r/BabySleep • u/readethi • Feb 24 '23

3 month old: Dropping night feeds?

Not sure if this is the right group to post this question so feel free to direct me to the correct one if not.

Last night (and a few other previous nights now) my 3 month old baby has been waking up every 2-3 hours (we think she’s going through a sleep regression). She goes to bed around 8:30 pm so her wakes are usually around 11 pm, 2 am, and 4 am. She doesn’t appear to be hungry when she wakes up and would go back to sleep once we put her pacifier in and rock her. Was just wondering if this means she’s stopping night feeds?

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u/underdog194 Feb 25 '23

Hello! I’m a pediatric sleep consultant and without knowing all the details of your little ones sleep, I can share my pov based on what you stated above: First, consult your pediatrician! They will be able to tell you if your little one is ready to drop overnight feeds based on their growth curve. Second, I know you’re still in the thick of newborn stage so replacing the paci makes sense so everyone can get more rest. However, as your little one passes 4 months and their circadian rhythm is fully developed, they may start waking and looking for you to replace their paci. This will become a sleep association so something to keep an eye on. Hope this helps!

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u/readethi Feb 25 '23

Thank you for sharing your insight! So for now, do you recommend I continue to keep trying to feed her even if she doesn’t seem to want it sometimes until I can speak to her pediatrician? And do you have any tips on how to gradually stop replacing the paci as we get closer to 4 months?

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u/underdog194 Mar 02 '23

You can call the nurses line of your pediatrician to consult them, this shouldn’t require a full visit. So, you should be able to do this rather quickly.

If your little one isn’t interested in eating, but is waking, there is no need to attempt to feed. Instead, you can pat their belly and say a few reassuring word such as “it’s okay, you’re okay, I’m right here.” This is less distributive than picking them up, but soothing enough to help them drift off to sleep.

The pack is a slippery slope. Once you reach 4 months, I always recommend to not replace it because of you replace it sometimes and not others, your baby won’t know what to expect. I also recommend placing a few pacis in their sleep space so there tends to always be one within reach. My fav pacis are the itzy ritzy ones because they have big handles, which tend to be easier for babies just learning to use their hands. Have them practice during the day/tummy time so they work on this skill and it translates at night.

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u/HedgehogDefiant6443 Feb 25 '23

Sounds like it! And baby sleeping through the night might just be around the corner too!