When Will My Child Start Sleeping Through The Night?
It is perfectly normal for children to wake up several times during the night during the first months. Many children start sleeping through the night at the age of six months, but exactly when they do will depend on your child’s individual development.
How babies sleep
To find out when your baby will start sleeping through the night, you need to find out more about how babies sleep.
Babies have two sleep phases from birth. This means that they wake up often. When the two phases are over, your child wakes up to eat and spend time with you to feel safe.
Around the age of six months, the child’s sleep cycle begins to change as it then develops five sleep phases, as do adults. When this happens, your baby may sleep through the night. But even if it starts sleeping longer, it still wakes up at night. The difference is that it can now begin to fall asleep on its own.
There are very few babies who manage to sleep six to eight hours straight at the age of three months, and some take a full 12 months to do so. But at nine months, over 70% of all babies are able to sleep all night without help.
For some children, it takes time to learn how to sleep through the night. One in five children around the age of two still wakes up most nights. It just shows that every child is different, and that the child’s personality can also be an influencing factor.
Do not believe in myths
When you tell others about the problems you have had and ask when your child will start sleeping through the night , you may hear that older children and those who eat solid foods fall asleep more easily. But that is not true. The most important factor is your child’s age, not his size or what he eats.
You may have also heard that if you give your child cereal for the evening, it will sleep longer. That’s not true either. In fact, it can be dangerous. Giving your baby solid food before he or she reaches the right age can stop him or her from absorbing nutrients from breast milk and milk replacers.
A newborn baby’s digestive system is not ready to process food other than breast milk and milk substitutes until it is halfway through the first year. Before that, solid foods can damage your baby’s stomach. Therefore, specialists recommend breastfeeding the baby or giving it milk substitutes for the first six months.
What can I do to get through the night?
If you get up several times during the night, you will of course feel exhausted the next day. During the first few weeks, it may be a good idea to take a nap while your baby is asleep. Do not use your child’s naps to catch up on household chores.
Lying down while breastfeeding or feeding your baby is a way to get more rest. Another way is to ask for help from people around you. You can ask a family member or friend for help with picking up food, doing errands or cleaning.
Many mothers prefer to have their baby close to them all night. They sleep better when they are close to their child, and feel less tired. When your child is in the bedroom with you, you can also meet the needs during the night with fewer breaks.
Some experts think that parents should teach their children to sleep on their own, and fall asleep again if they wake up. Some even suggest letting the baby cry a little before helping them. But most parents choose to follow their instincts and comfort the child.
Of course, there is no method that guarantees a peaceful night. Do what feels best for your child. Be patient, and sooner or later your baby will sleep through the night.
The sleepless nights will be nothing more than a fond memory of everything you did for the baby you always wanted and that you love with all your heart.
