- Every baby is different but many share the same sleep problems. Many babies resist naps, rely on the same caregiver to fall asleep, wake up before the sun rises, wake up constantly throughout the night or survive with hardly any rest. As bothersome as these issues may be, they are quite common.
- Parents need to have realistic expectations regarding their baby's sleep habits. A baby who sleeps through the night is viewed as the ideal baby, but rather should be viewed as the unrealistic baby. Night-waking is common in babies and toddlers because they have short sleep cycles---much shorter than that of an adult. A sleep cycle includes the time a person drifts off into light sleep, moves to deep sleep and comes back down to light sleep. A typical baby's sleep cycle is about an hour long, whereas an adult's is 90 minutes long. Babies also spend more time in rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, i.e. light sleep, than adults. Therefore, it's unfair to assume a baby should sleep through the night like an adult.
- Newborns have the most sleep issues. Before they reach three months of age, babies seldom sleep for more than four hours at a time, yet they sleep 14 to 18 hours a day. From three to six months of age, babies stay up more and may sleep for five-hour chunks, waking once or twice at night.
- Night-waking may be annoying to tired parents, but it's an important tool for a baby's survival. Constant night-waking ensures that a baby's needs are met. For example, babies have small stomachs that constantly need to be refilled. If they slept in eight-hour chunks they would go hungry and miss out on necessary sustenance. Your baby is not misbehaving or being bad for not sleeping through the night---he's just making sure you are near to provide proper protection, whether from a predator or from unsafe items that could interfere with breathing (like a pillow or blanket in the crib).
- Even though infants have their own way of sleeping (or not sleeping), there are things you can do to encourage optimal sleep patterns. Create a soothing environment in the evening. Wind your baby down using infant massage or a warm bath well before bedtime. Wear baby in a sling and allow your little one to be soothed by your motion. When the baby is put down to rest, play white noise in the background and try swaddling your baby in a blanket. There is no one solution to get your baby to sleep. Remember that you can only encourage your baby to drift off to sleep, not force it. Many experts recommend using baby training tactics and others swear against it. Do whatever feels right for you. What works for one family may not work for yours and vice versa. If you've tried everything to no avail, talk to your baby's doctor to rule out any physical causes of night-waking.
