There are so many factors that go into getting your baby to sleep through the night. If you are struggling and need support, I would love to chat about your specific issues and needs to customize a plan that’s right for you and your baby! I can’t stress enough how unique each baby and scenario is, and at Sleep Shop we meet you where you and baby are at! In the mean time here are a few things to keep in mind when working to get your baby to sleep through the night.
Tips To Get Baby Sleeping Through The Night
Full Feeds
Babies need 24-32oz milk per 24 hours, so make sure baby is getting plenty to eat during the day! As newborns, babies are only taking in a few ounces at a time so they are eating often, however as babies grow you can start to reallocate calories into daytime feeds-fuller feeds-to help prevent baby from waking out of hunger in the night.
Put Baby Down Awake
Teaching baby to fall asleep independently helps him put himself back to sleep when he wakes in the middle of the night (considering he has a full tummy and no other factors). Start practicing laying him in his bassinet or crib awake but drowsy if you aren’t already. I explain more about this here and can also support you through this process in a 1:1 as it can definitely be tricky!
Dream Feed
While a dream feed isn’t for every baby, it does work for some! You can offer a dream feed around 10-11pm, or 3-4 hours after her bedtime. This can ensure baby’s tummy is full and really set up the chance for both mom and baby to get a long stretch of sleep in the middle of the night.
Set Wake Up
Set baby’s wake time and be consistent with it. It’s tempting to let baby “sleep in” if he woke up at 5am for a feeding, however setting a consistent time to wake up, open the blinds, get some sun, and so on will help set baby’s circadian rhythm and routine for the day.
Wake Times
Consider baby’s wake times. Pending age, there is a fine line where baby is awake, becomes tired, and then overtired. We never want to reach the overtired state as this makes it more challenging to get baby to bed, and often causes wake ups in the night. Don’t forget to watch for sleepy cues (rubbing of eyes, reddish eyebrows, yawning, fussiness and so on).
Settling Techniques
When baby wakes in the middle of the night and is not due to feed, practice soothing rather than picking up and feeding or rocking right away. We want to give baby a chance to connect sleep cycles and fall back to sleep. I encourage soothing baby for a little more time each night to stretch feeds and therefore wakes, which I can further talk more about with you in a 1:1 where strategize for your baby’s specific needs and patterns.
Consistency
As always, consistency is key! We want to establish healthy habits and stick with them. If you decide to try soothing baby rather than picking up right away to feed (again, considering he is not hungry yet), keep doing this. We don’t want to trick baby into soothing one night, and then feed him immediately another night. These are mixed signals and we don’t want to confuse him. Consistency will help him to establish healthy habits.
If you’re looking for more support, I’d love to chat! Click below to see what packages we offer or shoot me an email at carlykenihan@sleepshopconsulting.com so we can chat about options. Wishing you rest mama.
