Is it normal….
that my baby doesn’t sleep through the night?
Many parents suffer from sleep deprivation during the first few months of their baby's life. And the number one question on many parents' minds is ‘when do babies start sleeping longer?’ The answer is soon but it varies quite a bit. Some babies start sleeping for longer stretches as early as 4 months old, while others take until 12 or more months before they're consistently sleeping through the night. It really depends on the age and stage of your baby why he/she isn’t sleeping. It is totally normal for a baby to wake for feedings until they are 6 months old. It is also very normal for a baby that was finally sleeping through the night to have a series of nights where they do wake up again. Experts point to separation anxiety, over-stimulation, being overtired or when they are ill.
Also, just because your baby is capable of getting (and giving you) eight hours of uninterrupted sleep doesn't mean they will. Every baby is different and will do things on their own timeline. Note that even if your baby has been sleeping through the night for weeks or months, they may still have trouble at times. Some developmental milestones can be associated with disrupted sleep—you may find your baby perfecting their crawling or sitting skills in the middle of the night!
There are plenty of things can keep baby from sleeping through the night, including:
Teething: Baby's first tooth might be a momentous milestone, but it can also wake him up at night. And teething symptoms, like crying, ear pulling and night waking, may crop up two to three months before the actual pearly whites appear.
A less-than-ideal sleeping environment: If baby is too hot, he might have trouble sleeping. You should also keep the room quiet and dark.
Bad sleep habits: Try not to hold, rock or feed your baby until he falls asleep, or be inconsistent with his bedtime routine. Instead, put him to bed when he's drowsy but awake, which will help him learn to fall asleep on his own.
An inability to self-soothe: It's normal for a 6-month-old baby to wake up a few times a night, but he should be able to fall back to sleep again on his own. If he can't, he may not know how to self-soothe, so you may want to consider sleep training.
Sickness: Colds and ear infections can keep anyone awake at night — and your baby is no exception. Rest assured, once he starts feeling better, your baby should start sleeping better too.
Growth spurts: Baby will likely experience growth spurts at around 3 months, 6 months and 9 months (though the exact timing can vary). When this happens, he'll likely wake up earlier from naps, and more often during the middle of the night to eat.
Milestones: If your baby is mastering a new skill — rolling over, sitting up, crawling — he may have a hard time settling down or staying asleep at night. (Who wants to fall asleep when there’s so much to explore?)
Sleep regression: It's normal for babies — even those who are good sleepers — to wake up more often and have trouble falling back to sleep once they're 3 to 4 months old, and at other ages too. Blame sleep regressions — and know that those phases are only temporary.
Travel: Jet lag and other disruptions can mess with your baby's Zzzs.
So what can you do to help ease the sleepless nights and get your child into a good sleep routine. Parents should create a night time routine for children over 4 months old. Babies need consistency to help them feel safe and secure, so don't read a story one night and then skip it the next. And though it may seem easier to transfer your little one to the cot after they're already asleep, it will make the process more difficult. It is recommended that after 4 months to put them down fully awake, so they learn how to put themselves to sleep at bedtime. This way, they'll be more likely to do it again if they wake up during the night.
When babies start at First Steps Nursery, they soon become accustomed to a little more noise when they are going to sleep and become more adept at self-soothing to sleep. Our childcare practitioners are of course always on hand to offer them comfort and security as they get used to a new environment. Parents often find that their child starts to sleep better once they start at Nursery as they are more stimulated during their waking hours.
