As a new mom, you’re likely feeling the overwhelming pressure to get your baby to sleep through the night, often prompted by friends, family, and even the well-meaning advice from social media. But what if the secret to helping your baby sleep through the night isn’t about sleep training at all?
At Baby Settler, we believe the foundation for great sleep starts with a deep understanding of how feeding and sleep are connected. If you focus on supporting your baby’s feeding needs, sleep may naturally follow — no sleep training required.
In this blog, I’ll break down how focusing on feeding efficiency, understanding your baby’s sleep rhythms, and following a structured routine can help you avoid the need for sleep training altogether.
1. Start With the Anchor Feed: The Key to Creating a Predictable Routine
One of the first things I teach new parents is the importance of the anchor feed, which is typically the morning feed. This feed sets the tone for your baby’s day and plays a key role in establishing a predictable rhythm. Babies don't develop a circadian rhythm until around four months, so having a reliable anchor feed helps create structure and balance until that rhythm naturally emerges.
By offering this feed at the same time each morning, you’re helping establish a “set point” for the day, which can lead to more predictable sleep patterns as your baby grows. The more consistent you are with this routine, the better your baby will adjust to the rhythm — which will also improve their sleep.
2. Efficient and Effective Feeding = Better Sleep
Feeding plays a huge role in how well your baby sleeps. A baby who takes efficient and effective feeds during the day is more likely to sleep better at night. This is where the connection between feeding and sleep becomes clear: when your baby is well-fed, they’re able to sleep more soundly.
It’s important to make sure your baby is not just feeding enough, but feeding efficiently. That means ensuring your baby is transferring enough milk during each feed — without getting distracted or overwhelmed. For breastfeeding moms, this involves ensuring the baby is latched properly and able to feed without discomfort. For bottle-fed babies, make sure the bottle flow rate and nipple size are appropriate for their age.
3. Milk Supply and Prolactin Levels Affect Sleep
You may not know this, but your milk supply naturally fluctuates throughout the day based on prolactin levels. Prolactin is the hormone responsible for milk production, and its levels are typically highest in the early morning hours, with a natural dip in the afternoon and evening.
What does this mean for feeding and sleep? Babies tend to consume more milk earlier in the day when prolactin levels are higher. When prolactin levels dip later in the day, babies may be less able to get the full feed they need, which can impact their ability to sleep soundly.
This is why it’s crucial to manage expectations and feed your baby more frequently in the afternoon and evening — while ensuring the morning anchor feed provides enough milk to set a strong foundation for the day.
4. The Feed-Wake-Sleep-FEED Cycle: A Consistent Daytime Routine
One of the key principles we follow at Baby Settler is the feed-wake-sleep-feed cycle. This method encourages babies to have consistent, quality feeds during the day to maintain healthy sleep patterns. By following this cycle, you ensure that your baby’s feedings are timed properly and that they’re not too tired to take a good feed.
Staying consistent with the daytime routine also helps with establishing a sleep-friendly environment. If your baby is well-fed and rested, they’re more likely to sleep soundly during the night — without the need for sleep training.
5. Aim for a 12-Hour Day and Night Routine
In the first few months, the key to achieving predictable sleep is making sure your baby gets enough rest during both the day and night. Aim for a 12-hour day and night cycle — with the first feed of the day acting as the anchor feed.
When you follow this rhythm, your baby will begin to learn that nighttime is for longer stretches of sleep, and the daytime is for feeding and brief wake windows. You don’t need to rush the nighttime feedings; instead, aim to keep nighttime feeds calm and consistent.
This structure allows your baby to adjust to a natural sleep rhythm as they get older — without feeling the pressure to “train” them to sleep.
Why This Approach Works: No Sleep Training Required
The foundation of the Baby Settler method is simple: if you focus on your baby’s feeding needs and follow a consistent, predictable routine, you will see improvements in their sleep without having to rely on sleep training. By focusing on feeding, you naturally create the conditions for better sleep — so there’s no need for methods that could cause stress or confusion for both you and your baby.
When you follow this holistic approach, your baby becomes well-fed and well-rested. This means they will have the tools to sleep longer stretches at night, on their own, without the need for training. And the best part? You don’t have to force your baby into a schedule that doesn’t fit their natural rhythms.
Get My Nighttime Weaning Guide to Make the Connection Clearer
As a lactation expert and the founder of Baby Settler, I’ve seen firsthand how the connection between feeding and sleep impacts families. That’s why I created the Nighttime Weaning Guide to help moms navigate the complex world of nighttime feedings and get their baby on a predictable, healthy sleep schedule.
The guide provides practical tips and strategies for managing your baby’s feeding and sleep needs during the crucial first months, helping you avoid the need for sleep training altogether.
Click here to download my Nighttime Weaning Guide and get started on the path to peaceful nights for both you and your baby.
About the Author:
Hi, I’m Hillary — the founder of Baby Settler and a mom of four. With my background as a registered nurse and lactation consultant, I’m passionate about helping new moms navigate the challenges of early motherhood. I believe that every mom deserves to feel supported, informed, and confident in her feeding and sleep choices.
Through Baby Settler, I provide evidence-based guidance, personal consults, and helpful resources to help moms thrive in the first year of motherhood. If you’re looking for expert advice on nighttime weaning or feeding and sleep, follow me on Instagram at@babysettler
