After a long day of feedings and diaper changes, you've finally drifted off to sleep. Ten minutes later, your fussy baby wakes you up. You were forewarned about how little sleep you would get in the beginning, but you begin to wonder, "Can I at least get in one extra hour of sleep?" While newborn babies aren't supposed to sleep through an entire night, the Mayo Clinic says that many three-month-olds sleep at least five hours in a row and six-month-olds should be able to sleep up to nine to 12 hours. Adjusting your sleep-time routine can maximize how long your baby sleeps and how refreshed you feel the next morning.
Steady Sleep Schedule
Your baby's natural tendencies can help you choose when to put him down at night. For example, if your baby sleeps late into the morning after being up and down all night, try waking him up at an earlier hour in the morning so that he will be sleepier for an early evening bedtime. However, you may prefer to let him sleep later in the morning and encourage wakeful activities until a later evening bedtime, if you want to honor his "night owl" nature. Moreover, as important as naps are, babies who nap for long periods of time during the day may have trouble falling asleep at night. Whatever you choose, stick to the same schedule every day to ensure that his body is appropriately tired by bedtime.
Bedtime Ritual
Develop a calming nightly pre-sleep ritual to "turn on" your baby's sleep switch. Carrying her in a sling or playing only quiet games later in the day will relax her and prevent her from becoming overly stimulated prior to bedtime. Follow the same sleep routine prior to bed each night. Her routine may include taking a warm bath, getting a soothing tummy massage, and being rocked in a dimly lit room with a gentle lullaby playing in the background. The Mayo Clinic suggests that giving your baby a pacifier prior to bedtime can help settle her down and even reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); however, it warns that she may waken and cry when it falls out of her mouth.
Self-Soothing
Let him fall asleep on his own. Laying your baby down right before he is about to doze off to sleep can be a challenge in the beginning because he may cry for a while. However, over time this practice will teach him to associate "bed" with falling asleep. If he doesn't learn to fall asleep on his own, he will be increasingly dependent upon you to help him do so, even when he briefly awakens in the middle of the night.
Wait It Out
Wait a few minutes before going back into her room. She may fuss or cry for a few minutes before falling asleep, but give her a few minutes to settle herself down. If you begin to suspect she is uncomfortable--wet, hungry, or sick, for example--then don't ignore the problem. Moreover, if she continues to cry for minutes on end but you don't suspect anything is wrong, you may decide to calmly speak to her and be by her side. Resist the temptation, though, to pick her up, or else she will begin to associate crying with the positive reward of being held.
Calm Interactions
Keep calm during nighttime feeding and changing. Avoid fully turning on the lights and making loud noises, or else you risk taking your baby out of his sleepy state.
