Practical Newborn & Baby Nighttime Feeding Schedules

Navigating nighttime feedings with a newborn can feel overwhelming, especially when sleep is already in short supply. A gentle, consistent feeding schedule can help you meet your baby’s nutritional needs while encouraging better rest for the whole family.

Understanding how often newborns need to eat at night and when you can expect longer stretches of sleep will make those late night wake-ups more manageable. I know this all too well as a mom of 3, including twins. That’s why I’m sharing a sample newborn nighttime feeding schedule and what feeds will look like at night as your baby gets older. Finally, don’t leave before you read up on some genius nighttime feeding hacks too.

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Sample Newborn Nighttime Feeding Schedule

The thing with newborn babies is they don’t let you get much sleep because they need to eat every 1-2.5 hours! The time between feeds will change slightly each time too. For example, your baby might feed 1.5 hours after their last feed, and then for the next feed it’s 2.5 hours.

Whether you little one is drinking breastmilk or formula will have an impact on the time between feeds too. Formula fills those tummies a little bit more, which means the time between feeds for a formula feeding baby is typically a little bit longer.

With those things in mind, you can expect a newborn baby to wake up for a feeding about 2-3 times per night. Here is a sample newborn nighttime feeding schedule, to give you an idea of what to expect.

The sample schedule above is a good example for a baby drinking breastmilk. The good news is your baby might not wake up for all the feeds shown above, which is okay. And if you are formula feeding your baby, you can expect one less feeding than the schedule shown above.

Also keep in mind, you can adjust bedtime from the sample schedule above to what works for your baby and your schedule. The approximate wake times would be adjusted accordingly as well. As a reminder, this is just a sample schedule, your baby’s schedule will not look exactly like this and can fluctuate from day to day.

Related: Sample Newborn Breastfeeding Schedule & Sample Newborn Formula Feeding Schedule

Baby Nighttime Feeding Schedule Beyond the Newborn Stage

The newborn nighttime feeding schedule above is quite demanding. But, you can take comfort in knowing it is a temporary stage in life.

By 3 months old, your baby should be sleeping much more at night and might be able to sleep a full 8-12 hours through the night without feeding. But don’t be surprised if your little wakes up 1 or maybe 2 times at night to feed.

As your baby moves toward the 6 month mark, he or she should be able to go the entire night without a feed. Now every baby is different, so if that’s not the case don’t freak out. Additionally, as your baby grows he or she will have growth spurts, so they might need to eat in the middle of the night all of a sudden for a short period of time.

Finally, at 6 months your baby is old enough to start sleep training. If you are having problems with your baby waking up out of habit, that might be what they need instead of a feeding session.

Nighttime Feeding Strategy Tips

Now that you understand what your baby’s nighttime feeding schedule will look like, let’s go over some tips to help make those night feeds as efficient as possible.

1 – Feed Right Before Bed

You might have noticed the first step of the newborn nighttime feeding schedule is a nighttime feed. I recommend feeding your baby about 30 min before bedtime.

Then, when that is complete to do a quick baby bedtime routine and put your little one down for the night. You want to put your baby to sleep on as full of a stomach as possible, so they will sleep in a longer stretch before waking up due to hunger.

2 – Keep Things Dark & Quiet

When your baby does wake up in the middle of the night to eat, make sure to keep the lights dim and stay quiet. This will give cues to your baby that it is still time to be asleep. Hopefully they will nurse or drink a bottle and you can put them right back to bed.

Related: What To Do When Your Newborn is Wide Awake at Night

3 – Keep Your Baby Swaddled During Feeding

If you don’t need to change your baby’s diaper, you can try to feed them while still swaddled. I was able to do this and even would still burp my babies while swaddled.

Test it out and see if it works for you too. If it does, great, because it will keep your newborn cozy and allow them to go back to sleep with ease.

4 – Do Feeds & Diaper Changes From Your Bed

With the right equipment and setup on your nightstand, you can coordinate doing all your night feeds and diaper changes pretty much without leaving your bed. Check out how to do this in this article on preparing bottles for night feeds.

5 – Have a Nursing Pillow Beside Your Bed (If Breastfeeding)

If you are breastfeeding, it will be very beneficial to keep a nursing pillow next to your bed. I found the Boppy nursing pillow the easiest and best for nursing in bed because you can easily slide it on and off your belly.

6 – Have a Bottle Feeding Station on Your Nightstand (If Bottle Feeding)

Each night bring all the supplies you will need and set them up on your nightstand. I will again direct to you to my post on how to prepare bottles for night feeds to see what you will need and how to do it.

7 – Keep Track of Feeds

If you have been advised to wake your newborn to feed them because they are not eating enough (this is not uncommon), then keeping track of feeds including the amount ate or time nursed can be very beneficial. You can use this printable Baby Feeding Tracker or this printable Breastfeeding Tracker to see what your baby has eaten from day to day.

Understanding what a newborn nighttime feeding schedule looks like can make those early weeks a little smoother for both baby and parents.

By focusing on a typical newborn schedule and making night feeds efficient, you’ll help support healthy growth while also finding a rhythm that works for your family. Remember, every baby is unique, what works for one may not work for another.

Be patient with yourself, adjust as needed, and don’t hesitate to seek guidance from your pediatrician if you have concerns. With time, both you and your baby will settle into more restful nights and a routine that feels manageable. Good luck!