What are the best ways to get a baby to sleep all night? Our expert guide outlines the best strategies and tips.
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When you’re a parent of a baby, your world seemingly revolves around sleep. People ask you how baby is sleeping, you sleepily manage middle-of-the-night feedings, and you long for the days when Saturday mornings were for sleeping in. While there’s no magical formula that guarantees that your little one sleeps through the night, several strategies can set your baby up for a good night of sleep.
As you navigate the sometimes-tricky world of infant sleep, remember that every child is different, with different sleep habits and needs. My three children were very different sleepers: my oldest didn’t sleep through the night until she was weaned after age 1, my second settled into better sleep habits before his first birthday, but we still had months of sleepless nights, and my third was a stellar sleeper from the start.
Strategies to help your baby to sleep through the night.
1. Establish a Routine
Set the stage for success by establishing a bedtime routine with your newborn and sticking to that routine as your little one grows. Dim the lights after dinner, and turn off any potentially distracting screens. Give your baby a warm bath, and put on pajamas. Play soft music, read a book, or rock the baby. Nurse or give a pre-bedtime bottle to promote good sleep. Then, at the same time every night, lay your baby down to sleep.
2. Create a Space That Promotes Good Sleep
Equip your nursery with features that encourage good sleep. If your baby’s room is bright, add blackout curtains to keep it dark. A sound machine can play white noise or lullabies that help baby drift off to sleep, while drowning out other noises.
A space heater can create a cozy environment where the baby feels comfortable, but many experts have voiced concerns about the heaters causing babies to dehydrate. Stock up on swaddling blankets, and learn how to swaddle like a pro.
3. Reduce Feedings With Your Pediatrician’s Guidance
Initially, your newborn requires around-the-clock feedings, so middle-of-the-night wakeups are simply inevitable. Over time, as your baby grows, those feedings become less important and perhaps even unnecessary. Gradually reducing middle-of-the-night feedings can promote better sleep.
A few strategies can work here. First, consider increasing daytime feedings to give your baby more calories during waking hours, requiring less at night. Second, opt for a dream feed before you go to sleep. This strategy was a lifesaver with my third child. I would nurse her before I went to sleep, around 11 p.m., and she would never fully wake up. She had a full tummy, which gave us a longer stretch of sleep before the next feeding.
Finally, as your baby approaches 5 or 6 months old, talk to your pediatrician about dropping feedings, one at a time. You’ll offer other forms of soothing like a pacifier or rocking to lull the baby back to sleep, instead of nursing or giving a bottle. Remember, your baby should be gaining weight well before considering cutting feedings.
4. Sleep Train When Baby Is Ready
Babies who are at least 6 months may benefit from sleep training. Some parents choose the Ferber––or cry-it-out––method, where you gradually allow the baby to wake up, cry, and then self-soothe back to sleep.
The check and console method allows you to check on an awake baby but not remove them from the crib, instead rubbing their back to let them fall asleep with less intervention. Try a strategy that you’re comfortable with, one that encourages self-soothing without stressing you out when your baby wakes up.
Mix and match strategies to find a sleep routine and pattern that your child responds to. Remember, for some babies, it just takes time. A recent study revealed that 57 percent of babies aged 6 to 12 months don’t sleep through the night. So, if you’re struggling with night wakings as you practice these strategies, remember––you’re not alone.
Author: Cristin Howard runs Smart Parent Advice, a site that provides parenting advice for moms and dads. Cristin writes about all of the different ups and downs of parenting, provides solutions to common challenges, and reviews products that parents need to purchase for babies and toddlers.
