There has been a lot of talk lately on popular social media platforms about whether or not you should feed your baby just before putting them down for bedtime. In today’s blog, we’re going to discuss the pros and cons of doing just that. As always, give us a shout out on social or in the comments below if you have your own stories or experiences with this situation. We can’t wait to hear from you.

The Pros Of Feeding Before Bedtime

We want our babies to fall asleep quickly and soundly (and safely!) each night, but is giving them a bottle or breastfeeding them just as you are putting them down the right way to go about it? Here are some benefits to doing so.

• Can promote longer sleep durations
  • • As we grown ups can attest to, especially after Thanksgiving dinner, having a full belly can help you feel full, satisfied, and ready for sleep. This can lead to your baby sleeping for longer swaths of time and going down faster. 
• A great way to soothe or calm them to prepare for sleep
  • • Breastfeeding or bottle feeding can be a fantastic way to calm them down and to get them mentally prepared for falling asleep
• Sets up a sleep-ready routine
  • Building healthy habits is the foundation to successful child-rearing and this can help your child mentally prepare for the sleep ahead by signaling to them that a feeding in a quiet, warm, dark room is the precursor to falling to sleep.

The Cons Of Feeding Your Baby Just Before Bedtime

It’s not all upside! Here are some cons for you to weigh as you make the final decision on whether or not feeding just before bedtime is right for you and your baby. 

• The ritual can become a dependency 
  • • The feeding can become too ingrained and then they will be unable or less able to sleep naturally without it, which can make times when you can’t or don’t need to feed much harder.
• Potential for digestive discomfort
  • • For some babies, having a full belly and then lying down can cause digestive discomfort like acid reflux or indigestion. Depending on how your baby reacts to feedings, they may be encountering these issues as they fall asleep. 
• Can lead to overfeeding
  • If you’re not careful, feeding right before bedtime can be one or two meals too many, so planning is key! Please ask your pediatrician if you should be ‘night weaning’ or not feeding your child before bed.

Before You Go

We hope you enjoyed learning about the pros and cons of giving your baby a bottle just before bedtime. If you would like to know more about this, our sleep learning, consulting or training programs or any of our excellent newborn care services, we are happy to help. Just contact us and we can go over your options and help you find the best path for your little one.