As Infant Sleep Specialists and Sleep Coaches, we are frequently asked about feeding as part of a baby’s bedtime routine.

Should I feed my baby to sleep?

What should I feed my baby before bed?

Can I give my baby cereal so they sleep longer?

Will giving my breastfed baby a bottle of formula help them sleep?

How much should I feed my baby before bed?

Should I feed them while they are awake or once they are asleep?

Do you recommend a dream feed?

What if my baby is eating solids?

So many important questions!

When your baby is a newborn, YES you should feed them to sleep. Newborns need to eat frequently and that includes right before they fall asleep. Newborns (and most babies) will naturally fall asleep when eating and that’s ok! We don’t sleep train small babies and we know that developmentally this is very important. We won’t feed babies to sleep forever so enjoy this precious time with your baby.

You should feed your baby breastmilk or formula before bed as part of their bedtime routine. For most babies there is no need to add anything else unless recommended by your health care provider. As they transition to toddlers and food become a larger portion of their diet, we encourage a protein rich snack to help them stay fuller longer.

Once your baby is transitioning to solids and cereal or other foods are part of their diet, yes you could incorporate that into the beginning of their bedtime routine but don’t expect it to change their sleep patterns much. Yes, it may keep them full a bit longer in the beginning, but this is often because the food is heavier and can take longer to digest. As their digestive system adjusts and this becomes their normal pattern, it may not have the continued effect.

Giving formula to a breastfed baby before bedtime in hopes that they sleep longer is not likely to work. Your baby’s body does not have to work hard to break down breastmilk and digest it. When we introduce formula into their diet, their body may initially react by taking longer to digest the formula and giving them the sensation of being fuller longer but again, as their body adjusts to their new diet, it will become more efficient at digesting the formula, and they will most likely return to their normal sleeping and waking patterns. There are other tools we can use to help babies sleep besides changing their diet.

You should feed your baby as much as they want to eat before bedtime. A full bottle feeding or nursing until they are full is recommended.

You should feed them while they are awake at bedtime. When babies are very small, feeding them at the end of their bedtime routine is recommended. As they grow, we can begin to move the last feeding before sleep to earlier in the routine until it is at the beginning. This should be a gradual transition and it is important to pay attention to how your baby is responding to this change. Your Infant Sleep Specialist or Sleep Coach is happy to help you come up with a plan.

We do talk with families about dream feeding your baby. Dream feeds can help families get more sleep and assist us in making nighttime changes for babies or help them increase their calorie intake. We don’t encourage dream feeding as part of the bedtime routine but prefer to have babies who are awake but sleepy. Have questions about dream feeds? We’re happy to help!

If your baby is eating solids but formula or breastmilk are still the majority of their diet, we suggest you give them a bottle or breastfeed as part of your bedtime routine. Once your baby transitions to solids as their primary nutrition source (close to a year), then offering a protein rich snack is encouraged including things like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, peanut butter (when appropriate), eggs, cheese, and such which can be helpful in keeping them full through the night. Your local WIC office has great ideas for protein snacks!

Have additional questions? Message us today!