Baby nighttime feeding schedule

Baby Night Feedings By Age

Home / Sleep Training / Baby Night Feedings By Age – An Easy Reference Chart from The Baby Sleep Site®

by Emily DeJeu in Sleep Training —
Last Updated: May 30, 2022

If your baby is waking at night to eat a lot, you might naturally start asking if they are actually hungry. How many baby night feedings by age are appropriate? Here are common questions:

“How many times should be my baby be eating at night?”
“Is it time for me to night-wean, or are his night feedings still necessary?”
“I feel like my baby is up all night eating – is this normal?!”

These are questions we hear just about every day around here – and we thought it was high time we gave you a new resource to help you answer questions like these! But this isn’t just any regular blog article – no, today, we’re bringing you another awesome chart!. A few months ago, we brought you a baby/toddler bedtime by age chart, and your response was overwhelming – that’s now one of the most popular articles on our site!

So, since it’s clear you love reference charts (and we don’t blame you!), how about another one? This time, we’re taking a look at night feedings by age. What’s the standard at each age? How does “standard” vary based on whether you breastfeed or bottle-feed? Is your baby feeding too much for her age, or are her night feedings in line with what healthcare providers consider normal? Read on and find out so you can decide when night weaning may be appropriate!

Baby Night Feedings By Age – REFERENCE Chart

The content of today’s chart was created by Miriam Chickering, who is a mom of 6, an experienced sleep and lactation consultant and a labor and delivery nurse with years of experience. So to say she knows a thing or two about baby feeding would be an understatement! Let’s take a look at what she advises are standard baby night feedings, broken down by age.

Baby Night Feedings By Age*

Age	Breastfed Totals Per Night**	Formula-Fed Totals Per Night**	Notes
0-2 months	3-5 feedings per night	2-4 feedings per night	Remember, newborns need to eat around the clock – newborns should not go more than 4 hours between feedings (preferably no more than 3 hours).
3-4 months	3-4 feedings per night	2-3 feedings per night	Watch out for the 4 month sleep regression – if your baby is suddenly more wakeful, it may have less to do with a need for food and more to do with changing sleep patterns!
5-6 months	1-3 feedings per night	1-2 feedings per night	As you can see by the numbers, most babies are starting to consolidate their night feedings at this time, as well as consolidating their sleep. By this age, most babies are sleeping less during the day and getting one nice, long stretch of sleep at night.
7-9 months	0-3 feedings per night	0-1 feeding(s) per night	We find that most formula-fed babies are done feeding at night by this point, or are starting to night-wean. We usually recommend for ALL babies (both breast and bottle) an attempt at night-weaning here, if you feel comfortable with it.
10-12 months	0-2 feedings per night	0-1 feeding(s) per night	Formula-fed babies are almost always done feeding by 12 months. If your breaastfed baby is still feeding at night by 10 or 11 months, this is perfectly fine – but try to consolidate it to one feeding, if possible.

*These night feedings are considered standard, but they also assume that baby is healthy, is gaining weight properly, has no food allergies or medical concerns, etc. What’s normal for your baby may look a bit different, based on unique factors. As always, if you have doubts about your baby’s feeding patterns, please speak with your healthcare provider, as they are the best resource for feeding concerns.

**”Night” in this chart refers to a 12-hour period of time.

Does this chart give you some encouragement? I hope so – look at those wide ranges of what’s considered normal and standard!

What About Toddlers?

Now, we don’t get into toddler territory with this chart, simply because the vast majority of toddlers do not need to feed at night in order to grow properly. While breast milk and formula are still great for toddlers to consume, they can generally get what they need during daylight hours.

For even more night weaning and night feeding resources, check out these special members-only resources in our VIP members Area:

The 3-Step System To Better Baby Sleep (members enjoy unlimited access to this e-book)
Night-Weaning Mini-Action Plan (MAP^™) (step-by-step action plan for VIPs to night-wean fast!)
Night Weaning: How To and Common Pitfalls (tele-seminar featuring Nicole Johnson)
Breastfeeding and Sleep Training (tele-seminar, featuring Miriam Chickering)
How Fixed and Fluid Feeding Schedules Can Help You Night Wean (step-by-step night weaning plans)
Is My Baby Ready To Night Wean? (quiz)

Need Night-Feeding Help From An Expert? Look No Further!

It’s all well and good to know what’s standard when it comes to night feedings – but what if your baby is far from the standard? Maybe your baby is up all night, and you know it’s not because she needs to eat. Or maybe your toddler is still waking to feed at night, even though you’re certain he could drop that 1 a.m. feeding. How can you help your baby or toddler sleep well while still ensuring that he’s getting enough nourishment at night? Our team of expert consultants can help you do just that! Connect with a consultant, and she’ll craft a customized sleep coaching plan, as well as a personalized day and night feeding schedule, just for your baby.

Browse our list of consultation package options here.

Once you make your choice and purchase, you will immediately receive an e-mail with your Helpdesk login information. You’ll be able to log in and start your Sleep History form right away – it’s that simple!

Want more information about how personalized help works? Check out our FAQ page here, and get answers.

The Baby Sleep Site® is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other product affiliate programs. If you click on a product link and make a purchase, The Baby Sleep Site® may (but not always) receive a small commission from the company selling the product, but will not affect your purchase price. We only recommend products that we believe are quality products and are good for our readers.

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

If you are tired of wading through stacks of baby sleep books that just aren't working, if you are beyond exhausted and just can't solve your child's sleep problems on your own...then personalized sleep consulting is for you. We have been around since 2008 and invite you to tap into our MANY years of experience. Our team of expert consultants will create a Personalized Sleep Plan^® just for your family and then support you through every step of implementing your plan. We encourage you to consider our personalized, one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultation packages if you want to see real, meaningful results now. Your consultation package also includes ample follow-up help, designed to help you troubleshoot problems and tweak your plan as needed.

Learn More About Services

For those persistent nighttime struggles, check out The 3 Step System to Help Your Baby Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your baby sleep through the night.

Learn More About The 3-Step System

If you’re looking for ways to get your baby or toddler into a healthy sleeping routine during the day, explore Mastering Naps and Schedules, a comprehensive guide to napping routines, nap transitions, and all the other important “how-tos” of good baby sleep. With over 45 sample sleep schedules and worksheets, Mastering Naps and Schedules is a hands-on tool ideal for any parenting style.

Learn More About Mastering Naps

For those persistent toddler sleep struggles, check out The 5 Step System to Help Your Toddler Sleep. Using the same unique approach and practical tools for success, this e-book helps you and your toddler sleep through the night and enjoy a better daytime schedule.

Learn More About The 5-Step System

Join our VIP Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, expert advice, and more. As a VIP member, you'll also enjoy a weekly chat with an expert sleep consultant.

Learn More About VIP Membership

In over 10 years, we have over 10,000 comments on our blog.

At this time, we’ve turned the comment sections off. We would, of course, love to hear from you! For help with your specific sleep problems, please learn more about our DIY resources or our sleep consultation services. Or, consider emailing us for a fast and helpful response!

Baby Sleep and Feeding Schedules By Age

The proper baby sleep schedule can help your baby sleep better at night and take better naps. This page has sample sleep schedules including feedings for babies and toddlers at different ages. As a sleep consultant for over 10 years, it’s important for you to know there is no one-size-fits-all schedule that works for every baby. Use these as a guideline to find the right schedule for your baby!

What Age Can You Put Your Baby on a Schedule?

You can put your baby on a sleep schedule almost from birth but it’s important not to be too strict until your baby is at least 6 months old. Newborns need to eat and sleep on demand to support a rapid period of growth and development. Once your baby can tolerate staying awake for 2-3 hours at a time, a more consistent schedule can be used.

Even if your baby is young, you can put your baby on a schedule largely based on their “nap gap.” This is the amount of time between sleep periods, including the time between naps and between their last nap and bedtime.

Sample Baby Sleep and Feeding Schedules By Age

Here is a list of our free sample baby sleep and feeding schedules, for your convenience. We strongly recommend you bookmark this page; both the sample schedules below, and the customized schedules you can generate using our simple custom sleep schedule maker (see next section for details) will grow with your child, and will be useful for a long time to come.

Keep in mind that newborn schedules are generally much more variable than older children’s schedules. A baby doesn’t really get on a clock-based schedule until 6 months old, on average, though some are naturally more predictable than others. Some older babies and toddlers can struggle with schedules that are too rigid to the clock, so you will want to use what you know best about your own baby or toddler to adjust your schedule to fit his or her personality and temperament. If you need help with a personalized sleep and feeding schedule, we can help you there, too!

Newborn Schedules

Newborns need between 14 and 17 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period and can stay awake 1-2 hours at a time, on average. An early bedtime doesn’t form until around 8-12 weeks old, on average. Before then, you will want to keep bedtime later around 9 or 10 p.m. like yours. Otherwise, your baby might start the day too early.

Newborn Day / Night Confusion Explained
Newborn Sleep Patterns, Growth Spurts, and Schedules Up to 8 Weeks Old
Newborn Schedules By Week Up To 16 Weeks Old
2 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule and Development
3 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule and Development
Eat-Play-Sleep: Pros and Cons
>How to Get My 2, 3, or 4 Week Old To Sleep

You may also be interested in…

When Can I Put My Baby on a Schedule?

How To Put Your Baby On a Nap / Sleep Schedule

Feed on Schedule or Feed on Demand?

Baby Schedules

Babies 4 to 10 months old need an average of 14 hours of sleep a day with 11-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. Many babies night-wean in this age range but it varies depending on whether you’re breastfeeding or formula-feeding. Each schedule below will discuss what to expect for babies at that age.

4 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
5 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
6 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
7 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
8 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
9 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
10 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule

You may also be interested in…

Wake Windows By Age Chart

Night Feedings by Age and When Do You Night-Wean?

Schedules for Breastfeeding and Formula-Fed Babies

How Rigid Should Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule Be?

Toddler Schedules

Toddlers need 13-14 hours of sleep a day with 10-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day. The average age to transition to one nap is 15-18 months old though quite a few 13-14-month-olds will, too. And, the average age to stop napping is 3-4 years old.

11 Month Old Baby Sleep Schedule
12 Month Old / 1 Year Old Toddler Sleep Schedule
Why Not All 12 Month Olds Transition To One Nap
When Do Babies Drop to One Nap? 5 Signs to See Before Switching
Toddler Sleep Schedules By Month — From 12 Months to 3 Years Old
3 Signs Your Toddler Is Ready To Stop Napping

Custom Baby and Toddler Sleep Schedule Maker

Use our schedule maker to get a custom sleep schedule that’s based on your child’s age and usual morning wake-up time! Use this in combination with our sample schedules above to create the perfect schedule for your little one. With an age range that spans 4 months to 3+ years, this schedule maker is one you will want to come back to again and again as your child grows!

Click here to get your custom baby sleep schedule.

You may also be interested in…

Schedules for Breastfeeding and Formula-Fed Babies

How Rigid Should Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule Be?

Sibling Series Part 2: Juggling Different Baby and Toddler Sleep Schedules

Sibling Series, Part 3: How To Maintain Twins and Multiples Sleep and Feeding Schedules

Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

If you are tired of wading through stacks of baby sleep books that just aren’t working, if you are beyond exhausted and just can’t solve your child’s sleep problems on your own…than personalized sleep consulting is for you. Our team of expert consultants will create a Personalized Sleep Plan^® just for your family and then support you through every step of implementing your plan. We encourage you to consider our personalized, one-on-one baby and toddler sleep consultation packages if you want to see real, meaningful results now. Your consultation package also includes ample follow-up help, designed to help you troubleshoot problems and tweak your plan as needed.

Looking for budget-friendly custom sleep help? Enjoy customized sleep help that works without breaking the bank! Our Express Sleep Plan^® is customized to fit your baby’s unique sleep needs and to work with your parenting style and goals, and it’s also priced to work for even the tightest budgets. It’s also available instantly – just complete a brief questionnaire, submit your answers, and your Express Sleep Plan^® is ready to download in moments! Grab your Express Sleep Plan^® today!

Or, join our VIP Members Area packed with exclusive content and resources: e-Books, assessments, detailed case studies, ask the author, live chat with a sleep consultant, and more. It costs less to join than buying products separately!

About Nicole

Nicole Johnson is the founder and lead sleep consultant of The Baby Sleep Site^®. Since she began in 2008, and with the help of her team of sleep consultants, she has helped over 40,000 families improve their sleep. She has also held a position on the board of the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants (IACSC) since 2015. Millions of visitors land on The Baby Sleep Site each year, and Nicole and her team are here to find solutions for your family’s sleep problems that will match your baby’s temperament and your parenting style.

Learn More

Daily routine for a child under 1 year old

Daily routine is a system for distributing periods of sleep and wakefulness, meals, hygiene and health procedures, activities and independent human activities throughout the day.

Compliance with a rational daily routine corresponding to the age characteristics of the child contributes to his healthy growth and development. Getting used to performing various types of activities at the same time, the child is prepared for the upcoming type of activity at every moment of time, which ensures their easier and faster implementation. Compliance with the correct daily routine provides a good mood for the child and maintains a keen interest in the study of the world around him, contributing to his normal motor and psychoverbal development.

The child's daily routine includes the following obligatory elements: diet, time spent outdoors during the day, frequency and duration of sleep, mandatory classes to develop skills in accordance with age, free time.

In the first months after birth, a healthy newborn baby sleeps for most of the day, since all external stimuli are very strong for the nervous system of a child, accustomed to a cozy intrauterine environment, and cause its rapid exhaustion. As the child grows older, the duration of sleep gradually decreases and the time of wakefulness increases.

Age	Daytime sleep mode	Night sleep	Wake mode
From birth to 2 months	6 x 2. 5 hours	6 hours	During feeding
2-4 months	5 times 2-2.5 hours	6.5 hours	4 x 1.5 hours
4-6 months	4-5 times for 2 hours	7 hours	4 times 2 hours
6-9 months	3-4 times for 1.5-2 hours	8 hours	4 x 2.5 hours
9-12 months	2 x 1.5-2 hours	9-10 hours	4 times for 3-4 hours

Closely related to the sleep-wake mode is the feeding mode of the baby. The sleep of a child in the first months of life is very sensitive and is easily disturbed under the influence of various extraneous stimuli, including hunger.

Age	Mode	Example
From birth to 2 months	7-8 times, every 3 hours	6,9,12,15,18,21,24 (no night feeding)
From 2 to 6 months	6-7 times, every 3. 5 hours	6, 9.30, 13, 16.30, 20, 23.30 (without night feeding) 6, 9.30, 13, 16.30, 20, 23.30, 03 (with night feeding)
From 7-12 months	5 times, every 4 hours	6,10,14,18,22

A child's stay in the fresh air is essential in the daily routine. The total duration of stay in the open air for children under 1 year of age should be at least 5-6 hours a day. Fresh air has a calming effect on the baby, improves metabolic processes, and increases the body's defenses. In the summer, all games and activities should be held outdoors; in the cold and transitional seasons, two one-time walks of 1.5-2 hours are provided.

Fresh air also has a beneficial effect on sleep. By acting on the skin and mucous membranes of the nose and upper respiratory tract, it provides a faster fall asleep of the child and a higher quality of sleep. Sleeping outside can replace a walk, especially during the cold season.

The child's daily routine is generally individual, but ideally, one should strive to ensure that the child eats after waking up, and then stays awake until the next sleep. A well-slept baby eats with appetite and then calmly and actively plays or engages, and tired of games, easily goes to sleep.

When your baby is awake, try to keep him active and cheerful. It is necessary to dress the child in loose clothing that does not hinder movement, provide access to toys appropriate for his age, and most importantly, actively participate in games and activities with the baby as a whole family.
Author - Physiotherapist - DMITRIENKO T.G.

Up to what age to feed the baby at night and how to replace formula

Baby formula is only a forced measure to replace mother's milk in the absence of sufficient lactation or underweight in the baby. In all other respects, the infant formula feeding algorithm remains the same as with breastfeeding. The baby also needs nightly feedings about every 3-4 hours. This is due to scientifically proven facts. Babies up to a year old have an accelerated metabolism, food is digested faster, and naturally, they experience hunger at night. Also, any anxiety of the baby at night forces him to demand his mother's participation, and of course - food as a sedative. There is even a theory that children are genetically woken up to eat to avoid "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome" in their sleep.

But also can't it continue indefinitely? The child grows, develops actively, from the age of 6 months receives a variety of complementary foods, and over time should form a normal daily routine. And for this you need to figure out: how to wean a child at night to eat the mixture in the most gentle ways.

Up to what age to give the mixture at night

Experts differ on this issue, but the average age when you can do without night feedings is nevertheless deduced. Infants with normal development can sleep peacefully at night without formula 10-12 hours from 9-12 months. Of course, if parents do not consider it necessary to restrict their child in nutrition, they can safely continue to feed their child at night and beyond. But they must be aware that, firstly, over time, these periods of eating become just a habit for the baby. And secondly, mothers should also think about their own well-being after sleepless nights. So, the approximate age of weaning a child from night feedings has been determined, it remains to find out how to replace the mixture for the night after a year for the first time of the transition to a new regimen.

Night formula alternative

Formula feeding formula is extremely nutritious and delicious for your baby. Therefore, the nightly replacement should be unequal, so that the baby subsequently feels that he does not need to wake up for such food. For these reasons, many mothers, thinking about how to replace the mixture for the night, use not the best products. It is strongly not recommended to use compotes or juices, because the ultimate goal is a complete and painless rejection of night food.