"Ninety percent of babies who are born full-term and are healthy can go through the night without a feeding by 6 months," says Susan E.C. Sorensen, a pediatrician in Reno, Nevada. By the time they're this age, she explains, most babies can sleep comfortably for at least six hours without waking up to eat.

Even if you don't mind getting up at night to feed, it's a good idea to wean your baby off nighttime feedings around the 6-month marker. In fact, says Sorensen, there's no harm in starting to work on letting your baby learn to fall asleep solo now – by putting him or her down sleepy but awake.

The goal is to separate eating from going to sleep, so that if your baby does wake up at night, he or she won't need your breast or a bottle to return to slumber. Signs that your child's ready to give up the midnight snacks include not nursing for as long, not finishing the bottle, and falling asleep during feedings.

Be sure to discuss your baby's feeding schedule with your doctor before making changes, though, especially if your baby was premature or has other health considerations such as digestive problems or failure to gain weight.

Related Items Baby sleep basics: 3 to 6 months Baby sleep training: Night weaning How do I teach my baby to soothe himself to sleep?