What is the maximum amount of time that a baby can go without eating? In light of the many contradictory pieces of advice regarding feeding frequency, it can be very confusing. According to some sources, a baby can sleep through the night by the time they have doubled their weight. You will learn more about this topic in this post so you can make the right decision for your family and your baby.
How Much Sleep Do Babies Need?
Babies’ sleep needs are vital to their development. A newborn’s sleep pattern is more erratic, and they will gradually develop a schedule as they get older. Approximately 14 to 17 hours of sleep are recommended for newborns (0-3 months) and 12 to 15 hours are recommended for young babies (3-11 months).
Nighttime sleep as well as daytime naps are included in this recommendation. In the first few weeks of life, babies wake frequently for feedings, and they may sleep up to three hours between feedings. As they grow, their sleep needs will lessen, and they will begin to consolidate their nighttime sleep. Dr. Nethersole notes that the timing of this occurs at different times. “Most babies can sleep six to eight hours at night when they are about three months old, but some accomplish this much sooner, some as early as six to eight weeks.”
How Should Babies Sleep?
Some parents choose to share a room during the first few weeks of a child’s life. You can place your baby’s crib, portable crib, play yard, or bassinet in your own bedroom rather than in a separate nursery. The baby can be fed, comforted, and monitored at night while kept nearby. Room-sharing without bed-sharing is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Even though room-sharing is safe, putting your infant to sleep in the same bed with you is not. Sleeping in the same bed increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and other sleep-related deaths.
Make sure your baby has a safe sleeping environment by following these tips:
You need to always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, not on the stomach or side. SIDS rates have greatly decreased since the AAP introduced this recommendation in 1992.
Make sure the sleep surface is firm. Make sure the sheet fits snugly over the mattress. Be sure your crib, bassinet, or play yard meets current safety standards.
Do not place anything else in the crib or bassinet. Baby’s sleep area shouldn’t contain plush toys, pillows, blankets, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, or bumper pads.
Try to avoid overheating. Be sure to dress your infant for the room temperature and avoid overbundling. Look for signs of overheating, such as sweating or feeling hot.
Don’t let your baby be around smokers. Secondhand smoke can cause SIDS.
Give your baby a pacifier when he or she is sleeping. However, if your baby rejects the pacifier, don’t force him to use it. Pacifiers that fall out during sleep do not need to be replaced. Breastfeeding mothers should wait until breastfeeding is firmly established before replacing pacifiers.
How Long Can My Baby Go Without a Feed?
It is usually okay for newborns to go about two and a half hours between feedings. It gradually extends until about six months, when babies can go four hours without a feed during the day and sleep all night without one. However, some smaller babies might require another feeding at night.
You can let your baby wake you up when he or she is hungry at night once your pediatrician gives you the okay. About 5 weeks into your baby’s life, you can expect them to sleep about an hour per week. Therefore, a 5-week-old may be able to go five hours, a 6-week-old may be able to go six hours, etc. The amount of time your baby goes between feeds will vary from baby to baby, but you should gradually see an increase. You might want to nudge your baby along if you don’t see this happening naturally.
Father of four home schooling kids.