Is Your Baby Getting Enough To Eat?
Feeding Is Key To Sleep
One of the most common issues we see when it comes to babies not sleeping through the night has to do with feeding! One of the worst things we hear from parents is, “they took a 5-hour nap today without feeding.” If your baby isn’t eating during the day, it makes sense for them to be hungry at night! We like to ensure babies get enough to eat by feeding them at least every 3 hours. To adhere to this, you will wake them up to feed them when necessary. Doing so means they will be well-fed and able to sleep better through the night. Who doesn’t want that?
Feeding Every 3 Hours
Feeding every 3 hours is generally good spacing. If your baby needs to eat more often than every 3 hours, we recommend trying to feed them more during a session rather than more frequently. You can do this by taking a 5-10 minute break and then offering more or feeding for a bit longer than usual. Feeding them every 3 hours breaks down to about 5-6 feedings per day. The best way to create this routine is by implementing a bookend schedule.
Bookend Schedule
A bookend schedule means the baby starts and ends their day 12 hours apart. Choose whatever time works best for you. In our experience, parents most commonly choose 7 am-7 pm. With this schedule, your first feeding should be at 7 am, even if they ate a couple of hours before! The goal is to get them onto a predictable feeding schedule. From the moment they start their day, you should aim to feed them every 3 hours. If you get a little off track during the day, that is ok! Just make sure the last feed happens at 7 pm.
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By getting your baby on a consistent feeding schedule, you are setting them up to sleep through the night. Which ultimately means a better night’s sleep for you, too! We know that being a new parent can be overwhelming. We are here to help new parents find peace of mind and confidence. We can help YOU be the best parent you can be…positively submerged in expert support. Are you interested in learning more? Contact us here! Also, you can access our entire library of video content when you register for any of our webinars or sign up for our newsletter!