In early infancy, nighttime feedings are to be expected. Your newborn will likely continue to eat every two to three hours at night, just as she does during the day. He may go for one long stretch of four to five hours without eating, but in general, he will eat two or three times at night, during the time when you would usually be asleep.

Once he is gaining weight adequately, it is fine if your baby wants to go even longer between feedings at night. Still, you usually shouldn't expect your baby to go all night without waking up for a feeding until he is four to six months old. Talk to your pediatrician if you think your baby is going too long at night without eating.

Also, six months is not a magic age at which all children stop needing to eat at night. Some older infants still need one or two feedings at night, although others aren't really hungry and are just used to eating to help them fall asleep. If you think that's the case, you can gradually decrease the length of each nighttime feeding or put less formula in his bottle. You may have to go back to his customary feedings if he isn't satisfied with the decreased feedings or seems to wake up more afterward.