When you bring your new baby home from the hospital, you begin looking forward to the day when he, and you, will be able to sleep through the night. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that newborn babies need to eat every three to four hours, including throughout the night. As your baby grows, several things can gently encourage him to begin sleeping through the night.
Top Off the Tank
Pediatrician and author Dr. Sears suggests making sure to feed your baby frequently during the day. Feeding every three hours or so will allow your baby to get in enough calories to sustain her through the night without needing to feed. During your baby's last feeding of the night, encourage her to finish her bottle or nurse for a good period of time on each breast. Some babies, says Dr. Sears, tend to "nibble" at the last feeding before bed, causing them to wake up hungry in the middle of the night.
Night Time is for Sleeping
Newborns have no sense of time and simply wake up to eat whenever the mood, or a hunger pang, strikes. As they get bigger, however, you need to teach them that daytime is for playing and eating and nighttime is for sleeping. When your baby wakes up to eat in the middle of the night, feed him quietly, without talking or playing. Change his diaper if necessary, and gently get him to go back to sleep. Do not turn on any lights or the television. During the day, open the shades and make feedings and diaper changes more animated affairs. This will help to teach him that nothing exciting goes on at night, and that once his needs are met, nighttime is the time to sleep.
Monitor Naps
If your baby is in a cycle where she is sleeping too much during the day, she may have trouble sleeping through the night, states the Mayo Clinic. If you think this may be affecting your baby's sleep routines, try to lessen her naps. Another option is to keep her up a bit later in the evening to allow her to sleep a little later. This may mean the difference between a 4:00 a.m. and a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call.
Make the Environment Conducive to Sleeping
Dr. Sears points out that the environment that your baby is in may be affecting the depth of his sleep. Be sure that your baby's bedroom is neither uncomfortably warm nor too cool. Some babies sleep better with a nightlight and others prefer a darker room. Experiment to see which helps your baby to sleep longer. While noises such as a barking dog or a ringing telephone may jar your baby out of a sound sleep, a monotonous sound, such as that from a fan or a white noise machine, may lull him to sleep and help him to stay asleep.
