Wondering when you’ll every get a good night’s sleep again? Think you might lose control with the next person that tells you their baby slept through the night from day one? Read on, help is at hand…
Some babies are just good sleepers, they seem to have the hang of it from the beginning. But most babies take a little time to settle into a routine. By understanding and working with their sleep patterns, giving them the right cues for sleep and making sure they’re comfortable, you can gently persuade them into a good routine that gives them – and you – plenty of sleep.
Slept like a baby…
On average, babies under six months sleep 60 per cent of the time. How and when is another story - some take no more than two hours at a time, day or night, some seem to sleep all day and stay awake all night. Babies under six weeks will wake for feeds throughout the night and tend to drift between sleep and waking.
By the time she reaches six weeks your baby will be able to go for longer stretches of sleep, and by four months she will, physically, be more able to sleep through the night. This is by no means a guarantee though, as each baby is different.
Get to know your baby’s sleep pattern so that you can work with it to encourage a routine. For example, if she drops off at around 6 o’clock each night, gradually delay this by keeping her awake until 7, or whenever you feel is a suitable bedtime. It’s also useful to learn the signs your baby gives you when she’s sleepy – rubbing her eyes, yawning, making a certain cry – so that you can act on them.
Ready for bed
Give your little one the perfect environment for sleep. The optimum room temperature is 18-21ºC/64-70ºF - a room thermometer, available from pharmacies, is the easiest way to check. The room should also be dust free and not too stuffy (try a humidifier if this is a problem).
Her cot should have a firm mattress but no pillow, and should be positioned away from radiators and direct sunlight. Avoid stuffed toys, duvets, cot bumpers or anything with strings attached. Make sure she’s cosy – a nappy, vest and sleep suit plus a sheet and three light blankets is the rule of thumb. You can also swaddle or wrap her securely so her own movements don’t wake her.
10 steps to better sleep
- Help her learn to distinguish between night and day. Try daytime naps downstairs in the light, keeping the cot and darkened room for nighttime sleeping only. As long as she can lie flat in her pram or carrycot she’ll be fine.
- Get her used to nodding off on her own rather than relying on you to rock her to sleep by putting her in her cot when she’s sleepy, not sound asleep. Always place your baby on her back near the foot of the cot so she can’t wriggle under the bedclothes.
- In the evening, darken the room, leaving only a dim light so you can see to her at night without turning on a lamp. A blackout curtain lining or blind can prevent a 4am rise in summer months.
- Make sure she’s really comfortable – dry, warm, winded – before putting her down for her nighttime sleep.
- Feel the back of her neck to check her temperature once she’s asleep. If she feels too cold, add a blanket – if she feels hot to the touch or sweaty, remove some bedclothes. Hands and feet are not good indicators of overall temperature as they’re more likely to feel chilly. If she does have cold feet and hands (small babies do tend to have poor circulation to their feet and hands), put on a pair of socks or bootees – if her sleep suit has no feet – and some mitts.
- Don’t tiptoe round the house in the hope that it will stop her waking. She’ll start relying on silence at bedtime.
- From around six weeks, start to cut down on lengthy daytime sleeps if you can and encourage a sleep pattern. Put her down to nap at set times each day - after breakfast, again after lunch, and a longer sleep in the afternoon. When she wakes, get her up and talk to her as you work, play or walk to the park. She’ll begin to associate different places with sleeping and being awake, and stop drifting between the two.
- At the same time, establish a consistent nighttime routine. Feed her in a dimly-lit bedroom after her bath, singing or reading to her before you settle her in her cot. Don’t be tempted to take her downstairs to snooze while you watch television. Try to keep to the same pattern so she learns what to expect.
- Night feeds should be cosy but brief. Give her a reassuring cuddle if she cries, but don’t chat or play with her. Have nappies, wipes and – if you’re bottle feeding – feeds and warm water in a flask on hand so you’re not searching for, or preparing, essentials.
- Colic is a common cause of evening/night-time restlessness. Check with your health visitor if you are worried about this or any health problem that could be waking her.
