The sleep needs of children depend on their age Newborns sleep most of the time with short segments of sleep As a baby grows the total amount of sleep decreases while the length of night sleep increases As Stanford Childrens Health reports most babies dont start sleeping through the night 6 to 8 hours without waking until they are about 3 months old or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds
Every baby is individual When to expect a baby to sleep through the night depends on several factors including a babys age weight whether youre breastfeeding or not and your familys night feeding habits If your baby keeps waking up through the night while your friends infant lets her sleep healthy for 8 hours this is not a reason for anxiety
What Makes a Baby Stay Awake at Night
Here are a few factors that may prevent your kid from sleeping during the night
Teething
A babys first tooth is a touching moment that is followed by unpleasant symptoms like earn pulling crying and night wakings First symptoms may crop up even two months before a tooth appears
Growth Spurts
A growth spurt is the period of time when your child overcomes a more intense period of growth Healthline reports the most common periods of growth spurts to happen 1 to 3 weeks of age 6 weeks 3 months 6 months 9 months During this time a baby needs more care They will wake up much more often during the night and require more frequent feeding
Co Sleeping
Mothers love to sleep near their infants To ease breastfeeding at night or to monitor a childs breath Nevertheless having a baby sleep in a parents bed may hinder your kid to sleep through the night What is more it puts a baby at an increased SIDS risk Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
An Inability to Self Soothe
Dont rush to feed and soothe an infant at a first whim Just like the adults a kid can wake up between different sleep phases Its normal for a baby to wake up several times at night but they should be able to self soothe and fall asleep again on their own
Sleep Regression
Even if your baby is a good sleeper at the age of about 4 months they may experience a sleep regression What is happening During 2 or 3 weeks a child will wake up more frequently During this period your infant will acquire new skills like absorbing language recognizing faces Any milestone may contribute to sleep regression
Separation Anxiety
A child is naturally anxious about being separated from their parents If a baby cries after being put to bed parental cuddling and feeding during the nighttime may cause an infant to seek parental attention Replace close physical contact with slight touches to a child and soothing reassuring talks
Ways to Get a Breastfed Baby to Sleep Through the Night
Set a Bedtime Routine
Not only a certain sequence of actions is comforting but also its a way to let your baby know its bedtime coming Start with a nice warm bath warm water is self inducing Follow with cuddles and lullabies continue with feeding and put your baby to bed If your baby is gassy start feeding a baby earlier in the routine
Try Not to Change Your Babys Diaper in the Middle of the Night
Unless your baby is an absolute mess skip in the night changing Your actions will most likely wake a kid up If you feel a really strong need to change a diaper in the middle of the night try to do that as quietly as possible with faded lights and no talking
Check on Your Familys Sleeping Environment Habits
Keep the room warm dark and quiet if you want a baby to fall asleep faster and sleep longer Make a sleeping environment fully isolated from noise overlook your sleeping habits especially if you practice co sleeping Even the slightest detail may irritate an infants nap
Shorten Nighttime Feedings
Breastfeeding babies especially newborns have a tendency to snack Like adults they can also eat for pleasure not only when they feel the urge to Make sure your baby gets enough calories during the daytime and try not to feed them unless you know a kid is truly hungry If youre worried if your infants tummy gets full after feeding talk to a lactation consultant your familys nurse or doctor A baby may ask for milk as often as every 1 to 3 hours
Consider Moving Baby Farther Away From You
The AAP recommends that babies share a room with their parents until theyre 6 months old Nevertheless if the kids crib is too close to your bed consider moving it farther or what is better to a childs own room It may be that proximity contributes to more frequent night wake ups Discuss transition with your pediatrician to get a piece of advice with a professional close to your family
Start The Process Of Weaning Baby Off Nighttime Feeds
When your child reaches 3 or 4 months you can slowly start cutting down nighttime feeding with a final aim to make a baby nap throughout the night Dont forget to consult your pediatrician before this step as some kids may require longer night feeding periods than others
Dont Respond at Babys First Stir
Give your child time to calm down on their own dont run to comfort them at the first whimper As we have already said its normal for people of all life stages to wake up in the middle of the night You dont need to get distracted from napping watching a movie or online dating single parents only at a kids first demand
Conclusion
Lack of sleep is common for all parents Each newborn is unique and so you will probably need to try out different strategies before meeting the main goal make a baby sleep at night as long as possible We believe that you can treasure every single moment of parenthood without the feeling of being exhausted
Regulating a babys nighttime sleep routine or pattern is no joke Hence it is absolutely essential that parents together take an active part to play their important roles and all must not be left for the mom to consolidate
Share weekly routines where the two of you can rock the baby to sleep and exchange turns to get up at might night when the baby wakes up Relying too much on nighttime feeds is also not healthy as this will make your baby wake more often just to have that extra snack Always remember that healthy sleeping habits will make your baby super happy
Alaska Sleep Clinic has the most experience in the state with pediatric sleep disorders Our Pediatric Medical Director Dr Harry Yuan is just one reason why you can trust your entire familys sleep health to ASC Call us today to learn more
