When will my baby sleep through the night?
Is it really all about timing?
There are many reasons your baby might not be sleeping through the night and once you’ve discovered which reason applies to you, and your baby, you’ll both be sleeping easier.
When he’s weaned off his pacifier
Although there’s nothing at all wrong with letting a baby sleep with a pacifier (it’s even suggested as a means of reducing the risk of SIDS), when he loses the pacifier in the night, it’s likely going to wake him up. This means that you may not get a baby who sleeps through the night until you have a baby who can either replace his own pacifier or has weaned himself off of it.
When she’s no longer a light sleeper
Of course, that may never happen. I was a light sleeping baby and I’m a light sleeping adult. I usually sleep with some classical music playing in the background (and in earplugs, yes, even with a baby), because I can hear every little bump in the night, even in my deepest sleep. While classical music might be too jarring for your baby, you may consider getting a white noise machine or simply downloading some white noise MP3s. Once you start using them, you might find that you sleep better with a little white noise in your background at night.
When he’s good and ready
As I’m sure you already know (or at least have been told), each baby is different. Some babies sleep through the night from the day you bring them home from the hospital. Others take up to a year to find a good sleeping rhythm. If you find your baby is still not sleeping through the night after 12 months, you should consult your pediatrician.
When she’s finally comfortable
The reasons for a waking baby are darn near innumerable, but many of them fall within the scope of comfort. She might be more comfortable sleeping in your arms, she might be teething, she might be fighting off a mild diaper rash, or having a bit of night time hunger – or she might simply be too hot or too cold. Fortunately, that’s a comfort issue we can help with. All of our baby clothing, blankets and sleeping sacks are made with merino wool, which creates a micro-climate around your baby, maintaining a consistent temperature for them. This helps ensure they are never too hot or too cold, year round.