How to Get Babies to Sleep All Night

A newborn is programmed to wake about every two hours to be fed and have his diaper changed, as a baby's schedule is set by his biological needs. There comes a time, though, around ten weeks old, when an infant might start to sleep six to eight hours at night. Most parents with a newborn would love to have a full night's sleep, and there are certain techniques you can try to get your baby to sleep through the night. You might not succeed right away, but with some persistence and patience, you should soon have your baby sleeping through the night.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lavender bath soap Lavender baby lotion Storybooks Rocking chair Formula or breast milk

Set a Routine at Night

1. Set a nighttime routine before bedtime. Even as a newborn, a baby will start to learn that when certain events signal when it is time to go to sleep for the night. Calming routines and rituals create a sense of stability, and with a calmer demeanor, a baby will be able to soothe himself back to sleep if he wakes up in the night. A study conducted by independent sleep expert Dr. Jodi Mindell proved that a consistent nighttime routine of bath, massage and quiet time made babies more likely to sleep through the night.

2. Start by drawing a warm bath with a calming baby bath soap. You may want to use a lavender-scented soap, which is known to calm babies for a good night's sleep.

3. Dry off your baby and massage her with lavender baby lotion. Massaging will help calm your infant and increase the bond between you and your baby.

4. Begin to read a book nightly to your newborn. A baby will learn that hearing a story means that bedtime is coming soon. It calms and soothes him when you use a soft, low, calm tone of voice. A lullaby can also be used to help your baby fall asleep and stay asleep.

5. Nurse your baby or give her her last bottle for the night. Sometimes a feeding will get your baby to rest and sleep through the night so she won't wake up to feed.

Cry It Out Method

6. Teach your baby that nighttime is the time for sleep by using the "cry it out" method. This method is not considered suitable for babies younger than six months old, as young babies cry for their needs to be met. Many pediatricians, such as Dr. Sears, believe that babies require their needs to be met in order to feel safe and that this sense of security is not fully achieved until after six months.

7. Go through your bedtime routine and put your baby in his crib. Calm and soothe him and let him know that it is time for sleep.

8. Leave your baby's crib. She may begin to cry.

9. Return to the crib to calm and soothe your baby. Leave after he has calmed down. He may begin to cry again, but resist the urge to pick him up and rock him.

10. Return to the crib until he has calmed down and fallen asleep. Some babies will get overexcited and may have difficulty breathing. If that happens, you can pick up your baby and rock her to calm her.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult with your pediatrician before performing any sleep training for your child. Remember that most parents and experts like Dr. Sears agree that the "cry it out" method is harder for parents than it is for babies, as parents are upset by hearing their babies cry.
• Do not leave an uncontrollably upset baby alone. Such a baby can choke and lose his ability to calm himself down.

References

• Ask Dr. Sears
• What to Expect the First Year; Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E. Murkoff and Sandee E. Hathaway; 1989
• Johnson's Customized Sleep Profile

Resources

• The Babble Sleep Guide