No doubt, sleepless nights are a great hassle in parents’ lives after the birth of their first child. So, how to get your baby to sleep through night?
Well, don’t despair; you can really help your child sleep all night.
Honestly! All you need to do is understand which part of their sleeping routine is in your hands and which is not.
So let’s get into the details of this topic with me, and I hope at the end of this article you will have more understanding of your baby sleep routine.
Table of Contents
Why doesn’t my baby sleep through the night?
Let’s start with one of the most asked questions which is “why doesn’t my baby sleep through the night? Sometimes your baby has developed the capability of sleeping through night, but they still struggle.
Many underlying reasons for it makes your baby feel restlessness and discomfort. Among those reasons, sleep regressions, illness, a growth spurt, and inability to sleep independently are most common.
These reasons vary among babies; maybe your baby is experiencing more sleep regression, that’s why they are struggling with their sleep at night time.
So, whether your baby is experiencing any of these problems or has surpassed the milestones, many ways can help your baby to sleep through the night.
You just need to understand the tactics behind those ways and how they work actually.
What can I do to help my baby settle?
I know the next thing you probably want to know is “what can I do to help my baby settle” The first six months of a baby are critical as he needs enough food for growth and development.
For that reason, they mostly wake all night. So, for most babies, “sleeping through the night comes later in their lives when they are ready developmentally.
However, there are three best ways that you can try in the early months to help your baby with settling and sleeping.
- Focus on the difference between day and night
- Keep your baby awake while putting him to bed drowsy
- Set a sleep routine
In the first six months, trying these ways can help your baby learn to sleep and settle independently when the baby is developmentally ready.
Keep in mind that being flexible and responsive to your baby makes these ways more effective in the first months. If you see your baby unsettled, you can rock or cuddle your baby.
Is my baby ready to sleep through the night?
Individuality makes every person different so that you may see a different pattern of night sleep among babies.
Most of the parents ask how do they know “Is my baby ready to sleep through the night” Your baby usually has long stretches of night-time sleep, anywhere between 10 weeks to 6 months.
You will see that the Moro reflex of your baby is getting decreased. Moro reflex is an involuntary reflex that is present in all babies during birth. This Moro reflex basically is the sign that your little one is still developing a nervous system.
With time, this reflex gradually decreases to awaken your baby mid-sleep.
You can also get to know that your baby is ready to sleep through the night by seeing the healthy increase in their weight. Babies usually start decreasing the night feedings when they are prepared for night sleep.
According to the National Sleep Foundation report, almost 70-80 percent of babies start sleeping through the night by nine months.
There are also reports which indicate that babies between 4-6 months old start getting most of their sleep at night instead of daytime.
What’s a good bedtime routine?
So how do you know “What’s a good bedtime routine” To make your baby get sound sleep at night, you must follow certain routine consistently. Try different activities to engage your baby healthily and safely.
- Prefer to play active games during the daytime while quiet games with your baby in the evening. This helps your baby getting excited in the day and tired at night before bedtime.
- Try to keep all the activities in the same order night after night.
- Bathing is also a good bedtime routine as it calms your baby down.
- If you find your baby is interested in a specific activity, then save it for bedtime and do it at last in their bedroom. This way, your little one will look forward and take an interest in bedtime.
Make the sleeping conditions in your baby’s room consistent. Try to keep lights and sounds in the room the whole same night, so they don’t feel any discomfort or insecurity.
If you have to feed your baby, then keep lights low. Overstimulation can make it harder for the baby to settle down.
What sleep training methods I can try?
Sleep training methods really help a lot your baby sleep through the night. Being a parent, you probably think that what sleep training methods I can try?
Firstly, you must keep in mind that sleep training methods are effective for babies of 6 months or more because, at this age, babies are old enough to have a night sleep of 6-8 hours without craving for anything to eat.
Here are few experts recommended training methods which might help you.
- Cry it out (CIO): This method is also called as extinction. This method involves putting your little one on the bed and let him cry until they fall asleep without any help from you. This will make your baby to sleep without your assistance.
- Ferber method: If you find cry it out method a little harsh, then you can opt for the Ferber method. This method let your baby cry for a specified period before you check on him. You can increase the time of crying after every interval by few minutes until your baby falls asleep.
- Chair method: I must say this training method is best for older babies. This one is much comfortable than the above two sleep training methods. Put your baby in a crib and sit in front of him until he falls asleep. Make sure you don’t pick your baby up during the whole time of sitting on a chair.
- Bedtime fading method: This method involves modifying your baby’s circadian rhythm to where it works best. For this, focus on your baby’s cues to sleep, and when you find your baby tired, put him to bed. If your baby cries a lot, then take him out for a set period and then try again.
- Pick up, put down method: In this method, you follow your baby’s normal bedtime routine. It involves putting your little one down but awake. If you find him crying, then go and pick him up and soothe her. After calming him, put him back in the crib.
Being a parent, your heart definitely swells with love when you see your child at peace and sleeping soundly.
Even they look more innocent and cute while sleeping. But the real struggle comes here to make your baby sleep through the night.
Conclusion
I hope in this article on “how to get your baby sleep through night”, you probably have learned the basic tactics of helping your baby in this regard. So, give your baby the sound and comfortable sleep they deserve to grow.