Tips to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night
Sleep deprivation is a real thing for new parents, but don’t worry – we’ve got some tips to help your baby sleep through the night. From establishing bedtime routines to using white noise, these tips will have your little one snoozing soundly in no time.
As a new parent you may have found yourself searching for tips to get your baby to sleep through the night. Face it, being a new parent can be such a beautiful experience. It can also be a very sleep deprived one.
While you may be wondering when your baby will sleep through the night so you can get some much needed shut eye, the truth is, there is really no one size fits all answer. Unfortunately, getting your baby to sleep through the night is much less straightforward than many expect.
When Will My Baby Sleep Through the Night?
This is an age old question, asked by many new parents. Especially those who are feeling sleep deprived and searching desperately for some reprieve. The truth is, the answer is mostly dependent upon the age and stage of your baby.
Most babies start sleeping through the night somewhere throughout 4-6 months old. While some take a little longer to get there, if you follow a few tips and tricks, you may be able to speed up the process a little bit.
Tips to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night
There are a few tips that can help to encourage your baby to sleep through the night. It is important though, that you keep in mind the age and stage your baby is at. It may simply not be the right time to have the expectation that they will sleep without interruptions. Take your cues from your little one and remember that good sleep habits will come if you are doing positive things.
There are a few things that you can do to encourage your baby to sleep through the night. Just remember, patience is important too.
Bedtime Routine
It is almost never too early to start a bedtime routine. The routine you put in place should be consistent and easily followed. Don’t get too complicated with it from the beginning. You want a routine that you can stick to. It has to be easy enough that you can do it the same way every night.
Your bedtime routine should always be made up of calming and soothing activities that your baby seems to respond well to. Adding in things like white noise, swaddling and even calming music can help.
The bedtime routine you set can help to create positive associations with sleep.
Create a Schedule
Much like creating a bedtime routine, the things that you do throughout the day can have an impact on how your little one sleeps at night. A consistent sleep schedule throughout the day can create good sleep habits at night.
Babies can’t truly tell the difference between night and day. They just sleep when they feel the need. As they get older, these periods of sleep can become longer, having the longest stretches through the night. If you find that your little one is sleeping too much during the day, chances are they are not staying asleep as much through the night.
Create a schedule that works around your little ones. There isn’t a one size fits all approach. Newborns will often just sleep whenever they need to, and it is important that we allow this. Do not interrupt them. In this instance it is important that you follow your little ones cues. Eventually the naps throughout the day will become scheduled within a routine much like the bedtime routine. This can usually begin to happen around 3-6 months old.
This will help to ensure that your little one is up for longer stretches throughout the day, when they are ready.
Keep Bedtime a Calming Experience
Bedtime should be calming and relaxing for both you and your baby. After all, ambiance is of the utmost importance. When bedtime approaches, keep the bedroom dark, make sure it is a comfortable temperature, and add in some white noise when possible. Soft sounds through the night can sometimes disturb your baby, so having white noise will drown out any other distractions that may take place.
Create a Bedtime that Makes Sense
Creating and sticking to a bedtime is important when it comes to helping your baby sleep through the night. After all, putting your little one to sleep later hoping that they will sleep in later rarely works.
If you are following a schedule, keeping a regular bedtime is an important part of that. This will ensure that your baby is on track and help them sleep more at the desired times. It is also important to remember that newborn babies don’t yet have a set bedtime. This is because they are sleeping when they need to. However, around 3 months old, you can start to introduce and establish a healthy bedtime, along with your schedule and routine.
Keep Calm and Patient
Always remember, patience is a virtue. Operating with a sleep deficit is hard. It can feel extremely difficult to remain calm and patient when you are exhausted. It is important to remember the big picture, this isn’t going to go on forever.
It can be especially frustrating if your little one was sleeping through the night, and then suddenly, that stopped. It could be that your baby is experiencing sleep regression or a growth spurt. Keep that in mind going forward.
Growth spurts typically only last a few days. Once those few days have passed your baby may return to normal pattern and be able to sleep for longer periods of time.
If your baby is experiencing sleep regression, these stints usually last about 1-4 weeks.
Remember, patience is important.
Getting your baby to sleep through the night doesn’t have to be incredibly complicated. Just remember to follow their cues and use them to set a routine and schedule. It is also important that you create a calming environment around their sleep times, and remember, this too shall pass so remaining patient is a plus.
Hopefully soon, you and your little one will be getting some much needed shut eye throughout the night.
Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.
