When Do Breastfed Babies Sleep Through the Night?

Breastfeeding provides unparalleled bonding time with your baby. However, there comes a time in all new mothers' lives when the desire for a full night of sleep overcomes the desire to hold and snuggle this miraculous little life.

The Early Weeks

Newborns are growing rapidly and need to be fed every couple of hours; this includes during the night. Although newborns sleep up to 18 hours a day in their first month, it is rare for them to sleep for longer than four hours at a time. This means that you will be up around the clock, nursing and soothing your baby. Dr. Sears, the attachment parenting expert and breastfeeding advocate, recommends feeding on demand and carrying your baby in a sling during the day to maintain a restful atmosphere, which will in turn promote better nighttime sleep.

From 3 Months

By about 3 months old, your baby will be more organized. He will likely be more alert during the day and sleepier (most of the time), at night. Some lucky mothers will begin to get more sleep at this point, although many will not. Your baby may only wake twice in the night to nurse, but his "night" may begin at 7:00 p.m. and end at 5:00 a.m. Hardly the ideal schedule for an exhausted new mother. If you choose to co-sleep with your baby, he may settle back to sleep more easily after nursing, leaving you less tired. This doesn't work for all babies; some become all-night customers at the breastfeeding buffet if they share mommy's bed, so don't feel obligated to co-sleep if it doesn't work for you.

From 6 Months

Finally, some relief is in sight. As your baby gets older, his sleep cycles will get longer and he will sleep more deeply. He may still wake once or twice in the night to nurse, but he will most likely achieve the milestone of sleeping through the night, at least as doctors define it: a five-hour stretch of sleep. Some babies begin to sleep for longer periods at this time because they have begun to supplement breastfeeding with small portions of solid foods, like rice cereal and pureed bananas. But don't overfeed your baby in the quest to make him sleep longer; he's more likely to end up with a stomachache and some very messy diapers for you to change at 3:00 a.m.