When Can Babies Sleep Through the Night?
One of the hardest things a parent will ever accomplish is having their baby sleep through the night. From the first few weeks of bringing your baby home and quickly learning that you don’t get much sleep anymore, many parents find themselves wondering, “Will I ever sleep again?” While this is a normal fear for the sleep-deprived parent, rest assured that you will sleep once again!
Babies need much more sleep than adults do, but their sleep does not happen all at once. It is broken up throughout the day in as many as four naps to help them energize and recharge for the rest of the day. Wondering when you can expect your little one to start sleeping throughout the night? Continue reading to learn more about a baby’s sleep schedule.
How Old Are Babies When They Start Sleeping Through the Night?
When babies are first born, they require double the amount of sleep the average adult needs for a 24-hour period. This means that they need 14-17 hours of sleep every day! While this sounds like a long time to be asleep, this will be broken up throughout the day through multiple naps.
As soon as you start experiencing the sleepless nights that come with your sweet baby, you may start wondering when you can expect to sleep through the night again. While I can rest assured that you will one day sleep again, it won’t be immediately. Your baby is not equipped with the skill or development to sleep through the night until they hit at least six months old. Even so, many babies do not begin sleeping through the night until well after six months.
Why Your Baby Isn’t Sleeping Through the Night
Your baby has hit six months old, meaning that they can theoretically sleep throughout the night, but you still find yourself calming your newborn throughout the night. Why?
There are many reasons why your baby might not be ready to start sleeping through the night. Here are a few potential causes:
Hunger: I don’t know about you, but I personally have a hard time falling asleep if I’m hungry. Your baby might be feeling the same way! Before getting them ready for bed, be sure that they have a full tummy so that they are satisfied before being tucked in for the night. If they do wake up in the middle of the night for a feeding, keep the interaction as dark and boring as possible before putting them back down to sleep.
Separation anxiety: Your baby loves nothing more than to cuddle up close to you and enjoy all the cuddles and kisses that they can get. This can make it hard for them to want to go to sleep on their own at night! Your baby is most likely used to being held, cradled, and rocked when they cry out in the middle of the night. This is why as they get older, you can start comforting them without taking them out of the crib. Doing this will teach your baby that while you won’t rescue them from their crib with every cry, you will be there to comfort them when they need you the most.
Wet diaper: You may have changed their diaper right before bed, but this doesn’t mean that they didn’t soil it in the fifteen minutes before you put them to bed. Try changing their diaper immediately before putting them to bed at night to stay as dry as possible.
Environment: The environment your baby sleeps in can play a huge part in how well they sleep. Try to think of what their room is like: is there a night light that shines in their face? Do they have a white noise machine for babies that is too loud? Are there too many stimulating pictures or items in their room? The ideal room for your baby to get restful sleep is dark, cool, and free of overstimulating toys and photos on the wall. You want your baby to be bored in their room so that it’s easier for them to fall asleep!
How to Help My Baby Sleep Through the Night
When you’ve spent weeks (let’s be real, probably months) of sleepless nights, most parents are desperate to try anything to get their baby to sleep. I remember the first night my children slept through the night – I tried so hard to remember what I did that night so I could retrace my steps the next! I would’ve done 100 push-ups if it meant that my baby would sleep.
It may seem hopeless as you’re deep in the trenches of babyhood, but rest assured, there are things you can do to help your fussy baby learn to sleep through the night:
Create a routine: Establishing a routine will help your baby know what to expect each night so that there are no surprises. This establishes comfort and trust in you.
Utilize wake windows: At each stage of your baby’s development, they have sleep and wake windows, which is the recommended length of time they are asleep to the time they are awake. Following these windows will help improve their sleep as they won’t be getting overtired.
Encourage independent sleep: When your baby was first born, you would run to them with every cry and sing to them, rock them, and hold them close. As your baby gets older and can self-soothe, you can begin comforting them from inside their crib instead of picking them up. This allows you to comfort your baby without teaching that every cry means they get to break free of the crib.
Monitor Your Baby’s Sleep Schedule with Baby Connect
As a parent, you want to be sure that your baby is getting enough shut-eye every day. This might mean helping them to sleep! If your baby does not get enough rest, your sweet baby might easily turn into the gremlin who shouldn’t be fed after midnight!
Because of the amount of sleep your baby needs, it is important to keep track of how much sleep your baby is getting.
This is where Baby Connect comes into play! Baby Connect was created for parents to monitor all the important aspects of their baby’s life such as sleeping schedules, feedings, and even bowel movements. You can try it for free today by downloading the Baby Connect app.
