New moms seriously suffer sleep deprivation and can’t find time to rest and rejuvenate.  You might be asking yourself, “when do babies sleep through the night?”
“Sleep when your baby sleeps!” mom vets tell us. Sometimes, it’s just not that easy.
When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night?
Well, that depends on your baby. Most babies can sleep through the night by six months, but some take longer!
I had twins and one could sleep through the night by eight weeks; the other couldn’t sleep through the night until he was 10.5 months old.
Some infants can sleep six to eight hours starting as early as three months.
For some unfortunate parents, they may not see that kind of uninterrupted slumber until their baby is a year old or older.
There are a number of baby sleep books and philosophies to try on your little one. Some parents and experts will say your baby will sleep through the night when your baby is ready.
So, when do babies sleep through the night? Having twins that had very different sleeping habits reinforced the idea that all babies are different; that they will sleep through the night when they are ready to sleep through the night.
Does giving a baby formula help him sleep through the night?Â
There are things we do as well-intentioned parents that might be keeping our baby up throughout the night. I think these books might help you uncover some bad habits that might be sabotaging your progress. They might help you answer, “when do babies sleep through the night?”
Baby Sleep Training Books
The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child: A Step-by-Step Program for a Good Night’s Sleep byÂ
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber
The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep: Simple Solutions for Kids from Birth to 5 Years by Harvey Karp
The Wonder Weeks by
The AAP Childhood Sleep Guide
Why Does My Baby Stay Up at Night?
When your baby was in your womb, you would typically rock your baby to sleep when you were awake walking around and doing your daily activities. Did you happen to feel what felt like a party in your belly at night? For many babies, nighttime was their awake-time. This is why you may notice your newborn sleeping more during the day than the night; your baby may be awake most of the night. This is what he is used to! It takes some time for your baby to adjust to the outside world and turn their schedule around. But be patient, he will adapt in due time! Think of the newborn phase as another trimester in the womb.
As beautiful and eye-opening as it is to care for your newborn every second of every day, you could probably benefit from a little more shut-eye during those first few sleepless nights.
So how does a new mom catch a break and finally find some slumber? We’ve found that the best advice for regaining your sleep and sanity falls in the five E’s listed below:
Trying To Get More Sleep? Try These Tips
Take Naps
This one can be hard to do. There is so much to do.
If you have a newborn, try to accept that for a while your home will look like a baby bomb went off in it. Try to lean on your partner, family and friends to do more work around the house.
If you have the funds, hire a cleaning service to help, too. This will leave you some more needed time to take a nap during the day.
It takes time for your baby to sleep through the night, so it’s important to try to get some shut-eye during the day.
Some people just aren’t nappers. Try to rest anyway even if you can’t nap.
Get Help at Night
Most family and friends want to visit you during the day when your baby or babies are sleeping. Ask friends and family to help you with the night shift, even if it’s for one night. This may allow you to get a few more hours of uninterrupted sleep.
If you have the disposable income, consider hiring a night nanny. Before having my twins, I had never heard of a night nanny.
After six weeks, I felt like I was dying of sleep deprivation. I was dropping things left and right. I was worried I was going to drop a baby. I had slurred speech and I was barely hanging on.
Another twin mom suggested a night nanny.
This isn’t an affordable option for a lot of people, but it’s worth mentioning. We had a night nanny come a few times a week.
She stayed with the babies all night while I slept and I woke up once to pump. I didn’t have to tend to any babies and I was able to get some uninterrupted much-needed sleep.
Exercise
Even though this sounds far-fetched and unrealistic, it’s actually going to save you in the long run (pun intended!).
Staying physically active throughout the week increases stamina and produces greater feelings of energy even when you can count the number of hours you slept on just one hand.
Eat Your Greens
A salad never sounded so unappealing when you’re sleep deprived and craving a candy bar. But the phytonutrients in dark green colored vegetables can actually make you feel more energized and alert.
Carbs and gluten can make you feel lethargic and sugar can alter your mood and cause sleep disturbances.
So opt for leafy greens and legumes next time you need a pick-me-up and stay away from added sugar as much as you can.
If you’re wondering what you should be eating as a new mom, especially while breastfeeding, check out our article series all about Newborn Care!
Establish a Routine
Just like your baby needs a schedule to depend on, so should you! Set a time of when you would like to go to bed (although newborns are great at off-putting plans) and try to stick to the routine as much as possible.
That means if your baby is on a feeding schedule and can depend on when a nap is due, try to set that plan for yourself, too.
Skip the late night Bravo! binge and go to bed early. I have a hard time with this one đŸ™‚
Shut Off Electronics
In a socially-saturated world, try to disconnect when you’re ready to snooze. Studies have shown that excessive viewing on your phone, tablet or television can keep you awake longer.
The blue light from the screen confuses your brain into thinking it’s daytime. Stop checking your phone a few hours before bed. This one is hard to do, too!
Expect Better Days
This graveyard shift is only temporary! Most babies start to sleep through the night at around 4 months of age, while some find uninterrupted sleep even sooner.
The first year flies by and before you know it, you’ll be ironically missing these early baby moments you had with your little one.
For more information on how to handle the tasks that come with being a new mom, check out the Top Ten Questions By New Moms Answered!
