Getting a baby to sleep through the night is a dream of sleepy parents of newborns everywhere. It is easier than is sounds if you follow the right steps.

Sleeping is a natural phenomenon and a need for human beings. We don’t know why we need to sleep, but it has to do with a restoration of energy and recharge time for all the cells in our body. We simply can’t go without sleep, and sleep deprivation constitutes a form of torture. No wonder it is so important to create a rhythm for the newborn to follow, that synchronizes with the day-and-night circadian rhythm of the rest of the population.

It all has to do with the presence of sunlight during the day and the absence of sunlight during the night. Our body produces certain hormones that keep us awake and active during the hours when the sun is out in the sky and different hormones at sunset, which prepare the body for a night of rest. A newborn is not yet exposed to the routine of hormonal changes induced by the sun, since inside the mother there is no change in light exposure. Actually, there is no light exposure at all. Therefore, the newborn starts to learn the difference between day and night when he or she is born. It is important to create a noticeable difference between day and night from day 1 of life, to start the learning process. It usually takes about 6 weeks for the newborn to show some consistent behavior. The sooner you start, the sooner you will enjoy a full night of rest.

What is a parent to do? Keep your newborn baby exposed to daylight during the day by keeping her in a room with plenty of light. If the weather is cloudy and the rooms of the house seem dark, turn on the light during the day. The baby needs to be exposed to light during the day, even when she is taking naps. Newborns need to sleep 16 to 20 hours/day; you’re going to see lots of naps during the first few weeks of life. Let the baby sleep whenever she feels like it; just make sure there is light in the room.

In the evening, after the sun goes down, make sure the baby remains in the dark for the rest of the night. I advise the parents of my patients to give the baby a bath between 8 and 9 PM. Bath time will eventually mark the transition between day and night, and provides relaxation in preparation for sleep. You don’t need to use soap everyday, if you’re worried about the drying effects of soap on the baby’s skin. Just give the baby a quick bath with warm water.

Keep the baby in the dark for the rest of the night, in such a way that if he wakes up for feedings, he is fed and changed in the dark. You may use a dim night-light if you need to, or turn on the hall light outside of the room if necessary.

Another milestone to accomplish during the first 6 weeks of life is to train the baby to sleep on his own, without holding or rocking. During the first days of life, your baby is used to close contact and having pressure all over her body. For this reason, she is going to enjoy been held or swaddled for comfort. Eventually babies get used to the new environment and start pushing swaddling blankets away. When you baby is ready, allow her to practice how to fall asleep without holding her in your arms. Simply put her down in her crib or basinet and allow her to switch from awake to asleep.

It takes about 6 weeks of daily light and darkness routine for the baby to get the rhythm. Most babies start some kind of regular night schedule at around 4-6 weeks of life, where they consistently wake up at around midnight and 3 AM for feedings. They usually have an early morning feeding, between 6 -7 AM that is going to persist for the rest of the learning process.

At about 6-8 weeks of age, your baby will start skipping feedings at night. He may skip the midnight feeding or the 3 AM feeding. You will hear the baby waking up at those times, and you are going to hear your baby cooing and making noises, but he’ll go back to sleep by himself, until the next feeding. Always wait a few minutes to see if your baby is going to go back to sleep or needs a feeding in the middle of the night.

Eventually, between 8-10 weeks, your baby will be able to go to bed between 8-9 PM, after his bath and feeding routine, and sleep until 6-7 in the morning. If you still keep the baby in your room, you will be aware of the two middle-of-the-night awakenings, but your baby will be able to go back to sleep without a feeding when he/she is ready. This is a good time to move the crib to another room.

Like many other aspects of life, sleeping is a natural behavior but requires some consistency in creating the right circumstances to make it happen the right way. Keep your consistency and it will pay off with a night of rest for the whole family. Good night!

About Dr. Marta Katalenas M.D.

Dr. Marta Katalenas is a Board Certified Pediatrician specializing in childhood obesity and owns the Pediatric Center of Round Rock located in Round Rock, Texas. Dr. Katalenas is a professional speaker and author of the upcoming book "From Scratch", a guide to healthy cooking and eating for busy families.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 2:43 pm and is filed under Newborns & Infants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.