Do you sometimes feel so sleep-deprived that you don't know which way is up? Does your baby wake up every 2 hours at night, wanting to be fed or nursed? And sleeping through the night still feels like a distant dream?
Guess what: You're not alone! Only one-third of all babies sleep through the night by 12 months. And half of all parents struggle with sleep deprivation — many also report feeling completely exhausted.
Does this sound familiar? If so, keep reading. In this article, I'll share helpful tips and tricks to support you.
When Will My Baby Sleep Through the Night? – Expert Opinions
The answer to when a baby can theoretically sleep through the night varies widely among "sleep experts" and pediatricians. No wonder we parents feel so confused!
Some say babies should have doubled their birth weight. Others believe that 1–2 night feedings are perfectly normal up to 9 months. Some suggest that babies should sleep through once they eat three full solid meals per day. Most parenting books assume that babies can "learn" to sleep through the night by 6 months — but of course, that doesn't apply to all babies.
Personally, I would go with the most gentle of these recommendations, just to be on the safe side. After all, we're talking about tiny human beings who are entirely dependent on us. The goal of helping a baby sleep through the night should always be to resolve existing sleep challenges — not to deprive them of food for the sake of convenience.
YOU Know Your Baby Best
Given all these differing opinions, the logical conclusion is: Only you truly know your baby best (along with your pediatrician)! You have to decide whether your little one still needs nighttime feedings.
Is your baby waking up out of habit, or is it genuine hunger when they ask for the breast or bottle multiple times a night? Could their nighttime feedings be shifted to the daytime?
Often, it's a tricky cycle: Because the baby drinks so much at night, they don't eat enough during the day — so they're hungry again at night. If your baby, at 3–4 months old, is waking every 1–2 hours at night and mostly sucking rather than actively drinking, chances are, this is more about sleep habits than true hunger.
Studies also show that introducing solids or increasing daytime feedings does not necessarily help in these cases!
Why You Shouldn't Push for Sleeping Through the Night Before 6 Months
If your baby is not yet 6 months old, please read carefully why I strongly do not recommend sleep training at this stage:
- From my experience with my six hungry breastfed babies and my instincts, I would lean toward the later recommendation of 9–12 months. (If your baby naturally drops their night feeds earlier, that's wonderful.)
- Breastfeeding and the associated occasional nighttime waking reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This risk decreases significantly after the first 4–6 months. That's why I personally recommend waiting until at least 6 months before considering any sleep training.
- Most sleep experts believe that babies do not develop the ability to fall asleep independently and self-soothe until around 4–6 months. Before then, it is normal for babies to sometimes fall asleep on their own, but this should not be expected as the norm.
- Swaddling is a wonderful way to provide your baby with warmth, security, and a womb-like feeling of snugness. However, sleep training should never be done while a baby is swaddled, as they need the ability to self-soothe.
- Around the 4-month mark, babies go through a major developmental shift affecting their sleep and brain development. This phase can last 4–6 weeks. It's only fair to give them time to adjust before adding another challenge.
Defining "Sleeping Through the Night"
So, what does "sleeping through the night" even mean? The term is defined differently depending on who you ask. Many sleep guides consider five consecutive hours of sleep to be "sleeping through." Meaning, if a baby skips one night feeding, it's already counted as sleeping through the night.
Most parents, however, associate it with a full 10–12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. On the other hand, plenty of moms wouldn't mind a brief nursing, bottle, or cuddle break at night — if it were just that one!
The Magical — and Dreaded — 4-Month Mark
Some newborns wake every 2–3 hours right from the start. Others are so sleepy in the early weeks that they prioritize sleep over feeding and might sleep four to five hours straight at night.
Around the 4-month mark, you'll find out if you have a naturally great sleeper at home. Between 3.5 and 4.5 months, your newborn's sleep patterns undergo a permanent shift. From this point on, their sleep cycles will increasingly resemble those of an adult. This means more light sleep phases — leading to more frequent wake-ups, especially if they don't find their usual sleep aid when they stir in the middle of the night.
Plenty of babies who previously slept fairly well start having sleep issues around four months. This is a natural part of development! There will always be phases in our little ones' lives when sleep takes a sudden turn for the worse. Sleep regressions are completely normal.
In a Nutshell
Experts believe that a 4-month-old baby weighing at least 7 kg (15.4 lbs) can achieve a 5-hour stretch of uninterrupted sleep at night. Typically, this longer sleep phase occurs at the beginning of the night, after which the baby wakes up more frequently for feeding.
Like most baby sleep consultants, I believe that the vast majority of healthy babies can "learn" to sleep through the night by 6 months. Some babies still need 1–2 night feedings up until the end of their first year — especially if they're particularly hungry breastfed babies.
Please trust your instincts rather than relying solely on charts!
At a Glance: Night Weaning Readiness
| Age | Night Feeding Readiness |
|---|
| 0–4 months | Needs night feedings (some babies can sleep 3–5 hours at a stretch) |
| 5–6 months | Still needs night feedings (some babies can sleep 5–6 hours at a stretch) |
| 6–9 months | Many babies can be weaned at night (especially bottle-fed babies; most still need 1 feeding) |
| 10–12 months | The vast majority no longer need night feedings and can now be gently weaned |
| 1 year and older | No longer needs night feedings (as long as healthy and thriving) |
Based on my research, my experience, and my six babies, I find that the 9-month mark is a great guideline. From 10 months — certainly by 12 months — you can expect and gently encourage sleeping through the night. By this stage, the vast majority of babies are capable of getting their nutrition during the day and learning that nighttime is for sleeping.
Wishing you all the best and restful nights,
Sarah from Land of Little Dreamers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for a baby to wake every 2 hours?
Yes, waking every 2 hours is very common, especially in the first 6 months. Only about one third of all babies sleep through the night by 12 months, so frequent wake-ups are the norm rather than the exception. That said, "normal" doesn't mean you have to be completely exhausted — if the wake-ups are significantly impacting your wellbeing, it's worth looking at the underlying causes and finding gentle ways to improve the situation.
What causes a baby to wake every 2 hours at night?
The most common causes are genuine hunger (especially in younger babies), sleep associations (needing nursing, rocking, or a pacifier to fall back asleep between sleep cycles), overtiredness from too little daytime sleep, developmental leaps, and sleep regressions. In older babies, the waking is often more habit-driven than hunger-driven — particularly if your baby nurses frequently at night but eats little during the day.
How do I night wean a baby who wakes every 2 hours?
Night weaning works best when approached gradually and when your baby is developmentally ready — typically from around 9 months for most babies. Start by shortening nursing sessions at night rather than stopping cold turkey, and consider shifting more calories to the daytime to reduce nighttime hunger. Always make sure your baby is gaining weight well and check with your pediatrician before beginning any night weaning process.
Does an earlier bedtime help with frequent night waking?
Often, yes. It feels counterintuitive, but putting a baby to bed earlier — before they become overtired — often leads to better and longer sleep, not shorter. An overtired baby wakes more frequently and has a harder time settling back down. If your baby tends to be fussy and difficult to settle in the evenings, try moving bedtime 15 to 30 minutes earlier and observe whether night sleep improves over the following days.
At what age do babies start sleeping longer stretches?
There is a wide range of normal here. Some babies naturally consolidate their night sleep and start stretching to longer periods around 3 to 4 months. Others don't do so until well into their first year. Most sleep consultants agree that by 6 months, many healthy babies are capable of sleeping longer stretches — and by 9 to 12 months, the vast majority no longer need nighttime feedings. However, capability and actually doing it are two different things, which is where gentle sleep support can help.
