Thoughts On The 4 Hour Feed Schedule

There is an old saying that goes “get four doctors in a room and ask them a question and you’ll get 8 opinions.” When it comes to the world of parenting, especially newborns and infants, there are a lot of strongly held opinions. In today’s article, we’re going to cover the topic found in a popular book called Twelve Hours’ Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old: A Step-by-Step Plan for Baby Sleep Success by Suzy Giordano. This book features a novel approach to your baby’s feeding schedule which includes a four hour window between feedings (between 8 – 12 weeks of age) as opposed to the more commonly held wisdom of three hour feeding windows. We’d love to hear from you on your experience in this area or if you have any of your own suggestions to help parents figure out the best feeding schedule for their family. 

What Is The Four Hour Feeding Cycle?

The four hour feeding cycle is just as it sounds, a feeding schedule that has you feeding your child four times during the daytime at four hour intervals. This is, of course, recommended for children around the 12 weeks old mark. Potential benefits of the four hour feeding cycle:

• The baby still receives roughly the same amount of milk/formula throughout the day, while giving you slightly more free time by eliminating one whole feeding from each day. 
  • The math goes like this: 
    • Four Hour Cycle = 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm = 4 feeds x 8 ounces  = 32 ounces of milk
    • Three Hour Cycle = 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm = 5 feeds x 7 ounces  = 35 ounces of milk
• Can help with supporting baby’s digestion by allowing more time for their digestive tract to work
• For some parents, they find that the four hour schedule helps their baby sleep for longer intervals, both in daytime naps and through the night. 
• The four hour schedule can be better for working moms because they have to pump/feed during crucial daytime working hours
• Simplifies your daily schedule in favor of more time for errands, housework, etc.

Challenges with the Four Hour Baby Schedule

1. Baby’s Caloric Intake & Weight Gain

• Not all babies can take in enough milk per feeding to last four hours, especially before 12 weeks.
• Some babies may struggle with weight gain if they cannot meet their caloric needs in fewer, larger feedings.

2. Breastfeeding Challenges

• Breastfed babies often digest milk faster than formula-fed babies and may struggle to go four hours between feeds.
• Milk supply can decrease if demand is lowered too quickly, making extended feeding intervals risky for some mothers.

3. Nighttime Sleep Readiness

• Some babies are not developmentally ready to consolidate nighttime sleep as early as 12 weeks.
• Night wakings might persist, leading to parental frustration if expectations are too rigid.

4. Daytime Naps

• Babies at this age are not ready to have 3 naps. If a 4-hour feed schedule is implemented, baby still needs 4 naps minimum, during the daytime hours.

5. Digestive Discomfort & Gas

• Larger, less frequent feeds can sometimes lead to digestive issues like gas or reflux, making it harder for babies to stay comfortable between feedings.

6. Parent Stress & Flexibility

• Sticking to a strict schedule can be stressful, especially if the baby resists the changes or needs more frequent feeds.
• Growth spurts and developmental leaps (e.g., the 6-week and 12-week growth spurts) often require temporary flexibility in feeding frequency.

Additional Thoughts

While the four hour feeding and nap schedule may seem like a great way to go, it is not for everyone. We definitely don’t recommend starting a schedule like this prior to the child being four months of age. All in all, there is no one universal solution and each baby is different. Consult with your physician regarding this or any other feed schedule you may have in mind in order to get the best plan in motion tailored to your child’s individual needs.

Before You Go

We hope you enjoyed learning about the four hour feeding schedule for your baby. 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. 

We hope these tips have helped you along your journey. If you have any questions about helping your baby to sleep better, or about your baby in general, please reach out to us HERE. We are experts in all things baby and sleep and would love to help!

 

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Katie B.

Expertise You Need:

• Certified Master Pediatric Sleep Consultant
• Certified Advanced Newborn Care Specialist (2016-2022)
• Board Certified Holistic Healthcare Practitioner
• 16 years professional childcare experience
• Certified Postpartum Doula (2015-2022)
• Travel & ROTA Nanny