under nursing babies for 30 minute intervals all day… and they just switched on the TV?

Well, that isn’t our generation’s struggle. We don’t watch endless hours of soap operas.

Read: My “Daily Escape” to a Quiet Place & Why It’s Necessary

Today… we scroll!

It’s normal. We all do it. Our phones don’t just receive calls anymore. While we’re stuck under a baby we can pay bills, answer emails, post photos, and EVEN shop for groceries. It’s just what we do.

It’s not a matter of availability towards our children at this point. We aren’t purposefully refusing to bond with the baby.

The truth is… they are just there. Honestly, they are available and promising a momentary high in an otherwise mundane day.

Boundaries & Behavior

0-5, 13-18, 6-12

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The “Tech on Your Terms” workshop helps parents create a step-by-step technology introduction plan that aligns with their family values, is age-appropriate, and gradually increases their children’s tech access while maintaining parental boundaries.

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The Trouble with Scrolling While Nursing

Using my smartphone while nursing my youngest wasn’t a big deal… until it was.

I noticed how bad my habit had gotten when my baby turned 6 months. That is the age babies become distracted feeders. They start squirming, drinking, then looking around, then drinking, then trying to sit up, then drinking.

And on and on. ..

There is simply no room for a cell phone because by the time you get halfway through your brilliant Facebook comment, baby moves and you drop the phone.

Then you get annoyed with baby.

I think we all know how distracted we can become by social media. I have lost my patience on multiple occasions and felt guilty afterwards because it had nothing to do with my sweet kids, instead I was aggravated at something online.

It’s ridiculous really, this reliance on our smart phone…

This was when I knew I had a problem. Not because I was trying to make myself feel guilty, but because I genuinely did not like what my habit had become.

Smartphones are addicting. Period…

The problem arrises because reliance on our smart phone doesn’t stop when babies stop nursing. It keeps on…

Except, we then have to find time that’s no longer there to scroll. A year or two passes and we don’t have a nursing baby, but we’re still reaching for our phones for 30 minutes at a time multiple times a day.

Reality hit me! Our brains have become trained to listen for the dings and vibrations and the momentary surges in feel good hormones that are released when we receive a message, a comment, or some other online communication.

Note: Worried you are too attached to your phone? Learn how to Slow Your Scroll right here!

Not to mention night-time…

For most, it gets particularly hard when we use our phones to scroll for night feedings. Why? Because long after baby has fed and gone back to sleep we’re up scrolling.

It’s proven that this late night scrolling actually interferes with normal sleep habits and can hinder a healthy sleep schedule.

What the science? Here ya go! The blue light from your smartphone screen keeps you from producing melatonin and keeps your brain alert.

So… while you could be lying down feeding baby then going immediately back to sleep after putting baby down, your brain is left “on.”

All this leads to mom burnout.

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This is a nasty cycle.

Why?

Because the next day we’re exhausted then grab our smartphones to zone out. In fact, some researchers have referred to smartphones as “adult pacifiers.” When we’re cranky, moody, or need to escape… we scroll.

Without realizing it, we’re trading this special time with our babies to catch up on other people’s political opinions or vacation photos.

We all know social media isn’t as important to us as our babies, and yet… we struggle to focus on our own lives and instead read about the lives of others.

Reliance on Our Smart Phones is a Real Issue

I didn’t stop scrolling while nursing because I felt guilty or because I thought I was a bad mother.

No, I stopped because I wanted my life back.

I’ve heard from many moms who say they are still addicted, months after they’ve stopped nursing.

We don’t want to be addicted to our smartphones… but it happens. It becomes second nature and can’t help but reach for our phones every minute.
We don’t want to constantly hear about the amazing things other people are doing then look over and see a poop stain, a screaming toddler, and a messy house.
Lastly, we don’t want to feel good about life when we’re looking at a screen. We want to feel good about the life in front us.

But how do we stop?

Psst… Worried you are too attached to your phone? Get some simple strategies and find the freedom you’re craving!

How to Break Our Reliance on Smart Phones

It’s not easy to break our reliance on smart phones for entertainment. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it a million times over.

Do a Full Detox | For my nearly 4 day detox, I kept my phone either off or on airplane mode. After that 4 days I had no desire to turn it back on and use it again. In fact, I felt so free I contemplated getting a dumb phone. Hasn’t happened yet, but it may one day.
Use Airplane Mode | By putting your phone on airplane mode you won’t receive notifications, texts, or calls in real time. This gives you freedom from incessant dinging and ringing.
Customize Notifications | Turning off your notifications is a tremendous step. Unlocking your phone to see 15 notifications for various apps draws you down the rabbit hole with little hope for a “quick check.” By turning off the notifications you are taking back control. You decide when to check an app, that app does not decide by sending you an irresistible “ding.”

More ways to detox from devices

Use Apps That Block Usage | Install an app that will give you set times to scroll and, outside of those times, block you out. This is a great way to begin detoxing without having to exercise self-discipline every single moment. Here are some apps for that.
Read A Book Instead | A habit I’ve adopted is keeping the phone out of reach and reading an actual book. Imagine that! Not on Kindle either, because that begs distraction. A good old fashioned book can be a more positive escape.
Physically Remove Your Device | I purposefully use a white noise app on my phone for the baby to sleep. This means for the majority of the day my phone is in the baby’s room while he’s napping or, when he’s awake, it’s out of reach. This is the single most useful tip I can give. Keep the phone away from you and the compulsion to check it will lessen naturally over time without you needing to exert willpower over and over.
Break the “Ludic Loop” By Using A Timer | According to researchers, the mental Ludic Loop is what happens when you do the same thing over and over and are lulled into a state of tranquility. This is why people get addicted to Candy Crush or slot machines. Or checking Facebook, Instagram, email, then doing it all over again. Set a timer for 5 minutes before you start scrolling then, when it goes off, set the phone down. You’ll get any urgent info without wasting time.

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What I Noticed Shocked Me

After I stopped scrolling while nursing, I noticed a few things that helped me break that habit for good. No more temptation to check Instagram or Facebook.

I noticed how much I enjoyed watching my little guy squirm around.

I noticed how chubby his thighs were.

And I noticed how his hair sticks out on the back of his head like a tail feather.

How big he is getting.

Once I was able to stop scrolling long enough to get back in the habit of being with my baby, you couldn’t make me use my phone. The hard part was getting there… but once you’re there, it’s worth it.

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. – Thoreau

Slow Your Scroll and start ENJOYING your actual life!

If you are ready to stop reaching for that phone to escape your stress and overwhelm, then Slow Your Scroll will help. You’ll learn the roots of why you are device dependent, AND how to break free from that!

Break free from your smartphone compulsion today so you don’t regret missing out on the precious moments before you now! Grab your copy right here!

Frequently Asked Questions

Rachel, motherhood can be so isolating and scrolling on my phone helps me to feel more connected to other people. What do I do to feel connected to others if I stop scrolling?

Social connectedness is one of the biggest indicators of a high quality of life and this can look differently when you have a small child. If you have friends and family in your area, make time to see them and focus on making real connections in real life. Social media offers a false sense of connection that often leaves us feeling discontent and anxious. Focus on building connections with real people and share real life experiences with them instead of focusing on other people’s highlight reels on social media. You won’t regret it!

Nursing is my only downtime and I want to be available to answer texts, calls, and emails, etc. When can I do this if I don’t while I nurse?

We don’t have to be available to others at all times. Being disciplined in how we use our devices will bless us and our families as we learn to be more present. If you need to reset expectations that others might have of you in this area, that’s okay. Choose a few minutes each day to power through answering the emails, texts, etc. you’ve received so that you aren’t constantly checking them throughout the day.

Sources:

A 7 Month Old Feeding Schedule That Works Like A Charm

Here is a tried and true (and adaptable) 7 month old feeding schedule that’ll help your little one nap well during the day, sleep well at night, and have peaceful days. 7 month olds have some challenges particularly around food and nutrition. If your 7 month old has nap or nighttime sleep issues, this will help you figure out why and give you tips so your 7 month old’s feeding schedule will make for a happy, content, and well-rested baby.

I have long said that the 6 to 12 month time is one of my absolute favorites.

Baby is sitting up.

Smiling.

Napping a tad less.

And usually sleeping through the night.

It can also be a time of adjustment.

Baby is finally eating solids and it’s likely time to drop that third nap and probably drop the dream feed if you haven’t already. Baby is getting a little chunkier and wants more food.

Actually, this is a precious time with baby.

Before the 7 month old feeding schedule… KNOW THIS

Before I give you what has worked for me as a 7 month old feeding schedule, know this.

Babies at this age need to eat as many solids as they can.

They will be hungry and breast milk alone will no longer be enough. Or, if it is, you’ll be cluster feeding like your 7 month old was a newborn.

➡️ Pediatricians used to recommend introducing purees or solids at 4 months of age. They now suggest 6 months.

➡️ So the 5 to 7 month mark generally means that unless baby is getting a lot of breast milk and whatever solids you offer, they will be hungry.

And this will affect their sleeping and their moods.

7 Month Old Sample Feeding Schedule

7:00 am – Wake up, milk, solids for breakfast

8:00 am – Free play (floor time, cuddle time with mom, sibling play)

9:00 am – Nap time

10:45 or 11:00 am – Wake up, milk, solids

12:00 pm – Free play (floor time, practicing sitting, standing, pulling up, sibling play)

1:00 pm – Nap time

3:00 pm – Wake up, milk, solids

3:45 pm – Free play (errands, play with siblings, floor time, etc.)

5:00 pm – Short nap

5:30 pm – Wake up, milk, solids

6:15 pm – Bedtime routine habits and ideas (bath, singing, cuddling, putting on lotion, lights, curtains, etc.)

7:00 pm – Quick feed (milk), and down to bed (you may want to add cluster feeding here too if it fits)

And… if baby isn’t sleeping through the night yet.

10:00 pm – Dreamfeed

baby sleeping on bed with blue blanket and a teddy bear. good article on baby sleep.

Note:

Daily baby logs are a great thing to have on hand if you are noticing a lot of changes you can’t make heads or tails of.

If your baby wakes up earlier or later than this routine, you can simply adjust based on your baby’s wake time. The wake time is actually very important in a baby’s day to day routine.

If baby wakes early from a nap, yet is content, don’t push up the feeding. Leave it until normal time unless baby is clearly hungry.

Get down familiar rhythms and routines throughout your day. These cannot be understated for babies. (here is more on family rhythms and routines)

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Weaning From Nighttime Feeds

If your baby is still not sleeping through the night, then this is a great time to start helping them do so.

Solids and milk throughout the day will help them to fill their tummies.

And… get in the necessary nutrients that’ll allow them to sleep peacefully throughout the night.

It is actually one of the best times to begin sleep training since baby is naturally a lot less likely to wake if hunger was their primary reason for waking.

Imagine baby needs 10 cups (to make things even) of milk and/or food a day. We know all babies are different, but go with me here.

If you are currently giving your baby 5 cups of milk and 2 cups of food during the day, that leaves a 3 cup deficit.

This means baby will likely wake up at night to get in the full 10 cups he needs.

The best way to wean?

To give them all they need during the day so they don’t need to wake for it at night.

7 month old held up by his dad reaching for his brother

A Dream Feed Might Work For You

If your baby is still feeding a few times per night then you may want to start doing something called a Dream Feed.

Now, we don’t typically add IN a night feed at this age, we are trying to eliminate them, but it may help you get a few more hours in.

Dream Feed: A feed given between 10 and 11 ish at night that should help baby sleep a longer stretch, eventually until the morning wake time.

Try feeding baby as much as possible during this feed and weaning baby from other nighttime feeds until eventually the dream feed is the only feed left.

After baby has slept until the morning with only the dream feed for a few weeks, then it’s safe to drop the dream feed.

At that point, baby should be sleeping all through the night.

7-Month-Old Schedule Interesting Tidbits

Here are some interesting things to note or keep in mind during this 7 month period.

Babies will likely be able to sleep through the night at this age if they’re eating well enough. Not only are they getting breast milk they are getting solids.

Here’s where you’ll discover if your baby didn’t sleep through the night out of hunger, or if they have some sleep props you need to work on.

Baby might act uninterested in solids, that’s fine. Still, continue offering them and be sure to give them veggies or fruits they like so they will get the nutrients needed.

Introduce solids slowly so you can monitor the baby’s reaction to them. Don’t introduce too many new foods at once.

Give a top up bedtime snack. Right before bed, give baby milk and some yogurt or applesauce, etc. to help fill baby’s tummy before they go down for the night.

Common issues that affect your 7 month old’s schedule

Let’s dive into some common things that happen to moms and precious 7 month olds that can wreak havoc on a daily routine.

Teething

Around 7 months teething may ramp up. This can lead to discomfort, irritability, and changes in their eating and sleeping patterns. You may find yourself soothing baby a lot and finding ways to alleviate the pain.

Rule of thumb: if you do a pain management method of your choice and it helps your 7-month-old nap and sleep well, it was likely the pain.

Solid food challenges

Around 6 months moms usually introduce solid foods. This may throw off some naps or even introduce some bedtime bowel movements that seem to wake baby up. Protein at dinner will help with this, FYI, but stay the course.

Developmental milestones can mess up naptimes for your 7 month old

7 months old are rolling around and, at times, scooching or crawling. Standing up and sitting down or – in some cases – standing up then getting stuck there! This can mean babies view their crib as a workout arena for their new skills.

This is normal and will pass. Don’t start skipping naptime or assume they don’t need naps. Help your little now have a lot of practice during wake times then they will eventually start sleeping when they’re less impressed with themselves and their new abilities.

How can I encourage my 7 month old baby to sit up, crawl, or reach other developmental milestones appropriate for their age?

To encourage your 7-month-old baby to sit up, crawl, and reach other appropriate developmental milestones you can do a few things. First, provide regular tummy time to strengthen their muscles. Don’t always hold baby, keep him in a wrap or swing, etc.

Use supportive cushions or pillows for seated positions. Allow your baby plenty of opportunities for movement and play with older siblings or you.

A Printable Newborn Feeding Chart That Works Like A Charm

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Is there a 7-month-old sleep regression?

Babies can regress at any time. 4 months, 12 months, and 2 years are major regressions that can occur due to biological rhythm maturation and overall developmental milestones that occur.

7 months can result in some babies who previously slept well, now sleeping badly. This can be a variety of things, but you’ll want to rule out:

teething
developmental leaps
nutrition changes (needing more food or calories)
daily routine needs tweaking

7 months is a great time to do a more formal sleep intervention if you need to as well.

Want Printables to hang up?

If you want routines and schedules for not only the 6 to 9 month age, but for the 12 month, 18 month, and on I’ve got great news. I’ve created a book chock full of routines that work.

Routines that keep babies well rested, happy, and content. Routines that account for all the things you need to do and they are mom tested. The best part?

The book comes with printable routines (3 choices for each age) that you can hang up and use!

So instead of having to reinvent the wheel every few months, you’ll have tried and true mom tested routines right at your fingertips.

What time should a 7 month old go to bed?

7-month-olds should go to bed by 8 p.m. at the latest, and on average go to bed around 7:00 p.m.

If your baby is still taking a late afternoon or early evening cat nap, this will be easy to manage. Contrary to what you might think, the earlier a baby goes to bed the better they sleep all night.

What should my 7 month old wear to bed?

By 7 months of age babies should no longer be swaddled to sleep. Since they can roll over and move, you want them to be able to do so.

However, you don’t want them to attempting crawling out of the crib, so appropriate to the season layers are good, plus a sleeping bag on top to keep their legs in!

Is my 7 month old hungry at night?

7 months of age can bring about some sleep regressions. One main cause of this is that 7-month-olds are hungry and in need of ample solids to keep their tummies filled.

If they aren’t yet eating enough solids or don’t have enough appropriate protein in their diet, they’ll be genuinely hungry at night. They will need more milk feeds to get them through. Answer? Feed more during the day!

Can you let a 7 month old cry it out?

Cry it out is a form of sleep training that quickly helps. Babies learn to self-soothe, settle, and re-settle on their own. It is age appropriate by 7 months if you choose to use it.

Sources:

What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

Is your baby feeding every hour and not napping or sleeping well? Here’s how you can handle when your little one nurses nonstop. The key is determining if your baby is going through a growth spurt, is actually hungry, or is simply too tired to eat well, and then too hungry to sleep well. This post will teach you to get out of the habit of feeding your newborn baby every hour so they never end up napping or sleeping well.

First let me say, mama, that the newborn period can be rough.

You feel like you were a normal human just a few short weeks ago and now, well, you’re a walking milk producer and baby just won’t settle.

You’re exhausted, weary, and ready for your newborn to sleep.

➡️ The good news is this: with a few tweaks you can stop feeding every hour.

Here’s why your baby feeds every hour

If your baby feeds every hour, they are “snacking.”

Snacking means they are drinking enough fore milk (the less nutrient dense milk that lets down first) that they are filled up enough to doze off in mama’s arms.

Or, some babies, will stop feeding after a few minutes and just stare up at you with those Big Newborn Eyes👼.

Either case… baby is snacking instead of taking a full feed.

Read These While You’re At It

Breastfeeding Schedule By Month — Birth to 1 Year Of Age!

Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

Baby’s First Year: The Ultimate Month By Month Guide

Is Sleep Training Necessary? No. Also, Yes.

How to get your baby to stop feeding every hour

If you want your baby to take full feeds, the first thing you need to do is get them on a proper newborn breastfeeding schedule.

You aren’t going to become a slave to the clock, but you’re going to stop the snacking.

Instead of cluster feeding on purpose, right now, you’re cluster feeding by accident.

How do you do that?

By only feeding baby every 2.5 to 3 hours and then, at those feeds, giving baby full feeds.

Newborns will naturally only need to feed every 2.5 to 3 hours if they’re taking full feeds each time.

If your baby has a habit of snacking, they will not be the ones to stop it, you’ll have to.

Here’s how to keep baby awake during breastfeeding

When baby feeds for 5 minutes then nods off, you’ll need to swoop in and keep baby awake.

This will help baby get as much milk in as possible and will help them to take better naps.

Rub baby’s cheek
Rub baby’s hands or feet in circular motions
Unswaddle baby (a must if you want to avoid day night confusion)
Use a wipe or wet wash cloth to rub on baby during feeds
Stop feeding and hold baby up, speaking to baby
Take baby outside or somewhere that’s a change of scenery
Make noise, get near siblings, talk to baby
Keep the lights on

Read: Is Sleep Training a Baby Bad or Dangerous? Let’s Talk Facts!

The reason baby doesn’t sleep well when they feed every hour

Your little one will likely not take good daytime naps if they are not taking full feeds.

They aren’t full enough to stay drowsy and asleep as they transition sleep cycles.

When they transition from active to passive sleep (or vice versa) if they aren’t full and are hungry, instead of just continuing the nap, they’ll become fully alert and ready to feed.

And then, because they only took a short nap, when you feed again for 5 to 10 minutes, they’ll be lulled back into a sleep.

➡️ Continuing the cycle of accidental cluster feeding and an overtired baby.

Related Reads:

How to stop the cycle and get on a good routine

The first thing you need to do is to stop baby from snacking every hour.

Encourage full feeds.

If baby is older than 6 weeks and wants to feed after one hour, consider offering a pacifier (we use these stuffed animal ones) instead.

This may help baby get back to sleep for a longer nap, and will mean the next time you feed baby will be hungry enough to eat a full feed.

Do the best you can.

Baby has been in the snacking habit and may resist the change, but eventually you’ll see that you have a far less whiny baby on your hands when they have full tummies and are well rested.

Read: 8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby And What To Do About It

How to get your newborn to nap better

After you make sure that baby has full feeds, you’ll want to work on the napping…

I encourage you to read my full post on baby sleep here – Foolproof Baby Sleep Tips — Routines, Habits & Strategies.

@amotherfarfromhome Follow for more tips like this one! #newmommas #momstrugglesbelike #tipsformom #mommingit #sahmom #parentcoach #mommingallday #newbornbabytips ♬ Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy

Here is how to approach napping with your baby:

Newborns should only be awake for around 45 to 90 minutes at a time (including feeding!) so your newborn routine and your newborn sleep schedule should have a nap after every single feed.
Don’t rock baby to sleep in your arms and then try to put him in the crib because when he transitions through the sleep cycles he’ll realize he’s not in your arms… and he’ll wake up early.
Establish a basic routine with your baby. You can follow this newborn routine here or modify it slightly.
Put your baby to sleep drowsy but awake.
Establish some wind down routines for your little one prior to nap.
Focus on cluster feeding in the late evening hours which will help baby top up and sleep better throughout the night.
Identify any sleep props your baby has (things that prevent him from transitioning and sleeping well on his own) and replace those with sleep associations.

baby in white onesie doing swaddle weaning

If baby is feeding every hour and not sleeping, comfort yourself with this!

I have worked with thousands of mothers via mentoring and my sleep classes and I want you to know that you’re not alone. Some infants will get on a routine naturally. Others simply will not.

They require more tweaking and testing to make sure both baby AND mama are doing okay in the postpartum period.

Frequent feeding is normal, but you aren’t a victim of it.

If your little one is feeding all the time and not sleeping, then you are likely also not sleeping. And sleep deprivation makes mamas crazy! So a possible solution is to start cluster feeding on purpose, not by accident.

Keep baby awake during feeds, as best as possible, and aim for full feeds. This will naturally lengthen the time between feeds to a more manageable situation. So you aren’t nap trapped 24/7.

Learn settling techniques for baby

If your baby is feeding every hour because he’s hungry, then you’ll feed him! That said, if you give a full feed then baby won’t be hungry every hour. It’s like eating a few blueberries every hour verses eating an acai bowl.

Nobody wants an acai bowl every hour.

If you know baby’s tummy is full, but baby is unsettled, you need some settling techniques up your sleeve that don’t involve feeding. Often moms get frazzled and their nerves are fried in this postpartum season. It’s totally normal.

It also means that when baby gristles, cries, or even seems slightly unsettled… that mom shoves baby on the breast to make the crying stop.

This is an excellent strategy to quiet the cries, thus settle your nerves. Temporarily. But, real comfort for a baby is meeting their present need. A tired baby is comforted by getting to sleep. A hungry baby is comforted by feeding.

A tired baby needs a nap, not necessarily a feeding. Your job is to be calm enough – even amidst some cries – to know the difference.

Recap and FAQ… How to get baby to stop feeding every hour and start sleeping

Why does my baby feed every hour?

Short answer… because you let him. Encourage baby to take full feeds and then baby won’t need to feed sooner than 2.5 or 3 hours between feeds throughout the day.

Perhaps even less at night.

Is ten minutes a full feed?

Probably not.

If baby will feed for ten minutes then nap and wake up to feed around 2.5 hours later, it might be.

My daughter fed no longer than 15 minutes per feed, but she could go 3 hours between feeds so, for her, it was a full feed.

Why does my baby want to breastfeed constantly?

If your baby wants to feed constantly, but never feeds that much, then it’s likely an association between feeding and comfort.

You can create other positive associations by cuddling, singing, rocking, baby massage, and other things that will help you to feel bonded to baby (so you can enjoy baby now!) but not be open for milk business all day.

Is feeding every hour cluster feeding?

Yes and no.

Cluster feeding is generally something a breastfeeding mother does on purpose in the late afternoon early evening period (feeding every 2 hours, say) to help give baby all the nutrients he needs so he will sleep later and longer.

Feeding every hour is more like an accidental cluster feeding and if baby isn’t having full feeds then it’s more like Comfort Nursing, not cluster feeding.

About those growth spurts…

Do babies feed every hour when they are going through a growth spurt?

If your baby is going through a growth spurt they will want to feed more often.

This helps your milk supply increase. It’s how you can know if baby is getting enough milk.

If baby is feeding every hour two and taking these feeds seriously – full feeds – then it’s likely a growth spurt or milk supply issue.

Or if baby is trying to feed every hour or two and only feeding for five minutes here or there, it’s not likely a growth spurt.

Why does my baby nurse for 5 minutes and then cry?

This could be a number of things.

Baby could have reflux or you could have hyper-lactation.

Baby could have uncomfortable gas.

Or baby could have a food sensitivity to something you’ve eaten. If this persists past a few days, I’d go in to the doctor and rule out the above causes.

Milk supply?

Why does my baby always seem hungry and never satisfied?

This could be your milk supply. Here’s how to know if baby is getting enough milk.

Could be that baby is going through a growth spurt which means baby is more hungry.

Baby might be teething and eating is not comfortable so he’s not feeding well and in pain. Try pain management for babies who are going through teething.

Why is my newborn feeding for hours on end?

Short answer: they don’t.

They may stay at the breast for a long time, but that doesn’t mean they are actively feeding.

If your baby will take a pacifier you’ll see that they will also suck at the pacifier while sleeping.

Encourage your baby to be awake for feeds and then, after 30 to 45 minutes, take baby off the breast and let them take a nap in their own crib.

Sources:

Cluster Feeding Newborns: Do’s & Dont’s (& How To Do It Right)

Are you busy with a cluster feeding newborn? Whether you are trying to feed very often to increase milk supply, or you are feeding every hour because baby seems starving, this post will help you learn the different types of cluster feeds. I’ll show you how to make sure your infant takes full feeds and avoids snacking, and how to purposefully cluster feed to get longer sleep stretches. This will help you know what to do so you’re not up all night feeding a baby every hour.

Newborns are perfectly snuggly and sweet and warm and wonderful. It’s like you are focused on being so heavily pregnant and making it to birth and then… in an instant you have a tiny person that is so perfect.

And dependent on you.

But it can be hard to survive.

If they won’t sleep well, don’t seem to be eating well, and are irritable due to gas pain, overtiredness, or even baby teething… then you can feel like you’re slowly starting to lose your mind from lack of sleep and complete world upheaval.

It’s fairly easy to go with baby’s flow… until baby’s flow is constant eating, very little sleeping, and fussiness that makes mama stressed out.

Common Phenomenon

There’s a common phenomenon with little ones… cluster feeding.

woman in chair giving baby a cluster feed

What is it?

Cluster feeding (n): A breastfeeding pattern when baby groups several feeding sessions in a short window of time. It can happen for a number of reasons (some purposeful, some not), which we’ll dive into below.

Some other names for this are topping up or tanking up (giving baby a bit more to make sure they aren’t hungry when they go to bed) or even split feeding.

Split feeding is used when you sort of divide up a feed into two so that baby gets what they need immediately, then some more again before going off into dreamland.

How babies cluster feed – 4 likely scenarios:

Baby cluster feeds at night, but not during the day.
Baby cluster feeds both day and night.
Or baby snacks all day but never takes full long feeds.
Baby cluster feeds some time in the late afternoon/early evening period (5 pm to 11 pm) on purpose.

Rules of thumb while cluster feeding your newborn

Cluster feeding can really feel difficult or confusing, but I want to assure you that these newborns days are intense yet they will pass.

And the habits you start now can create a strong foundation then fade out naturally into a mutually beneficial routine.

Remember, during this time you may find your baby log comes in handy to refer back to. You certainly don’t need to keep track of anything, but organized mamas often feel comforted by this. Knowing that baby is getting enough milk and sleep throughout the day.

Reasons cluster feeding works

So first of all, you’ll end up cluster feeding at some point in the day with your newborn.

Their tummies are tiny and they need to fill them up at regular intervals.

This is actually a good thing and you can use this feeding rhythm to your benefit in a way that means baby gets more sleep and you do too.

Read: End Baby’s Witching Hour — In 4 Simple Steps

If you are reading this, exhausted from excessive breastfeeding (which according to research is a common reason many mothers abandon breastfeeding altogether) then please know you don’t have to feed every hour around the clock to successfully breastfeed.

As a certified infant and child sleep consultant and mother of 5, I can attest to this.

Reasons Tanking Up Is Beneficial And Why Babies Do It:

Your baby gets lots of nourishment in a shorter period of time which is beneficial during the late afternoon/early evening hours when, depending on your personal stress levels, milk quality may be lower.
Baby can sleep longer stretches after cluster feeding periods.
Mom can sleep longer stretches because baby is sleeping longer stretches.
Milk supply can be kept up with regular feeding.
Cluster feeds help babies get through growth spurts by maintaining adequate milk supply.
Your baby is less likely to wake up early from a nap or night sleep due to hunger.

Read: Dreamfeed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Watch my video on an important cluster feeding issue.

Hourly feedings at night: day night confusion?

If your baby cluster feeds at night, but not during the day then sweet baby probably has some day night confusion going on.

The goal is to make those cluster feeds during daytime hours so they’re sleeping longer stretches at night.

If baby wants to nap for 4 hours during the day… well… don’t let him!

Follow my newborn sample routine or my week by week newborn schedule and do what works for you, but know that if you let baby sleep long stretches during the day he will be up more frequently at night.

Lots of lengthy daytime naps lowers baby’s sleep need. A baby only needs so much deep sleep in a 24 hour period and if he’s getting it during the day… he won’t at night.

Read: What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

8 Reasons You’ve Got A Whiny Baby (And How To Fix It!)

Sleep Little Lamb (Ages 0-5)

Moms will walk away with a step-by-step sleep plan tailored to their child’s age and needs, designed to improve sleep within 3 days to 2 weeks.

Start Now

The way forward?

Purposefully cluster feed your newborn in late afternoon and early evening and make sure baby is taking full feeds.

This means at least 10 minutes per breast if you’re nursing, often times twice that.

Read: Cocooning a Newborn & 7 Reasons Why it Can Be Good For The Family

PRO TIP

You can tell when baby is no longer actively nursing but just remaining latched on in a few ways.

First, look at the muscles on baby’s cheek. If they are nursing it will be moving up and down. Next, discern whether baby is swallowing or not.
Then, look at baby’s chin, is it moving as it does during active sucking (aka nursing).

If none of these are happening baby is likely asleep and engaging in non-nutritive sucking.

Read: How To Fix Day/Night Confusion In 3 Nights Or Less

How to stop cluster feeding at night (if you’re ready)

Whew.

Ain’t no mama want to be up every hour at night. The good news is you don’t have to be.

Even if you are feeding every hour through the night, you can shift that and begin getting longer stretches at night.

What’s the main way to stop cluster feeding at night?

Make sure baby is getting as much milk as they can throughout the day.

Don’t let baby snack while nursing. 10 minute feeds throughout the day mean baby will be up all night because baby is hungry and needs milk.

When you start giving baby full feeds throughout the day (this will mean you’ll have to do jump through some hoops to keep baby up) and baby settles into a predictable routine then they’ll sleep longer stretches at night.

Read These While You’re At It

Why You’ve Got An Angry Baby — And What To Do About It

What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)

cluster feeding baby lying on bed with pacifier and arms up

Purposefully cluster feed in the late afternoon period when the milk supply is at its lowest quality (4 pm onwards) so that baby’s tummy is as full as it can be.

This will promote deeper sleep.

Eventually, even if baby wakes frequently at night for feeds, if you are not giving long full feeds throughout the night baby will get it.

It’s super hard when your newborn is cluster feeding all night, but you will get there and it will get easier!

Read These While You’re At It

Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success

How To Get Your Newborn To Sleep Well From Day One

The Dream Feed: The Why, The How, & When To Stop

Are you feeding your newborn both day and night?

If you have a cluster feeding newborn both day and night there are only a few likely alternatives.

Milk supply is low and baby is starving.
Baby is going through a growth spurt and is starving.
Baby is only “snacking” and not taking full feeds or getting to the hindmilk rich in nutrients because he just takes a bit then stops.

The best way to help baby stop cluster feeding day and night is to determine which issue you’re having.

If it’s milk supply then continue feeding until your supply is up or supplement with formula (see a lactation expert).

Alternatively, if baby is going through a growth spurt then there’s nothing to do but wait it out and feed baby as much as possible to keep them full and get your supply up to meet the demand.

What to do if baby only “snacks”

Keep baby awake during feeds by taking off their clothes except diaper. You can also rub their feet, cheeks, or hands with a baby wipe or keep trying to stimulate them to stay awake long enough to feed. You can put them on a soft blanket or tummy time mat and let them kick in their diaper until they’ve woken up, then continue feeding.
Try not to put baby down to sleep if they fall asleep while nursing unless they just won’t wake up. Keep trying to feed baby even if it takes a bit of time so they’ll get as much as they can.

cluster feeding baby in pink onesie with strawberries and mother hugging her lying on bed

Differentiate between active nursing and non-nutritive sucking, and let baby do one but maybe not the other.
Give the baby a pacifier (the pacifier I recommend that stays in baby’s mouth) if they wake and want to nurse right after having nursed a short time ago. They might just need to satisfy the sucking urge and this will help. Also, the next time they feed after this will mean they’ll take more milk and keep your supply up. “Snacking” can contribute to a lower milk supply because baby is never emptying a breast and getting the rich milk.

Eventually by doing those things baby will stop snacking and start taking fuller feeds which will naturally result in longer times between feeds.

Read: The Ultimate Newborn Sleep Schedule: Week By Week For The Postpartum Period

How To Teach Your Children To Play On Their Own

Self-Care That Sticks

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Cluster feeding in the early evening

The prime time to have newborn cluster feeding sessions is the late afternoon early evening.

As I previously said, the milk supply can be lower in quantity and quality at this time due to the stresses of the day.

Because of this, feeding baby every 2 hours for a few hours will help keep your supply up, will keep the little one happy, and will set them up to sleep longer stretches at night.

Your evening routine might look something like this.

4:30 p.m. Nurse and nap

6:30 p.m. Nurse and catnap (or skip nap)

8:30 p.m. Nurse and bed

10:30 p.m. Dreamfeed

By purposefully cluster feeding in the right time you’ll help everyone sleep more at night while keeping your precious one topped up on milk.

Common issues postpartum moms have with cluster feeding newborns

I’m going to touch on some majorly common issues moms experience in the early months. Dive in and get ready for some serious support.

Frequent nursing demands from your newborn can wear a mama out

You love your newborn to pieces. You are going to make sure baby is nourished and safe. Of course, you want baby to be content. You also can admit that cluster feeding (particularly when baby is feeding every hour and not sleeping) can be demanding.

You may feel like you’re in a constant nap trap.
Or maybe your newborn only takes contact naps so you feel like your body is not your own.
Perhaps baby won’t take a bottle or you aren’t expressing and so nobody else *can* help.

My best advice: if you want to go with the flow during this phase then you need to surrender. If you don’t want to go with the flow, then you can create your own newborn routine and go with that flow.

Cluster feeding your newborn can lead to feelings of sleep deprivation

If you’re focusing on cluster feeding in the late afternoon early evening hours then this won’t affect your own sleep much. Unless you’re a late afternoon disco napper!

On the other hand, if you find yourself cluster feeding your newborn throughout the night then you are likely worn slam out. Tired like you were forced to do a HIIT workout with baby strapped on then couldn’t lie down and rest after.

The true fact is this: you must have sleep to function well.

Isolate when baby seems to be cluster feeding. If it’s during the night, then focus on giving your baby full feeds and not snacking. If baby wakes up an hour after a full feed, you know it’s not hunger. The you can comfort baby back to sleep.

It’s important you know how to settle a newborn to sleep without feeding. I go into that in my guide below.

Cluster feeding, as an instinct, can lead to confusion about baby’s cues

If you automatically shove baby on the breast at every whimper or gristle you’ll rob yourself of learning baby’s cues. A tired baby is comforted by sleep. A hungry baby is comforted by being fed.

It’s a mama’s job to learn to differentiate.

Before immediately offering milk to a baby who has been fed very recently, watch and observe. Attempt comfort in other ways. You want more comfort tols under your tool belt than simply feeding. This will ring true for many months to come.

Frequent feedings can make it tough to care for older children

This is a very common refrain I hear from mamas. They are focused – of course – on making sure that their newborn is okay, but there are other children underfoot.

Toddlers and preschoolers will love baby as well, but there will be some tension if mom is always plopped on the couch feeding during their every waking hour.

Focus on full feeds throughout most of the day to avoid nursing 24/7.
Before sitting down to nurse, plan what your little ones may do near you.
Don’t resort to screen time at each nursing session, particularly if you are nursing in clusters all day (this will be way too much screen time!)

Read These While You’re At It

Why Kids Need Independent Play Time Daily — And How To Start

An Easy Peasy 2-Year-Old Routine That Works Every Time

An 18 Month Routine for Energetic Toddlers

A Sample 4 Year Old Schedule To Keep Your Little One Happy

Make sure you are feeling supported and not alone

The newborn period can feel super isolating. Many moms despair surviving it. To put it bluntly. One thing that can lead to these feelings is that everything feels pointless. Constant cluster feeding can contribute to a sense of helplessness and powerlessness.

Why go out? I’ll just need to feed in the line, at the table, in the car, etc.

Why go to church? Baby will just cry.

It is true that these early weeks and months require a lot of hands-on attention and focus. But even so, it’s important that you reach out and take advantage of support. If you are constantly nursing your baby and feel nobody else can do that for you, then get them to help with other things.

Get a mother’s helper to help with chores.
Let others watch baby while you shower or do self-care.
Get out of the house even if it’s just to go outside!
Don’t nurse fears or worries. Talk to someone who is an expert.
Baby won’t sleep? Learn to settle without feeding. Anybody can do this (your mom, your MIL, the nanny, babysitter, or older sibling, etc.)