Skip to content 
In the first weeks, babies need to be fed every 2-3 hours to meet their needs. It is very important when the little ones reach two years of age, exceed their weight, and continue to gain weight for one day during the first 6-8 weeks (for more information, see the book Moms on Call Basic Baby Care. When these signs are met, we can go to the food we need at night, so that we can change and relax.
What does this mean? We can only wait for him to wake up! One thing to remember is that we all wake up every three hours, so this does not necessarily mean starvation. When the baby wakes up, try waiting a minute or two, put it down (see Moms on Call Soothing Technique ), check the swaddle or try the paci, then feed.
How Many Midnight Meals to Expect:
- Weeks 2-4: 2 feeds most nights
- Weeks 4-8: 2 feedings most nights and one feeding night
- Weeks 8-10: 1 feed many nights without food
- Weeks 10-12: Starting to get more nights without feeding
The above information is for babies who follow Moms on Call. Your experience may be different if a different method or no method at all is being used, and that’s okay! YOU are the best decision maker for your child and family!
Midnight Feeding Method:
2 weeks to 3 months, midnight feeding is what we call “more business.” Try to minimize distractions.
- Turn off the white noise of food
- An ordinary child
- Feed well
- Change their diaper
- Wash them back
- Our swaddle blanket was designed with our no-fail swaddle technique in mind!
- Cuddling babies is an important step to getting them to sleep!
- Only children under 12 years and 12 weeks old should be swaddled.
- A baby can suckle a little at the breast or a bottle (3-5 minutes!)
- Put it back on when you sleep
- The white noise is back
-
Here are our favorite sound machines and why!
-
- Turn it off!
Midnight feedings can be both exhausting and fun! Our level of success as parents is not defined by how we feed, whether our little one sleeps through the night, or whether we follow a strict routine. It is all about overflowing love that encompasses all events. So, remember that you are an amazing parent, regardless of whether you have to feed three times a night or zero!
For more information on getting the whole family to sleep, visit the informational section of our blog, “Back to Sleep.”
Moms on Call offers simple, intuitive parenting tips to help sleep, feed, laugh, and love birth through infancy. You can find tips like these and more in our books and Online Video Tutorials for 0-6 months, where we cover everything from eating and sleeping to planning the transition and typical days for each stage.
Need personal help?
With every Mom at Call Consulting, we have one goal in mind, giving you the confidence you need to be a better parent yours child. Book your consultation with one of our Premier Certified Moms on Call Consultants!