New parents may notice that learning how to get baby to sleep through the night can be a challenge.
Well, babies are small creatures that can be quite challenging to handle despite their cuteness and adorable trait.
However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t comfort them and provide them with basic needs.
Babies are small creatures who are clueless about anything, considering that they are new to this world.
Gear up your courage and patience – you should be able to do this!
The Most Common Issues
Most new parents have the same complaint: They don’t get enough sleep.
It’s quite annoying and disturbing because it turns them into a full-time zombie – day and night.
But you should be able to tackle this and develop a new routine.
Knowing the basic facts will also help in keeping you stay sane and understanding your baby better.
Would you believe that sleeping is basically a learned skill?
For newborns, they need to learn this skill to support their growth and development.
Newborns actually sleep a lot but they do it in short intervals.
It’s because of many things – but most of the reason is that they are hungry.
You see, newborns have a very small stomach so it is quite logical if they get hungry often.
Not to mention that they are little creatures constantly searching for comfort.
When they are hungry, they will wake up.
When they aren’t comfy, they will wake up.
If they are content and comfy, the possibility of them sleeping longer is possible.
But how to make them reach that stage?
Sleeping Pattern and Age
Learning how to get baby to sleep through the night when they are still newborn (less than 4 or 5 months old) is pointless.
No matter what you do, they will wake up constantly.
Instead of feeling stressed out, it’s best that you go along the way.
Keep in mind that newborns experience challenging stages too.
They have spent 9 months in the comfort of your womb.
When they are out in the world, they lose it.
So, it is quite normal if they need time to adjust themselves and get used to the new situation.
Yes, it is a difficult time for both you and your baby.
The best thing that you can do at this stage is to play along.
Make sure that you can provide whatever your baby needs – food, comfort, and safety.
Make sure that you have enough rest.
No need to worry about other things, like work or chores.
Try to sleep together with the little one. You will stay refreshed and sane if you can do this.
As your baby grows older and bigger, the stomach capacity will follow suit.
They should be able to have more food – which affects their sleeping pattern too.
When they are full and comfy, they can sleep longer.
At this age, you will also notice that their sleeping pattern is more set and settled.
They don’t sleep that often during the day, enabling them to sleep longer at night.
How to Get Your Baby Sleep Longer
Provided that there is nothing wrong with your baby (no illness, no sleep regression, or anything else), there are ways on how to get baby to sleep through the night.
You need to develop a constant and consistent routine that isn’t only beneficial for the baby, but also for you.
1. Develop a (Bedtime) Routine
There is no need to develop something complicated or difficult – go with the simple but sustainable one.
A bedtime routine is able to create positive effects for the baby.
They are smart creatures – they will soon learn and be used to the routine.
For instance, a friend of mine would bathe the baby and then dim the lights off.
After 2 weeks, the little girl started to associate the night bathe with sleeping time, and she would usually go quiet and content after the bath.
For my own experience, I would wash my baby and change clothes.
And I would swaddle him and turn on the soothing sound effect to make him sleepy.
Everyone has their own habit – you should find yours.
2. Teach Self-Soothe
Babies need to learn how to self-soothe themselves as you want them to learn about the habit.
Let’s say that they are awake and crying, you can check on them.
But try to limit your time there so they know that it isn’t the time to eat or play – it is still sleeping time.
You can do this by placing your hand on their chest, or their back, to soothe and calm them.
Once they are calm, leave the nursery.
Another way is to swaddle them, making them feel comfortable and warm.
3. Observe Them
As babies grow, you will start to see the changes in their sleeping patterns.
They will sleep less during the day and sleep more at night.
This is the time for you to create a schedule – for both day sleeping and night sleeping.
Make sure to have enough sleeping during the day, but not too much.
By doing this, you can make sure that they are content and happy without compromising their night sleeping time.
4. Establish a Schedule
It’s important to create and establish a schedule, as described in the previous section.
And once you have made a schedule, make sure to stick to it.
If you are consistent, your baby will learn fast about day and night differences – and their natural body clock will follow suit.
5. Calming Atmosphere and Ambiance
Making your baby stay comfy is the key.
What about the comfy room temperature – have you set it?
Make sure that the room is dark.
It is even possible to have some white noise along the way – it is quite helpful to make the baby sleeps and to drown other noises that wake it up.
6. Be Patient
These things may not happen smoothly because of the growth spurt or sleep regression.
That’s okay; just stick to it. These things may happen only a while.
As long as you are consistent, you are going to be okay.
Dealing with babies and their sleeping patterns isn’t easy, but as long as you are determined and patient, you can go through this stage.
Do these ways on how to get baby to sleep through the night and enjoy it.