When Should a Baby Start Sleeping Through the Night?

There isn't a set-in-stone age when a baby will sleep through the night. It is possible, though, to help your baby develop healthy bedtime habits that will allow him to fall asleep easier and sleep better, when the time is right. You might have to adjust the routine a few times before you find the routine that works best for you and your baby.

  1. Age of Baby

    • Newborns often sleep for large periods during the day and night, waking only to eat. He'll often mix up his days and nights, causing parents to lose a lot of sleep. As the weeks pass by, he'll stay awake for larger periods of time. After the first three months, he should sleep for periods of five hours or longer. Six-month-old babies will often sleep for stretches of nine hours or more.

      The more active your baby is during the day, the better he'll sleep at night. Make sure to interact with the baby so he doesn't get into a habit of dozing and waking. Sing, talk and play with him to keep him stimulated when it isn't time for him to sleep.

    Sleep Conditions

    • While regular naps are nice, if the baby sleeps too much during the day, she won't want to sleep at night. Wake your baby and offer interaction to keep her awake if she tends to sleep too long. If you don't, she could sleep more and more during the day and less at night.

      Help your baby settle into a bedtime routine. Babies thrive on consistency. Bath time can offer a wonderful transition to help your baby relax and wind down. After the bath, snuggle her up in a cozy sleeper. Settle into a rocking chair for a story or song. Lay her down before she falls asleep so she'll learn how to go to sleep on her own. Consider using a white-noise machine, running a fan on low, or playing soothing bedtime melodies as background noise to help your baby sleep through louder noises that may carry through the house.

    Personality

    • Your baby might fuss a bit before settling down to sleep. Don't go running into the room every time you hear him cry or whimper. If the baby continues to fuss, reassure him that you're still nearby. Kiss him, rub his back, settle the blankets around him, and quietly leave the room. This does not always work for all babies---some babies will scream for hours and can even vomit if they get too upset. If this approach is not working for you or your baby, or you don't feel comfortable letting him cry, don't worry. It may take longer for your little one to start sleeping through the night, but that's OK; every baby is different. Just do what you are comfortable with, as a parent.

      If your baby prefers a pacifier, make sure he has it when he goes to bed. Keep extras on hand in case he loses it during the night. Though the pacifier habit can be hard to break when your baby gets older, the comfort it provides now may be worth it. Some mothers prefer to nurse their baby to sleep, which also provides much-needed comfort for the baby. This may mean that the baby will begin sleeping through the night a bit later, but it does not mean he won't ever sleep through the night at all. Do what works for you and your baby.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • What Are Some Questions That I Might Ask My Son's First-Grade Teacher When I Go for a Conference?
      Conferences are the perfect time to talk with your childs first-grade teacher to find out how he is doing academically, socially and behaviorally. Before attending the conference, take some time to jot down a few questions that will give you a better
    • Can a Child See a Psychologist Without Parental Consent?
      In most cases, children must have parental consent to be seen by any health care provider, including a psychologist. In some cases, children may be able to provide their own consent, or consent may be waived by a health care provider. H
    • How to Stop Thumb-Sucking
      Some infants begin thumb-sucking in the womb, so your child may use her thumb as source of comfort before you ever observe the self-soothing behavior. Even though most children eventually stop independently, parents worry that thumb sucking will affe