Parents with newborn babies are often looking for ways to help their baby sleep longer. It can be very tiring if you have to get out of bed again and again at night because your baby wakes up. Newborn babies sleep a lot during the day. However, they have no rhythm yet. As the baby gets a little older, he will automatically develop his day and night rhythm so that he can sleep through the night. Many parents wonder what they can do in those first few months to help their baby sleep through the night.
Sleeping through the night: what exactly is that?
A baby is said to sleep through the night when he sleeps for five hours without waking up in between. Many parents don’t think this is enough and would like their child to wake up only in the morning. For most babies this will not happen until they are about four months old. After the first six months, babies will often sleep longer, about eleven hours at a time. It is possible that the baby wakes up or cannot sleep well when he has a cold or is getting new teeth.
Baby wakes up due to hunger
Smaller babies usually wake up at first because they are hungry. You should therefore give a newborn baby a late feeding. Most babies still wake up during the night to be fed again. After a few months you can give your baby porridge and solid food. At that point, it will no longer be necessary to feed your baby again at night. Despite the fact that a baby no longer needs feeding at night, it often happens that babies get used to waking up at certain times during the night.
The best way to solve this is to reduce the feedings. After the fourth month, you can give him a little water at night when he wakes up instead of feeding him. Babies don’t like that as much. Ultimately, the baby will no longer wake up for that feeding, because he gets water instead of food.
You can also make sure your baby’s stomach is well filled before he goes to sleep. Instead of milk, you can give porridge as the last food of the day. Because porridge is heavier and does not digest as quickly, your baby will not need food at night.
If your baby is not feeling well
It is logical that a baby will not sleep through the night if he is not feeling well. For example, he may have cramps or be ill. As a parent you will quickly notice if something is wrong with your child. You will then have to get out of bed several times to comfort your child. To reduce the pain, you can give your baby a suppository or children’s paracetamol. This means your baby can still sleep a little. You can also opt for a homeopathic remedy that helps against cramps. Another option for colic is to change the baby’s diet.
No apparent reason for not sleeping through the night
You can usually do something about it if your baby is hungry or sick. But there are also many cases where babies wake up when it is not clear what is going on. Here are some tips to help your baby sleep through the night:
- You can help a newborn baby by swaddling him. This means he won’t startle himself when he moves in his sleep.
- Giving your baby a pacifier or a cuddly toy will help him not feel alone and provide him with comfort.
- Don’t make it too fun for the baby when he wakes up at night or he will make a habit of it.
- If you provide a fixed rhythm before going to sleep, the baby will be relaxed when he goes to sleep and will therefore be able to sleep through the night.