At baby2sleep Nicole offers help and guidance based on her own experiences. Having a sleep consultant to help you can make a world of difference, giving both you and your baby structure.
Nicole understands the stress that you can experience from a baby that won t sleep. Below are some basic FAQs to give some guidance on your baby s sleep.
How can I help my baby sleep through the night?
No one really ‘sleeps through‘ the night. We all wake naturally between 3 and 6 times, this is an in built safety mechanism that takes us back to caveman times. We wake, we check our surroundings if everything is the same we just go back to sleep, most of the time we aren’t even aware we have done this. However, if a baby wakes and they are unable to self settle, they will naturally wake up and seek the same help they had at bedtime to put them back to sleep. In the early days, they will be waking due to hunger, comfort, needing a nappy change etc, as until they are 12 weeks old, there brains aren’t capable of developing the skill to self settle so they wake due to need.
How can I help my baby to get used to night and day?
A newborn baby is unable to produce their own melatonin until around 12 weeks old, so they are unable to tell the difference between day a night without parental help. A way to help a baby adjust is to expose them to 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness to help them adjust. Introduce short routines that guide baby to understand what is coming. From around 2 weeks old you can introduce a short bedtime routine and short nap routines can also help.
How much sleep does a baby need?
It is important to know that the sleeping pattern of every child and adult varies, so there is no need to be worried if your child s sleep is different from recommendations. On average newborn babies needs around 16 hours sleep in a 24 hour period, three to five months around 15 hours, six to eight months around 14 and a half hours and by two years old 13 hours in a 24 period. These totals are a combination of night sleep and day sleep combined.
Where should my baby sleep?
Making sure that your baby is sleeping in the right environment is crucial. For at least the first 6 months it is recommended that they should be in the same room as you when asleep. Sometimes close contact can help to relax a baby and they may fall asleep in your arms. Moving them away into their own space should be done over time and when they feel comfortable enough to sleep without you.
How do I introduce a bedtime routine?
Setting up a bedtime routine for a baby is usually recommended at around 3 months, however, you can set a good foundation from as early as 2 weeks old. A regular and comfortable routine can help your baby to feel more comfortable and you to get more sleep. As a child gets older it may be a good idea to keep a similar routine and develop it depending on age and commitments such as school or activities.