In this article, I am sharing what you need to know from baby sleep and suggestions with you on which you can help your baby to sleep better.
Baby Sleep Tips (Newborn to 12 months)
0 to 3 months
Newborn sleep
- about 16 to 17 hours a day.
- 2 to 4 hours every 2 hours.
- less during the day and more at night by 2 months old.
5 Tips to help the baby sleep:
1. Take naps.
Give the baby a nap every 2 hours.
2. Start to teach the baby how to distinguish day from night.
During the day:
- Interact and play with the baby as much as possible.
- Keep the house and the baby’s room bright.
- Don’t worry about regular daytime noises such as mobile rings and other noises at home.
- Feed every 2 hours. The baby will sleep better after being fed.
During the night:
- Dim the lights.
- Keep noise level low.
- Don’t play with the baby.
3. Look for “signs of tiredness”.
4. Start a bedtime routine and stick to it for 6 to 8 weeks.
- Give the baby a bath.
- Put on a diaper and double swaddle.
This lets the baby feel safe and secure like being in the womb.
- Put the baby down when drowsy but still awake.
- Feed the baby if need.
5. Play a soothing lullaby that calms newborns.
Take note:
Sleep can be tough in the first three months.
But at 6 to 8 weeks, many babies begin to fall asleep on their own.
Mothers should
- try to nap whenever the baby sleeps.
- “get help from the fathers” or helpers to help with housework and meal preparation.
This helps the mother to get some rest and in a good frame of mind to take care of the baby.
4 to 8 months
The baby
- begins to sleep through the night (8 to 12 hours).
- is ready for sleep training.
- takes 2 to 3 daytime naps.
5 Tips to help the baby sleep:
1. Get on a sleep schedule.
- Plan naps at a specific time every day.
For example, 7 am to 9 am or 3 pm to 5 pm.
- Keep the house and the baby’s room quiet and dark for the baby to nap during the day.
- Choose a bedtime (for example, 9 pm) and stick to it.
Look out for signs that the baby is tired.
If the baby gets fussy, try an earlier bedtime.
2. Stick to “a bedtime routine”.
A predictable bedtime routine relaxes and soothes the baby to sleep.
- Give the baby a bath.
- Put on diapers and pajamas.
- Read a story.
- Sing or play a lullaby.
- Do the routine in the same order every night.
3. Encourage the baby to fall asleep independently.
Put the baby down when drowsy, but still awake.
The baby
- associates bed with sleep and learns how to self-soothe.
- wakes the parent up during the night, but this should be happening less often. Gives the baby a few minutes to settle
back to sleep.
- needs to be fed if the baby is still having breastfeeding or bottle-feeding during the night.
- wakes up at the same time each morning.
4. Be flexible as sleep patterns change.
As the baby grows, his sleep patterns change.
Take note:
At around six months, the baby will develop new abilities that can affect sleep.
For example, the combination of being able to do a variety of fun activities and being able to stay awake means that the baby might wake up more often during the night and be more reluctant to go back to sleep.
Does your baby “keep waking up in the night”? Here are tips for you to try it out.
Crawling
Settling difficulties can happen at the same time as crawling.
Sleep habits change when the baby starts moving around more.
The baby used to perceive that the parents were no longer present whenever they left the bedroom. But now, the baby knows that the parents are still around, but somewhere in the house.
When the baby wakes up during the night, he will cry out for the parents since the baby knows that the parent will come.
Separation Anxiety
At 6 to 12 months, the baby may begin to
- experience “separation anxiety".
- get upset because the parents are not around.
This might lead to a phase where the baby does not want to go to sleep and wakes up more often in the night.
Feeding
Once the baby is six months old, the baby does not need to be fed during the night. From this time on, if the baby is developing well, it is time to think about night weaning and to phase out night feeds.
Take note:
The quality of the parents’ sleep can affect their health and mood. Being exhausted can make it hard to give the baby the best attention during the day.
9 to 12 months
The baby
- sleeps around 14 hours a day.
- naps for 1 to 2 hours twice a day.
- sleeps through the night.
3 Tips to help the baby sleep:
1. Stick to a consistent bedtime routine.
- Give the baby a bath.
- Put on diapers and pajamas.
- “Read a story”.
- Sing or play a lullaby.
- Start the routine well before bedtime.
- Follow the same routine each night.
2. Encourage the baby to fall asleep independently.
- Put the baby down when drowsy, but still awake.
- Give the baby a few minutes to settle back to sleep when the baby wakes up.
3. Follow a daily schedule.
- Set regular playtime, mealtime, nap time, and bedtime.
- Look for the signs that the baby is tired such as yawning.
- Try putting the baby to bed earlier.
I hope all these suggestions will help your baby to sleep better.
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Genesis Childcare 1989 is Singapore's leading preschool and childcare in Tampines. Our Preschool Tampines have over 30 years of experience in nurturing thousands of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. At Genesis, we advocate that every child is unique and precious who needs to be loved and cherished.
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