Is it time to stop feeding to sleep? How to know when to make the shift.
In the early months of your child’s life, feeding to sleep (whether breastfeeding or the bottle) can be such a wonderful time to connect with your little one and bond with them. And let’s be honest, at times, it is the simplest way to get your little one to go to sleep for naps and bedtime and get them to stay asleep (even for those night wakings as well)!
But if you are anything like me, there comes a time when you begin to wonder if it is time to move away from feeding your baby to sleep. A simple google search will give you so much information and begin to make you question everything. Should I always feed them to sleep? Are they too old to be fed to sleep? Should I have never fed them to sleep in the first place? What is this drowsy but awake everyone is talking about? Talk about conflicting advice that can leave you overwhelmed and STRESSED out!
So, how do you know when it’s time to make the shift from feeding to sleep for naps and night wakings?
Well, momma, ultimately that decision is up to you, but here are four things we recommend considering when thinking about if it is time to make a change in this area:
1. Feeds don’t align with naptime.
Believe it or not, your baby’s nutrition plays a key role in their healthy sleep hygiene. How much your baby eats, in addition to when your baby eats, both play a role in how well your child sleeps.
At My Sweet Sleeper we recommend that your baby (4+ months) takes full feeds (4-6oz) every 3-3.5 hours. Newborns will most likely still be eating on demand.
With that being said, feeds may not always line up to the beginning of naptime as naptimes fluctuate based on your child’s awake windows and length of naps each day. If this is happening to you, it may be time to move away from feeding your baby to sleep for naptime!
2. Baby is “snacking”.
While it can seem that eating more often may be the ticket for your little one, if your baby is taking in smaller amounts more often instead of full feeds spread further out, their metabolism could be adjusting to this and causing more night wakings at night! This in turn can cause them to “snack” for those night wakings as well and you feel like you are in a never ending cycle of feedings!
If you are looking for a longer stretch at the beginning of the night, and your child is six months or younger, you can give a dream feed a try! However, if you feel like your baby is waking constantly at night and you feel like they are just snacking for those feeds, it may be time to find another way to get your little one back to sleep and focus on full feeds during the day!
3. Baby is waking on the transfer.
There is nothing more defeating than getting your baby asleep in your arms, only to have them wake as you are transferring them to the crib or shortly after. Am I right? When you find yourself in the position that your baby is falling asleep in your arms feeding, but waking every single time you transfer them to the crib, it is probably time to try a new method to get your baby to sleep as this will become frustrating for you and baby very quickly!
4. You are ready for a change.
At the end of the day momma, what works for YOU and your family is what you should do when it comes to any decision you are making for your child. If you are happy feeding your baby to sleep and that is sustainable for you and your family, then you do not have to change a thing!
However, if you are ready to make a shift for any of the reasons above, or simply just because you are ready to lay your baby down another way, then that in and of itself is a sign that it may be time to consider alternatives.
Remember at the end of the day, you know your baby best and what works for one family may not work for you and that is okay! Try not to fall into the comparison trap and make a change only when you are ready!
Related Articles:
Using stimulating activities to promote sleep.
Five ways nutrition/feeding can affect your baby’s sleep.