Did you know that from about 6 weeks old the amount of sleep your baby needs in a day, stays fairly consistent through to the age of 1 year? It’s because, as babies’ brains grow and develop, and learn more skills (or milestones) such as talking, walking and how to link their sleep cycles, the arrangement of the sleep shuffles around to look a little more like ours (little being the operative word); ie gradually reducing the amount of day naps and consolidating longer night sleeps.

You can look forward to saying goodbye to your little nocturnal party animal!! Now, learning this skill (linking sleep cycles and transitioning to more independent sleep) takes time and practice. And a lot of parenting patience! How soon your baby gets the sleep memo can have a lot to do with their temperament, health issues, development and environment. So comparing your baby to another won’t do much good here. Go at your and your baby’s pace and cues to avoid frustration and tears for both mum and bub.

So, let’s jump into baby sleep 101.

A great place to start in setting up the foundations for good sleep health, is introducing a flexible daily routine; such as, a feed, play, sleep routine from about 4 wks old. This rhythm to your day helps let babies know what’s coming next which makes them feel safe and secure.

After a few days, you should start to notice the transitions between these activities become a little smoother as your baby embraces the rhythm. Offering a short ‘segway’ between the play & the sleep is called a “wind down routine” which is a set of short activities carried out consistently before bed at home, or anywhere, even if you are out and about. Even if your baby sleeps in a pram, bassinet or cot.

The wind down routine basically let’s baby know that sleep is on the horizon and signals for them to change gears down. A wind down ritual may look something like this; tell your baby he is tired, move to his room and close the blinds, read a short story and apply a sleep sack/swaddle/bed clothes (depending on how old they are) before settling him to sleep. You can change this to anything that is calming and appropriate for your environment.

A predictable daily rhythm also may help you notice small changes in your baby’s body language which they use to communicate their needs with you. Things like, “I need a break or I’m ready to play or I’m hungry” cues may become clearer or easier to spot. Reading your little ones tired signs is the ticket to finding your little one’s sleep sweet spot. Look for the green light of early tired signs to get the sleep train moving along.

Let me know how you go and please reach out to me for help and support, especially if you are needing a break. Raising kids is a team sport - everyone has a role to play.