Having a baby that sleeps through the night is a goal every parent is working towards. The outcome of this goal is not a direct reflections of your parenting abilities, however. Every baby is different and it takes time to understand your new baby, their sleep preferences and the methods that work for your family to assist your baby to fall asleep and remain sleeping.
Have Realistic Expectations
"Sleeping through the night" can mean different things to different parents. While some parents may be longing for an eight to nine hour stretch of sleep from baby, for others "through the night" will be one four to five hour stretch during the middle of the night, such as midnight to 5 am. Realistically, a baby will not be able to sleep through the duration of the night until at least 6 to 9 months of age. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 3 month old can sleep for one five hour stretch at night, and by 9 months many can sleep for nine to twelve hours at night. Author and pediatrician Dr. William Sears does not place hours on his nighttime guidelines, but instead states that you should expect your new baby to wake every two to three hours to eat, and by 6 months old a baby will only wake one to two times during the night to eat.
Use a Routine
Having a routine at night will help baby learn to make the transition from awake and playing in the daytime to nighttime sleep. A routine could include bath time, changing into pajamas and reading a book. Keep nighttime activities calm and quiet. Use a soft voice and calm motions. When baby does wake during the night, keep interaction calm and quiet. Complete the necessary tasks and put baby back to sleep. The goal is to make daytime exciting and fun, with lots of stimulation and interaction, and nighttime quiet and soothing--the perfect environment for sleep. Remember that your baby does need naps. Postponing or shortening naps with the hope of baby sleeping more at night will actually be counter-intuitive. An overtired baby actually has a more difficult time sleeping.
Learn Baby's Personality
Just as each person falls asleep differently, so do babies. While one person can fall asleep immediately and sleep all night long, others toss and turn for a time before falling asleep, and wake often. Babies are the same way. It takes time to learn your baby's personality, including their sleep personality. Over time, you will learn if your baby tends to be an early bird or a night owl, easy to soothe and calm or in need of more comfort methods when upset. You cannot spoil a baby, so do not worry if you need to soothe or rock your baby in the middle of the night. It takes time to understand your baby's personality and preferences.
