Newborns need to eat around the clock to fuel their rapid growth – and that includes throughout the night. Since a hungry baby’s circadian rhythm doesn’t mature until around 3-months-old, waking in the middle night doesn’t faze them, but it sure is tough on parents!
While most newborns wake naturally to feed throughout the night, there are some situations when they sleep past their usual wake up, leaving parents wonder, “Should I wake my newborn to eat?”
This article answers those questions and more, including how long can a newborn go without eating.
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How Long Should a Newborn Sleep Without Feeding?
Newborns need to eat around-the-clock in their first weeks of life to keep up with their rapid growth. They typically will feed 8-12 times during each 24-hour period. While newborns sleep a lot, food governs sleep during this time.
A newborn should be fed on demand – that is, as soon as they show signs of hunger, such as rooting or crying. It’s typical for breastfed babies and babies drinking breast milk to be ready to feed every 2-3 hours and formula-fed babies to feed closer to every 3-4 hours. A sleep feeding schedule for newborn also should consider the periods of cluster feeding, where a baby is seemingly never full, usually around a growth spurt. This may seem like a lot, but babies often double their birth weight by around 5 months, and then triple it by their first birthday. For those who wonder when should baby be back to birth weight, usually it’s just 7 days post birth!
This super-charged growth requires lots of calories, but in the early months of life their stomach is tiny. This is why there are so many feedings spaced apart – babies can only drink so much at one time. Their stomach size is also a reason why babies won’t be able to sleep through the night until at least after the 4th trimester.
Should I Wake My Newborn to Eat?
While most babies will let you know when they’re ready for their next feedings, there may be times when your infant doesn’t wake to feed.
Typically, healthcare providers recommend a baby 3-months-old and younger eats every 2 or 3 hours (slightly more if formula-fed) and never go more than 4-5 hours at most without being woken to feed. Speak to your healthcare provider to see if you should wake them up even sooner. If your newborn slept 6 hours without feeding or more at night, you likely will be advised to wake them up.
While every baby and feeding journey is different, the answer to should you wake a newborn to breastfeed is usually the same as should you wake a newborn for a bottle, if they sleep way past their usual feed time. By the time your baby reaches 4-months, their sleep will start to consolidate more at night. This means their wake windows during the day will become longer. This is when they will have longer sleep stretches and start to wake less times throughout the night to feed.
If your newborn consistently sleeps through feedings, bring it up with your healthcare provider for personalized advice.
How to Wake Newborn to Feed? Tips for Night Feeding
Once you know how long should a newborn go without eating, knowing how to best wake them can help increase your chances they’ll fall back asleep with ease. While waking your newborn to feed during the day may require less tact, when you wake them at night to feed you ideally want them to fall back asleep afterwards.
Here are tips on how to wake infants to feed at night.
- Track Feedings: Your baby will likely need to feed around the same time each night, whether they wake on their own or not. When you track feedings and sleeps in the Smart Sleep Coach by Pampers app, you will start to notice patterns for when your baby will be ready to eat next, helping you prepare. During the day the app will notify you when it’s time for your baby’s next sleep, helping them get on a sleep schedule as early as possible.
- Be Prepared: Having everything you need to make a bottle or nurse within arm's reach can make feedings easier. While how long formula can stay out once prepared is usually within two hours of being made, if powdered (check your formula’s instructions), a fresh bottle of breastmilk can stay out up to four hours.
- Keep Lights Low: Once you gently rouse your baby, keep your voice calm and the lights low. Also, avoid talking to your newborn – the sound of your voice can stimulate them.
- Keep Diaper Changes Simple: Changing the diaper of a sleeping newborn is usually only necessary when your baby poops while sleeping. Keep lights low and consider changing them before feeding so they have an easier time falling back asleep.
- Consider Dream Feedings: Dream feedings are when you gently rouse your baby to feed them while they’re still half-asleep. Dream feeding is different from a night feeding – your newborn will wake more fully during night feedings, which is completely normal. Dream feeding is best between 2-4 months, when your baby can sleep for 2-3 hours without waking to feed but still needs food for nutrients or to keep them sleeping longer.
- Burp: After feeding, make sure to burp your newborn. If you have a gassy baby at night, or during the day, burping will help them be more comfortable for sleep.
- Consider the Moro Reflex: One of the reasons baby moves so much in their sleep and wakes when you put them in a crib is their startle reflex, which is called the Moro Reflex. After a feeding, put your baby down on their back feet first to lay them down, versus heads first, to help prevent the Moro reflex from waking them up.
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When to Stop Waking Baby to Feed Overnight
When can you stop feeding baby every 3 hours or so depends. Every baby is unique, and their feeding needs are no different. For example, when to stop feeding baby at night may depend on how well your baby is gaining weight, how many calories they intake during the day, and if they are drinking formula or breastmilk.
If your infant won't wake up to eat at night, consult with your healthcare provider about whether you can stop waking them for night feeds. Most babies will be ready to night wean somewhere between 5 and 9 months.
What Should I Do If My Baby Wakes When It’s Not a Feeding Time?
Newborn babies are usually fed on demand. They need the calories to grow and biologically aren’t on a sleep schedule.
Once your baby is around 3 or 4 months and their circadian rhythm starts to develop, they should start sleeping longer stretches at night and wake to feed on a more consistent schedule. (Try the Eat Play Sleep schedule for babies to help with this.) If your baby wakes up at night and it’s not feeding time, you can wait a moment to see if they will fall back asleep. If they are still showing signs of hunger, feed them quietly then gently return them to sleep.
If your baby is over 3 or 4-months-old and your healthcare provider told you it's time to stop feeding your baby at night, they could still wake because of unhealthy sleep habits, not hunger. If this is the case, explore the benefits of sleep training, which includes getting them used to falling asleep without relying on being fed. Take this free 3-minute sleep quiz to get a personalized plan for getting your baby to stop waking to feed overnight. Sometimes the right sleep schedule, environment, and bedtime routine is all they need!
Final Thoughts
While there may be times when your infant won’t wake up to eat, babies typically will wake throughout the night to feed for at least the first few months of their life. However, there are times when your newborn will sleep past their usual feeding time and need to be woken to feed to get the nutrients they need.
As your baby grows and eats more during each feed, and their wake windows get longer, they naturally will stop waking as often during the night.
If you're still wondering how long your newborn can go without eating or have questions on when it’s time to stop feeding overnight, speak to your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
