Night Weaning: How and When to Drop Night Feeds

Night feeds are a normal and necessary part of early babyhood. But at some point, many parents are ready to stop, and most babies are developmentally ready to do so earlier than their habits suggest. Here is how to approach it.

Is my baby ready?

Most babies are physiologically capable of going through the night without a feed by around six months, though this varies. If your baby is gaining weight well, eating solids if appropriate for their age, and waking at consistent times that feel habitual rather than hungry, they are likely ready.

Watch for feeds where baby suckles briefly and falls back to sleep quickly. This is more about comfort than calories and is usually the easiest to drop first.

Gradual reduction

The gentlest approach to night weaning is gradual reduction over one to two weeks. For bottle-fed babies, this means reducing the volume of each night bottle by 30ml every two to three days until the feeds are no longer worth waking for.

For breastfed babies, reducing the length of each night feed by a minute or two every few days achieves the same effect.

Shortening and eliminating

Another approach is to shorten feeds until baby learns to settle without them. When baby wakes, offer the breast or bottle for a reduced period (start at the current length minus two minutes) and then settle baby back without more milk. After a few nights of this, baby often begins to settle without the feed at all.

Enlisting a partner

Having a non-feeding partner take over night settling is one of the most effective approaches, particularly for breastfed babies who associate mum with food. When dad or another partner responds to waking, there is no feed to expect, and many babies adjust within a few nights with gentle settling support.

What to use for comfort

A comforter or lovey, a soft toy or small blanket that carries the parent's scent, can become a powerful settling tool during the transition.

White noise can also help bridge the gap as baby adjusts.

Being consistent

Like all sleep transitions, consistency matters more than the specific method. Choose an approach you can stick with for at least a week and try not to change tack mid-process.