How to Put Your Baby to Sleep

The eternal question for most new parents is: How do I get my baby sleep? The first few days, weeks, and even months of raising a baby can feel like an impossible task when it comes to getting them to sleep and keeping them asleep. For this reason, it’s impossible to devise a sleep routine for a baby that works for every single one of them. Even so, there are a few general guidelines that can help you get a good night’s rest. Here’s some expert advice on how to help your baby (and yourself) get a good night’s sleep.

Should a baby get enough rest?

A concierge house call pediatrician in New York City and a baby sleep consultant, Edward Kulich, MD, says that infants sleep a lot, usually 14 to 18 hours a day. Baby’s sleep can take weeks or even months to settle into a routine. Since babies have a small stomach and can’t go more than one to four hours without a meal, “schedules are erratic,” Kulich explains. The baby will “tend to get more into a rhythm by 3 months, usually taking three naps every day, and some babies will sleep through the night,” according to him.

His definition of “sleeping through the night” is 7 to 12 uninterrupted hours of sleep for a baby, which is a dream come true for any new mother. But how do you and your baby get to this stage? Kulich stresses the importance of a regular schedule. ‘Above all, consistency.’ If everyone in the household isn’t doing their part, no strategy will work.”

How to Put Your Baby to Sleep

There is a fine line between being curious and being overwhelmed as a baby grows and becomes more aware of their surroundings. Infants’ “social, emotional and intellectual skills are gradually maturing” in the first months of life, says James McKenna, a University of Notre Dame professor and the director of a Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Lab. “New daily experiences can cause baby to construct new things to worry about, be aware of, think about and fear during these critical developmental years.”

Eliminate the muddle.

To ensure a peaceful night’s sleep for your child, designate the nursery as a place for rest and relaxation. Remove any toys or knick-knacks from the area around the crib. The co-founder of baby sleep consultancy Dream Team Baby, Conner Herman, says that “crib distractions confuse baby,” a baby sleep expert and co-founder of the company. As a result, the animals will be confused as to whether or not they should be using the pen for rest or play.

You can share a room, but you can’t share your bed!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you and your baby sleep in the same room for the first six months of your baby’s life, but not in the same bed. In addition to promoting breastfeeding, sleeping in the same room as the baby is known to help the baby sleep longer and reduce the risk of SIDS (SIDS). In addition to helping regulate a baby’s breathing, temperature, and nervous system reactions, having parents nearby is “immensely proactive and protective,” according to McKenna.

Keep your baby cool

Temperatures between 69 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for a baby’s slumber. So, don’t over-wrap the baby, as well. Dress baby in layers instead of bulky clothing so that you can control the temperature and level of comfort for your little one. A sleep sack is a good example of what Kulich recommends for baby’s comfort. “If the baby is cold, put on more clothes.” It’s possible that they’re over-bundled if they’re sweating.” Choosing the right location for your crib is also important. “ Because sudden temperature changes can startle and disturb a baby, choose a location that is not directly in the path of your air-conditioning or heating vents,” Herman says. Protect your baby from drafts and noise by putting their crib away from any windows.

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Consider swaddling as an alternative.

Swaddling a baby can help them sleep more soundly and for longer periods of time in the first few months of life. For some infants, “it works for a few months, but for others it doesn’t,” Kulich says. This is great if your baby reacts to it. Not a big deal if that’s not the case.” Keep in mind, too, that what works today may not in the future. As long as a baby is still responding well to the swaddling, “it’s fine to stop,” Kulich says. When it comes to infant sleep, “like childhood, the target is constantly shifting.”

Soothe yourself with the soothing power of music.

Just as important as what baby sees or hears is what baby hears (or doesn’t hear). Invest in a white noise machine to help your baby sleep better by blocking out the sounds of the house, traffic, and other potential sources of disruption. When the sound is constant and consistent, the baby will associate it with sleep. When it comes to lullabies and nature sounds, some white-noise machines allow you to play them, but the simple sound of white noise can be just as soothing for a baby as it was when he or she was still in the womb. When you’re away from home, look for a machine that mimics the sounds of your child’s nursery. Make sure you don’t turn it up so high that it hurts baby’s ears. Keeping a machine on the lowest setting in the farthest corner of the room is Kulich’s recommendation.

The lights should be turned down.

Because light tells a baby it’s daytime, keeping the sun out will help keep them asleep. Cut out as much light as possible. For at least the first 18 months of a child’s life, parents should leave the nightlight on. Attach a dimmer switch if your baby is a night-time snoozer. For nighttime feedings, use a lamp and slowly turn it on and off.

Take a step back and allow your child to soothe themselves.

It is possible that some babies will learn to fall asleep on their own, while others may require a little help from a professional sleep trainer. At any age after 4 months, this could happen. When it comes to sleep training, there are many options available, but Kulich advises parents to avoid picking up and putting back to bed their infants simply to soothe them. “A baby must fall asleep in the crib on their own, not be rocked to sleep and then transferred to the crib,” he says. Please allow the baby some time to calm down.” Keep your distance and avoid picking them up.

Begin the process of detaching.

Settling in your baby into their own room can begin once they’ve reached the six-month mark. According to Dream Team Baby’s Kira Ryan, who is also the co-author of The Dream Sleeper, a three-part plan for teaching your baby to love sleeping in his or her own room is a good place to begin. So when it’s time for baby to move into their new room, it won’t feel like a complete shift.” In addition to helping your baby (and yourself) get used to being apart, taking a daily solo nap promotes good sleep habits. Ryan advises putting up a screen or partition even if baby sleeps in your room. You can help your baby get back to sleep if you’re nearby when he or she wakes up in the night, Ryan explains. You’ll all be relieved later if the baby is able to get back into bed on his or her own.

Get organized and stick to your plan!

It’s important to have a plan in place for when your baby wakes up in the middle of the night. A lack of a strategy, says Ryan, is the number one cause for failure in any endeavor. Establish a start date on your calendar and stick with it. “It’ll be a lot easier for baby to learn,” he says.