Infant sleep problems deprive both you and your baby of the sleep you need to function properly. An infant who won't go to sleep or stay asleep also causes stress for many parents. Identifying the sleep problem and determining how to handle it helps everyone involved gradually get to a more normal sleep pattern. If your infant suddenly develops sleep issues or doesn't respond to techniques for helping him sleep, contact his physician.
Irregular Sleep Pattern
Newborns often sleep at various times throughout the day and night. Some babies sleep more during the day than they do at night. Switching your baby so he sleeps more at night takes some time. MayoClinic.com recommends keeping your baby active during the day with play activities and singing. Keeping the home light with normal daytime sounds also helps your baby learn that it is the time to be awake. Balancing his nap time is also a consideration. If he doesn't nap enough, he may become over tired at bed time, making it difficult to fall asleep. Napping too much means he may not be tired when bedtime arrives. Consistency helps your baby develop a more regular sleep pattern, with longer periods of sleep at night.
Frequent Waking
A 4-month-old typically sleeps for 6 to 8 hours at a time at night, according to the University of Michigan Health System. At 6 months, this may extend to 10 or 12 hours at a time. Some infants wake up multiple times a night, even as they near one year. Breastfed babies are likely to wake more because the breast milk is digested more quickly than formula. Multiple interruptions to your sleep may leave you feeling crabby and exhausted the next morning. MayoClinic.com recommends waiting a few minutes before soothing your child. Most babies stir or wake during the night, with some crying out as they settle back into sleep. By holding off on entering your baby's room, you may give her enough time to put herself back to sleep without your help.
Sleep Onset Associations
Infants associate falling asleep with the environment and events leading up to it. If you rock your baby to sleep, he'll need that to fall asleep every time. The University of Michigan Health System calls these sleep onset associations. The goal is to provide your child with sleep onset associations that don't involve you. This helps your child put himself back to sleep if he does wake up at night. Placing your child into his bed while sleepy but awake sets him up to fall asleep on his own.
