Helping Baby Sleep Better So You Can Too!
Let’s Help Your Baby Sleep…
In the first year, a baby changes rapidly, growing and learning remarkably. As a parent, your job is to teach and facilitate learning for your baby. Sleep is one thing you must teach your baby how to do more often than not. Knowing how baby sleep cycles change throughout the first year of life can help you create healthy sleep habits that will last a lifetime!
Let's talk newborn sleep!
From the ages 0-4 months, a baby's sleep schedule is unstructured. You will find your baby will sleep most of the day, waking for brief periods to eat. Expect to be on a different sleep schedule during this time. Sleep is typically unpredictable and fragmented (yes, even during the night). While it is still too early to sleep train at this age, there are some things you can do to start to lay the foundation for good baby sleep habits. The first thing you can do is get your baby on an eat-play-sleep schedule. This means you will feed your baby when he awakes from a nap versus feeding to sleep. This will help prevent him from relying on feeding to go to sleep.
Another thing we recommend is offering at least one nap a day in your baby's bassinet or crib. This prevents him from becoming dependent on only one way to fall asleep (for example, a swing). We also recommend following the AAP recommendations for safe sleep, known as the ABCs of safe sleep (Alone, Back, Crib). Lastly, it's okay to let your little one fuss for a few minutes when you put him down to sleep; sometimes, he may need just a little space to figure things out. During this time, it is essential not to stress about "spoiling" your baby.
Most babies cannot sleep through the night during this period, so enjoy your baby and do your best.
The dreaded 4 month sleep regression!
I'm sure most of you have heard about the 4-month sleep regression. We like to refer to this as the 4-month sleep milestone. While it may seem like your baby has a sleep setback at this age, it indicates your baby is ready and capable of sleeping through the night and following a set sleep schedule. Knowing how to adjust your baby's sleep at this time can help make this a smooth transition. At this age, your baby is ready to follow a schedule. From now until about 8-9 months, your baby will follow a sleep schedule consisting of one morning nap, an afternoon nap, a catnap in the early evening, and an early bedtime.
Our tips for success!
A set schedule—From 4 months on, you should follow a set sleep schedule. That's right, we want you to watch the clock. Putting your baby down at the same time each day for naps and bedtime will help set your baby's sleep-wake cycle, also known as circadian rhythms. This will make it easier for him to fall asleep and stay asleep.
A consistent place to sleep—Having a consistent baby sleep space helps to facilitate restorative sleep and makes it easier for him to fall asleep. His room should be dark, cool, and quiet. He should always be placed on his back and alone in his crib with no loose bedding, bumpers, or toys.
2. Put your baby down drowsy but awake – The key to helping your baby sleep through the night is letting him put himself to sleep so when she awakes at night, he can roll over (maybe just figuratively roll over at this age)) and go back to sleep. If your little one is having trouble with this, we suggest putting him down awake and giving him time to try it himself. You can consistently implement timed checks if you find it hard to let him work through this on his own. We suggest starting with 5 minutes, so once you put him down for the night, you would give him 5 minutes to try and sleep independently. After the 5 minutes are up, you can go in and pat him on the back and tell him he is okay and that it's time to go to sleep. You then leave the room and set your time for 6 minutes. After the 6 minutes, you can repeat what you did for the first check. When you leave the room this time, you will set your timer for 7 minutes and repeat the above. Each check after this will be after 7 minutes. The next day, you would start checking at 6 minutes, then 7 minutes, and then 8 minutes. The third day checks would start after 7 minutes, 8 minutes, and then 9 minutes. After a few days, your little one will be snoozing like a champ, and so will you ;)!
3. Consistency—Babies thrive on routine and feel safe when they know what to expect. We recommend consistency with your baby's daily sleep schedule, as this is the most effective way to create and maintain healthy sleep habits!
Sleep from 9 – 12 months.
From 9 to 12 months of age, your baby will continue to follow a set schedule consisting of a morning nap, an afternoon nap, and an early bedtime. If your baby is still not napping well or sleeping through the night at this age, just follow our suggestions above. It's never too late to get things on track!
The best-laid plans…
Sometimes, even the best-laid plans fall apart. The best thing to do is to take a step back and regroup. It's of utmost importance that you and your partner are on the same page. Talk to each other about baby sleep issues and devise a clear plan that both of you are comfortable with to tackle it and get your little one snoozing. Throughout the process, we support and help each other get through it. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it, and together, you can do it!
Special thanks to Bridget Bowling for sharing her expertise!
Nurtured Foundation offers 30-and 60-minute virtual sleep consulting appointments and sleep consulting packages with ongoing support. For additional information, click here.
