5 Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
Getting your baby to sleep through the night can only go one of two ways. Either you’re one of
the lucky ones and you don’t hear a peep all night or your baby is up every hour on the hour and
you’re left slugging a pot of coffee in the morning.
If you fall into the second category, you’re not alone. There are plenty of parents whose babies
just can’t get into the sleeping all-night routine. Yes, it’s annoying. But, it can get better. Trust
us.
If you’ve forgotten what it feels like to get a full night’s sleep, we’ve got your back. Here are 5
ways to help your baby sleep through the night (so you can too!).
- Put Your Baby to Bed Drowsy Not Fast Asleep
Many parents make the mistake of putting their baby in the crib when they’ve already fallen
asleep after nursing or bottle feeding. Even if you’re holding your baby and they fall asleep,
you’re going to want to switch your routine. This is not helping them learn how to fall asleep on
their own and could be one of the reasons why they’re waking up during the night.
Instead, try this. When your baby seems like they’re beginning to get drowsy, put them in their
crib. This can help them learn how to fall asleep on their own and hopefully stay that way.
2. Teach Your Baby to Self-Soothe
On the same train of putting your baby to bed drowsy is teaching them to self-soothe. If you’re
offering a bottle or a cuddle every time they wake up, they’re never going to learn to soothe
themselves and get back to sleep.
When your baby starts crying in the middle of the night, it’s okay to go in and check on them.
But, you don’t want to spend too much time. They need to understand that it’s not time to eat or
play. It’s time to sleep. Put your hand on their back for a few minutes to calm them down and
then leave the room. They’re probably going to cry again, so this is going to take some effort.
But, eventually, they’ll no longer need you as a crutch to fall asleep. They’ll know how to get
themselves relaxed and back to dreamland.
3. Establish a Routine
Babies love a good routine at night. While they may not be able to communicate their praise, a
routine helps to calm them down. A solid bedtime routine can include:
● Bath
● Eating
● Reading a Book
● Bed
Your routine doesn’t have to be long and drawn out. It just needs to follow the same steps every
night. Over time, your baby will get to know what’s next, hopefully becoming a pro at that last
step!
4. Look for Sleepy Signs
If you’re waiting for your baby to raise their hand and tell you that he’s tired, you’re going to be
waiting all night. But they do develop little “tells” that let you know it’s bedtime or bust. Here are
some signs that signal the sleepy train is the next stop:
● Starts to zone out (yep, babies do it too!)
● Rubbing eyes
● Less engaged
● Pulling hair or ears
● Decreased activity
● Glazed eyes
When you see any of these little red flags, you don’t want to waste time. If you miss the sleepy
window, it quickly shifts into overtired mode which is going to make it harder for him to fall
asleep and stay that way.
5. Create a Chill Environment
You’re not the only one who wants a little Zen in your life. Your little one can appreciate a chill
environment too, especially at bedtime.
● Keep the room at a comfortable temperature so your baby isn’t sweating and also isn’t
too cold. This can make it hard for them to fall asleep.
● Make sure the room is dark. It can be hard for all of us to sleep if the room is too bright.
● Provide some white noise. Babies often fall asleep (and stay asleep) when there’s some
white noise. It provides a consistent, soothing sound for them because it can drown out
other noises that can make it hard for them to fall asleep.
Now that you have some new tools when bedtime rolls out, use them! You may want to try a
couple at a time or just one and see how it goes. Remember, be patient. While you may be able
to fall asleep on the sidewalk, your baby needs a little more help. Keep Calm and Parent On!