First Four Months Critical To Newborn’s Future Sleep Habits

New parents often find themselves tired and sleep deprived with a  small baby that seems to demand attention at all hours; and though a newborn baby will sleep between 16 and 20 hours a day, this is sleep punctuated by waking for feedings, changings and so on rather than restful uninterrupted sleep.

sleeping habitsWhile babies have different sleep patterns and requirements, in general babies will be sleeping through the night by 4 months of age – sleeping between 5 and 8 hours at a stretch without waking.

The important thing to remember is that each child is different and many simply will not respond to the ‘cry it out’ method, but that a routine should be set early on in infancy.

Have a bedtime routine to help the baby relax, be consistent about it, don’t give up on the routine of putting the baby to bed drowsy but not asleep to help the baby learn to self soothe.

This will not only teach the child to fall asleep on their own, it will also help them go back to sleep if they awaken in the night, without a parent having to help them do so.  These first months are very important to promote future good sleeping habits.

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