No two babies have the same sleeping pattern. Some babies sleep through the night at three months, and others wait until later down the line. In the first few months, you are likely to be sleep deprived because of your new-born’s sleeping patterns. It’s important to manage your expectations for your child’s sleeping pattern and understand what’s typical for their age group.
Of course, all babies are different and typical sleep patterns for their age group are just a rough guideline:
New-borns are very unlikely to sleep through the night. However, they do sleep for up to 18 hours per day in the first few weeks, just not all in one go. By 6-8 weeks, your baby may start to sleep for longer at night and less in the day. By three to four months, your baby’s sleeping pattern should begin to settle into a night-time routine. Your baby will still have around two to three naps in the day. Daytime naps will slowly teeter off as your baby starts to sleep for longer at night and get solder.
Moreover, you need to know the signs of when your child is overtired. Your baby will let you know when they are exhausted by rubbing their eyes, yawning, looking away from you or fussing. Daytime naps are a great way to avoid overtiredness and keep your baby rested and happy. An overtired baby is likely to find it much more difficult to fall asleep because they’re frustrated and cranky. Try to keep a lookout for the classic signs of overtiredness, whether they’re emotional or physical actions.
Like limiting exposure to blue light before bed, simple things can help your baby fall asleep at bedtime. Try starting a regular routine as early on as you can so your baby can learn the difference between day and night.
Bath them and read them a night-time story before closing their bedroom blinds to signal it’s time for sleep. Dress them in a baby sleepsuit at night so they feel safe, cosy and ready for bed. Introduce daylight when it’s morning time, so they begin to associate specific cues with sleeping and waking.
Your baby needs to learn to settle themselves when they wake up in the night or can’t get to sleep. It can feel unnatural to ignore your baby while they scream and cry at night. However, self-settling is a vital part of sleep training that will help them develop healthy sleep patterns in the long run.
Don’t forget that your mental and physical wellbeing is important too. You need to sleep so you can care for your child, balance your responsibilities and remain calm in high-pressure situations. Try to introduce healthy sleep patterns when your child is young so they can get used to the routine as soon as possible.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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