When Do Infants Sleep Through the Night?

One of the most commonly asked questions by new parents is: “When do infants sleep through the night?” The answer is less straightforward than you might think. Your baby’s sleep patterns will change dramatically from the first few weeks to six months (and yours will too!). If you're finding it tough to help your baby sleep soundly, remember that it's completely normal to seek help. There are plenty of resources available, such as sleep consultants, parenting workshops, and online support groups where you can connect with other parents. Don't hesitate to reach out - getting support is a sign of strength and will benefit you and your child. 

Why is sleeping through the night important?

Adequate sleep time for babies is needed for their healthy growth and development. You can help your baby develop good sleep habits. Your little one will more likely learn good sleep habits if they have a regular bedtime routine and consistent sleep schedules. These good habits will then hopefully continue through childhood.

How sleep patterns develop

Between two and three months, many babies may be able to sleep for a 4-5 hour stretch during the night. Some people consider this to be sleeping through the night – and it may feel like it to you compared with the early days. This may not happen every night at first, but it indicates that more structured sleep is beginning. The expectation that your baby will sleep an eight-hour stretch is more likely after six months of age.

One way to think about your baby’s night-time sleep is to ask yourself if your baby sleeps well, wakes for feedings, and is able to settle themselves right back to sleep. If the answer is yes, then your baby is a good sleeper. Being aware of your baby’s sleep needs and starting a bedtime routine early will give them the chance to learn good sleep habits while they are young.

Remember that the sleep skills your baby develops now set the stage for their sleep habits when they are older. So the time you invest in helping your baby learn good sleep techniques now will hopefully have a positive impact on them sleeping through the night.

Night waking can interfere with your infant sleeping through night

From birth to six months your baby will sleep for around 2-4 hours and then wake for short periods and this occurs throughout the night. As your baby gets older (from about 6 months on) they will sleep for longer time periods that can be up to 6 or more hours and most of these longer periods will be at night. Your baby is also better able to self soothe at this age when they do wake.

Newborns wake during the night primarily for a feed or discomfort. Some will sleep four to six hour stretches from six weeks while many will not do this until six months or beyond.

Night – day rhythms are not established until your baby is about three months old. This means your baby may sleep long stretches during the day and then want to catch up on feeds overnight. You can encourage the development of this inner circadian rhythm by waking your baby for feeds every three to four hours during the day and leave them to wake themselves overnight. Allow your baby to sleep in the daylight during the early weeks and keep the light dim when you are attending to them at night.

Factors that can affect your baby sleeping through the night

By around three months, your baby may still wake up at night to feed, but they will begin to sleep for longer periods of time between feedings. Because their stomach isn’t as tiny, they can go for longer stretches without needing to eat.

Consistency and routine are key to establishing healthy sleep patterns for your baby. These practices will hopefully help increase the amount of sleep a baby gets, with less night waking.

By 1 year of age over half of toddlers will only wake once overnight, around 10% might still call out 3-4 times during the night but this will reduce to about 5% by 3 years of age. Much like adults, babies may also find it difficult to go back to sleep after an active REM phase if they are stressed or have poorly established sleep patterns.

As your little one gets older, there are other factors that may come into play that affect their sleep patterns.

• Separation anxiety If you are noticing some reluctance by your baby to be away from you, they may be starting to experience separation anxiety. One way to help, once your little one is older than 7 months, is with a ‘transitional object’, such as a toy or piece of fabric, which can be safely left in their cot. This can help them settle when they are away from you and can be one more step toward independence for them. Choose a soft, washable toy without sharp ends or small parts that could come loose (such as buttons) and check that it’s made from flame resistant/retardant fabrics.  
• Inadequate sleep Lack of routine could be the reason for your baby not getting enough sleep. Late bedtimes, a television in your baby’s room, and not having a bedtime routine may all have an impact on the amount of sleep your baby gets.  
• Nightmares At eight to 10 months, your baby may start to have nightmares. These occur during dream—rapid eye movement (REM)—sleep and your baby may wake up crying and upset. Go in and comfort them, give them cuddles, and reassure them that you’re there and they’re safe. In older toddler’s, night terrors can also become an issue that affects their sleep considerably.
• Temperature Control  Newborns are unable to effectively regulate their body temperature making it important to not overdress and overheat your baby; and conversely under-dress and chill your baby. Avoid using sleep wear and bed linen made from synthetic fibres as these tend to trap heat. Dress your baby in warm clothes so that your baby is warm without needing to use a blanket. Use what you would wear to bed as a guide. Keep an eye on the room temperature, it should be comfortably warm and not to hot or cold.
• Startle reflex   During the first few months, the startle reflex can cause your baby to wake. Swaddling helps by preventing arms from flapping and waking your baby and therefore encouraging longer sleep.
• Digestive discomfort   Digestive discomfort makes it difficult for your baby to settle and sleep. Discomfort such as oesophageal pain, abdominal bloating or wind trapped in the lower bowel can all make it difficult for your baby to relax and sleep.  If this persists or you are worried about your babies comfort you should talk to your health care professional.
• Hunger  With increased activity and movement your baby has a need for increased nutrition. Consider increasing their milk and solid intake during the day to rule out hunger being the cause of night waking.
• Teething  Teething discomfort can make it difficult for your baby to settle back to sleep if they wake
• Illness  Illnesses such as an ear infection, a cold or something more sever such as bronchiolitis, may be the cause of your baby not settling. If they are not miserable during the day and have no fever, an ear infection is rarely the cause of not settling at bedtime. Seek professional health advice to make sure your baby is in good health.

As your baby develops and begins to put their world in sequences – routines become an important way of helping them feel secure. Your baby will benefit from cues that indicate sleep time and set routines will help prevent your baby being hungry and tired at the same time. Disrupted sleep can often be triggered by new milestones approaching and once the new skill is mastered, sleep improves until the next stage of development.

How to help your infant sleep through the night

Mimic the womb environment

Your newborn will need time and support to make a smooth transition from being warm and secure inside the womb to feeling comfortable and secure in the outside world. By mimicking the womb environment for a period of time your baby may find this transition a lot easier. The womb can be mimicked in the following ways:

• Warm and snug in the womb becomes swaddling and cuddling up close out of the womb
• Rhythmical movements from activity felt while inside the womb become rocking and swaying outside the womb
• Internal womb noises of the placenta, heartbeat and bowel sounds become humming, ‘white noise’, shhhing, singing, and your heart beat outside the womb

In the early days it is important to keep your baby secure and snug as they settle to sleep. Swaddling is an age-old practice of wrapping babies snugly in natural breathable material, blankets or similar cloth so that movement of the limbs is restricted. Your baby is born with a startle reflex which may cause them to wake during the lighter phases of sleep. The idea behind swaddling is that it prevents this reflex occurring allowing longer periods of sleep.

Swaddling

With what we currently know of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), it is considered safer for your baby to sleep on their back rather than on their tummy. Sleeping on the back can make some babies feel exposed and insecure, making it difficult for them to settle and sleep for long periods. During the first few months, an effective way to help your baby feel secure whilst sleeping on their back can be by wrapping them firmly (an ancient technique known as swaddling). Wrapping is a useful technique that can help you settle your baby and sleep them on their back. A comfortable swaddling technique places your baby’s hands in a natural position over the chest, preventing fidgeting and jerking as they settle to sleep. Swaddling also ensures the startle reflex does not jerk them awake between sleep cycles. This assists your baby to have a longer, more settled sleep. If your baby is over three months you may leave their arms free and wrap the lower body instead. This allows your baby to use their hands and fingers which can be a way of self-soothing.

The following is a step by step guide of how to swaddle your baby:

1. Place wrap on a flat surface with the longest edge folded over 10-15 cm
2. Place your baby on the wrap with their shoulders lying level with the top of the wrap
3. Bend arm up under the flap and bring the wrapped arm across the chest and tuck the wrap firmly under the back
4. Do the same with the other arm
5. Span out the bottom of the wrap and bring it up to the chest, spread it out and wrap firmly around and under the back
6. Swaddling your baby to aid settled sleep, is appropriate until about six months old but if your baby enjoys being wrapped and is sleeping well after this age, don’t worry, keep them wrapped for sleep time until they want out. You can help your baby sleep without the wrap by leaving one arm out then if they cope, take both arms out. Continue to wrap them from under their arms until you are ready to change them into a sleeping bag. Leaving an arm or two out allows your baby to suck on their fist or fingers to soothe themself to sleep.