Is My Baby Waking From Hunger?
As parents and caregivers, we are all willing to do whatever it takes to make sure our babies are nourished and loved. But one thing I have learned through my own journey of motherhood is that children are unimaginably clever and they find ways to get what they want and will repeat relentlessly!
This is instinctual for them. They know exactly what they like, and at a young age, most of the time they like mom. A lot.
As in all mom, all the time. Too much is never enough! And since babies only have one main method of communicating, they may let everyone know they don’t like when mom isn’t around.
But we all know babies don’t cry strictly because they want mom. They may cry because they are uncomfortable, their diaper is dirty, they are too hot or too cold, and because they are hungry.
So when they wake in the middle of the night and start crying, it’s not always easy to tell if they need to eat or if they just really missed seeing mom.
Now I’m not trying to tell you that you shouldn’t respond to your baby’s crying. You know your baby better than anyone else in the world and I’m sure you can tell when something needs attention based on how loud, how long, or what sound you may hear. But having said that, if your baby is waking up 7-8 times each night insisting that you come rock her back to sleep, that has a serious impact on everyone’s sleep!
Many babies develop a dependency on nursing, rocking, sucking, etc. in order to fall asleep so just know you are not alone!
So let’s tackle it, here are a few things to consider while you’re trying to figure out this parental puzzle:
Is baby under 6 months of age?
Up until the 6-month mark, babies may need at least one nighttime feed. Their stomachs are small and most haven’t started solids yet so there is a good chance they aren’t quite ready to go 11-12 hours without eating yet.
But obviously this isn’t the case for all babies. Some sleep through the night without a feed from a very early age and eat their hearts out during the day!
Is baby eating enough during the day?
Once your baby is able to sleep all night without a feed, you need to make sure they are getting all the calories they need during the day. The best way to make this shift is to throw in an extra feed during the day or add an ounce or two to each bottle throughout the day. You can expect your baby to adjust to this change over a night or two once they start taking in those additional calories during the day instead of at night.
Around 6 months is a great time to think about introducing solid foods as well! Morning or early afternoons tend to be the best time of day for this – not only do you have plenty of time to observe any reactions, but babies also tend to be pretty tired later in the day so dinner/evening solid attempts aren’t always well accepted.
**Super important reminder** Before you attempt any changes to your baby’s feeding schedule, it’s a great idea to speak with your pediatrician. Nighttime sleep is awesome, but calories for your growing child are essential. If your little one is underweight or not growing as they should be, it’s probably not the best time to wean night feedings.
Is baby falling asleep quickly once fed?
This scenario may sound familiar: baby starts crying about 45 min after you put them down, you go in and offer a feed which is eagerly accepted, takes a few glugs, them promptly passes back out.
If this happened frequently, it’s a good sign your baby’s “feeding” was for comfort instead of hunger. Babies who are genuinely hungry tend to eat until they are full, whereas those looking for comfort drift off quickly once they’ve gotten what they’re looking for.
Does baby sleep for a long stretch after a feeding?
If baby takes a full feed at night, they should be able to sleep for at least 3-4 hours afterwards. An average sleep cycle for babies around 6 months is 45 min - 1 hour, so if they are waking around that time frame after they eat, it’s likely they are dependent on the sucking and soothing actions to get to sleep.
Will they go back to sleep without a feed?
Falling asleep when hungry is tough, regardless of age. Your brain recognizes hunger as a priority and will try to stay alert until that need is met, or you are exhausted enough that the need for sleep overrides the need to eat.
So, if your baby truly is hungry, they usually won’t go back to sleep very easily until they’ve been fed. If they nod off after five or ten minutes of fussing, it’s a pretty good sign they were just looking for some help getting back to sleep and not actually needing a feed.
Does baby fall asleep independently?
And here’s the biggest one! Can your baby fall asleep on their own?
If you can lay your baby down when they are still awake, leave the room, and have baby fall asleep without any help from you or outside assistance, then those nighttime cries are far more likely to mean she needs a hand with something when they wake crying at night.
Determining whether your baby’s hungry at night is a complicated situation! Calories are vital but so is sleep so we end up feeling paralyzed trying to balance the importance of the two. Solving this puzzle is immeasurably easier once you’ve taught your baby the skills they need to fall asleep on their own. Once the habit of feeding to sleep is broken, you can feel more confident that their requests for feeds are out of necessity rather than just wanting some snuggles when everyone needs to be sleeping.
As always, if you are looking for some guidance to help teach your child those essential sleep skills, I’ve got you covered!
