Want to keep night feeds while teaching sleep? You CAN!

Hey, mama! Welcome to another Little Winks blog. I’m Anna, and today I’m answering a question I get asked a lot—**Can you teach your baby to sleep independently while still needing night feeds?**

Short answer: Heck yes, you can! You don’t have to choose between your baby learning to fall asleep on their own and meeting those late-night nutritional needs. It’s totally possible for your little one to develop great sleep skills and still need those night feeds. Let’s break it down!

### First Things First: **Babies Need Night Feeds.**

If you have a newborn, you know the drill: they’re waking up every few hours like tiny little alarm clocks, demanding milk. And guess what? That’s totally normal. Newborns need that nutrition during the night, and you definitely shouldn’t deprive them of it. So, don’t feel guilty if your baby is still waking up for a feed—it’s just part of their growth. 

But here’s the good news: **You can still teach your baby to sleep independently** while they’re getting their night feeds. Here’s how that looks:

### What Does "Independent Sleep" Mean?

It doesn’t mean your baby is suddenly sleeping through the night at 2 weeks old (sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s not how this works). Independent sleep just means your baby learns to fall asleep on their own, without needing you to rock, nurse, or bounce them to sleep every time they wake up.

So, what does it look like in real life?

Well, when your baby has independent sleep skills, they can fall asleep on their own after a feed. Here’s the routine:

- Baby wakes up.

- You feed them (bottle, breast, whatever works for you).

- Once they’re done, you **put them back in the crib while they’re still awake** (yep, while they’re still awake—not asleep in your arms).

- And then… magic happens. They put themselves back to sleep. No need for a middle-of-the-night “rescue mission.”

When I first experienced this with my own baby, I thought I was going crazy watching her on the monitor. There she was, wide awake, but just laying there quietly, not crying. I was like, “Is she... is she just going to fall asleep on her own?” Yep! It was a game-changer. Suddenly, night feeds were so much more enjoyable because I wasn’t stressing about getting her back to sleep every time she woke up.

### Teaching Sleep Skills From Day One

Now, I know what you’re thinking: My baby is a newborn. Can they really learn to sleep independently this early? The answer is yes, mama, they can! 

When I work with clients, many of them are pregnant or have babies that are just a few weeks old. We start early so they’re already setting up for success. We get on top of a good sleep routine and make sure parents are clear on their sleep goals. With a bit of consistency, babies can develop those independent sleep skills much sooner than you might think.

But let me be clear: **Teaching sleep doesn’t mean ditching the night feed.** Nope. Your baby will still need those feeds for a while, especially when they’re tiny. But teaching them independent sleep actually makes night feeds so much more bearable. You’ll find that they’re able to go back to sleep on their own after a feed, which means less stress and more sleep for you too. 

And when your baby *is* ready to drop a feed (because they’re getting bigger and can handle longer stretches), it won’t be a huge, stressful thing. They already know how to self-soothe and fall asleep on their own, so dropping that night feed just naturally fits into their rhythm.

### The Benefits of Teaching Sleep Early

Let’s face it—being a new mom is hard enough without the added stress of getting baby to sleep every 45 minutes. (Seriously, can you even function on that kind of sleep cycle? I think my brain melted the first few months.) By teaching your baby independent sleep, you’ll be setting them up for longer stretches of sleep. This means you can rest a bit more, and they’ll be waking up only when they’re actually hungry, not because they can’t get back to sleep on their own. 

You’re teaching them a skill they can carry with them through their entire childhood—and trust me, it’s a skill that will pay off big time.

### Start Off on the Right Foot

If you’re a soon-to-be mama or you’ve got a newborn at home and want to start your little one off with great sleep habits, don’t be afraid to get help early on. I’ve worked with families before baby even arrives to make sure we’re starting off on the best foot possible. Whether that’s setting up a solid sleep routine or just getting clear on your sleep goals, there’s no harm in starting early.

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed with where to start, don’t worry. I’ve got your back! If you want some guidance on how to help your baby sleep independently while still getting those night feeds in, shoot me a message. Or better yet, grab my **Free Newborn Sleep Class** to get a deeper dive into how to set your baby up for sleep success from the start.

**The Bottom Line:** You can teach your baby to sleep independently and still meet their night feed needs. And when that happens, everyone wins. You get more sleep, baby gets fed, and both of you wake up feeling like you actually got some rest. Win-win, right?

Now, go ahead and take a deep breath, mama. You’ve got this!

Sleep Sweetly,  

Anna