When can he go all night without a feeding?

When can he go all night without a feeding?

Most babies are old enough to go the entire night without a feeding by 6-months-old. Sleep starts to consolidate at about 12-weeks-old and continues to do so as your little one develops. Your child may still wake and need to be fed to return to sleep during the night when she is 6 months or older. At that point you should probably consider the possibility that your little one associates falling asleep with being fed. Sleep associations begin to develop at about 4-months-old – basically, that means she can get used to falling asleep under certain circumstances, such as being nursed or having a bottle. Then, when she wakes naturally during the night, she will probably need whatever she got used to in order to return to sleep after those natural night wakings. If that is the case, you can work on having her fall asleep without being fed at bedtime. Most of the time, babies and young children can recreate that skill overnight after natural night wakings, allowing them to sleep for longer periods without calling out for some help to return to sleep.

Know, though, that your child still may need to be fed overnight after 6 months of age if there is a significant growth issue or your healthcare provider recommends it.