Even the best sleepers occasionally struggle to enjoy a peaceful night. Here’s how to address common sleep challenges in babies.
Contents
Baby Sleep Struggles: Common Issues and Solutions
Sleep: It’s a precious commodity that no one in your household seems to get enough of, especially during the early months. Even as your little one begins to sleep through the night, baby sleep problems can still arise.
Nighttime disruptions are simply a part of the journey of parenthood. While temporary issues like teething, illness, or developmental milestones are often the culprits, persistent sleep troubles may signal deeper challenges.
Understanding why your baby won’t sleep is the first step. Let’s explore common sleep issues during your baby’s first year and how to help your little one (and yourself) get the rest you need.
Sleep Problems: 0 to 3 Months Old
In the newborn stage, babies are adjusting to a sleep routine. Most newborns sleep 14 to 17 hours daily, waking frequently for feedings. By 3 months old, this pattern remains similar but with slight shifts.
Even with all that snoozing, newborns often sleep in short bursts. If it feels like your baby is always waking, it’s normal and will improve with time. Still, some challenges can make sleep more difficult for newborns:
Resisting Back-Sleeping
What it looks like: Your baby fusses or won’t settle when placed on their back, even though this is the safest sleep position to reduce the risk of SIDS.
How to solve it: Speak with your pediatrician to rule out physical causes. If none are found, try swaddling your baby, offering a pacifier, and maintaining a consistent bedtime routine. Avoid using sleep positioners. Over time, your baby will adjust to back-sleeping.
Mixing Up Day and Night
What it looks like: Your baby sleeps all day but stays awake all night.
How to solve it: Help your baby differentiate day from night by limiting daytime naps to three hours and keeping nighttime interactions calm and quiet.
Restless Sleep Due to Frequent Night Feedings
What it looks like: By 2 to 3 months, babies typically need only one or two night feedings. Waking every two hours may indicate a habit rather than hunger.
How to solve it: Check with your pediatrician about feeding needs. If approved, encourage longer stretches between night feedings by ensuring your baby eats enough during the day.
Sleep Problems: 4 to 5 Months Old
By 4 months, babies generally sleep 12 to 16 hours daily, including two or three daytime naps. Sleep challenges at this age often include:
Sleep Regression
What it looks like: Your baby suddenly struggles with sleep, often waking frequently.
How to solve it: Stick to a bedtime routine and ensure your baby gets enough daytime rest. Sleep regression is temporary and usually resolves as your baby adapts to new developmental skills.
Changing Nap Routines
What it looks like: Fewer naps cause nighttime fussiness or trouble falling asleep.
How to solve it: Establish a short pre-nap routine and give your baby time to adjust to new schedules.
Sleep Problems: 6 Months and Up
Older babies, especially those 6 months or older, are capable of sleeping through the night. However, issues like these can still arise:
Difficulty Falling Asleep IndependentlyWhat it looks like: Your baby relies on feeding or rocking to fall asleep and wakes needing the same.
How to solve it: Gradually adjust the bedtime routine so your baby learns to self-soothe. Place them in their crib while drowsy but awake, and allow them to settle on their own. Sleep training methods, like brief periods of crying, can help build independence.
Restless Sleep Due to Teething Pain
What it looks like: Your baby wakes at night with discomfort from teething.
How to solve it: Offer a teething ring, gentle pats, or a lullaby to soothe them. For severe pain, consult your pediatrician about safe medications.
Sleep Problems at Any Age
Some challenges are not bound by specific stages and can disrupt sleep at any time:
Routine Disruptions
What it looks like: Illness, travel, or milestones like crawling can throw off sleep patterns.
How to solve it: Provide comfort during transitions but return to regular routines as soon as possible.
Trouble Settling Despite Being Overtired
What it looks like: Your baby is cranky and exhausted but struggles to sleep.
How to solve it: Watch for sleep cues like yawning or eye-rubbing and put your baby down before they become overtired. Adjust bedtime or nap schedules as needed.
Post-Illness Sleep Struggles
What it looks like: Sleep habits are disrupted after your baby recovers from being sick.
How to solve it: Once your baby is healthy, reintroduce their regular bedtime routine. Be consistent, and they will adapt.
Key Takeaways
- Baby sleep challenges are common in the first year, often linked to developmental stages, illness, or teething.
- Solutions include maintaining routines, addressing discomfort, and fostering self-soothing skills.
- Though these disruptions are challenging, they are temporary. With patience and consistency, restful nights will return.
