It’s no secret that new-borns don’t sleep through the night. In fact, it’s pretty much expected that your little one will wake up several times during the night for feedings. But as your baby grows and becomes more efficient at eating, you may start to wonder when he or she will finally be able to sleep through the night.
Here are a few tips to help your baby sleep through the night:
- Establish a bedtime routine. A bedtime routine will signal to your baby that it’s time to sleep. A simple routine might include a bath, a book, and some cuddles.
- Put your baby to bed drowsy, but awake. This will help your baby learn to fall asleep on his or her own.
- Avoid letting your baby become overtired. An overtired baby will have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep.
- Respond to your baby’s night waking’s calmly and consistently. This will help your baby understand that night is for sleeping, not playing.
- Be patient. It may take some time, but eventually your baby will sleep through the night.
- Keep the environment dark and quiet. A dark room will cue your baby’s body that it’s time to sleep. White noise can also help to soothe your baby.
- Be consistent. If you stick to a bedtime routine, your baby will learn to expect sleep at a certain time. This will make it easier for everyone to get a good night’s rest.
Let them cry or not?
The thought of your precious baby crying can be heart-breaking. You may have tried everything to soothe your little one, but nothing seems to work. New-borns need about 16 hours of sleep a day, on average. But they don’t yet have the regular sleep patterns of older infants and children. So, how can you help your new-born sleep without letting him cry?
Have you tried swaddling your baby? This is when you wrap your baby in a light blanket, with his or her head and chest supported. Swaddling can help your baby feel warm and secure, and it may help him or her sleep for longer periods of time.
If your baby is crying, it’s important to try to figure out why. Are they hungry? Wet? Tired? Has a dirty diaper?
Keep in mind that all babies are different, but most have natural awake periods during the day. These awake periods are usually between 45 minutes to 2 hours long.
As a parent, you can learn to work with your baby’s natural awake periods. For example, if your baby is usually awake for 45 minutes at a time, you can try to schedule feedings or other activities around that time.
If you’re not sure when your baby’s natural awake periods are, you can try taking observations over a few days. Keep track of when your baby is awake and when they’re sleeping. This will help you start to see patterns in their behaviour.
Working with your baby’s natural awake periods can help make your life as a parent a little easier. It can also help your baby get the most out of their day and their night.
If you have questions about baby awake windows, here is an article that can help you.
If you’re worried about your baby’s crying, you can always talk to your child’s doctor for more advice.
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