6 tips to help your baby sleep better

Last modified on Monday 21 December 2020

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Ah, the question every sleep-deprived parent is DESPERATE to know the answer to: how do you get your baby to sleep better at night? Although there is no magic solution – sorry! – here are some great sleep tips that could make a real difference.

1. There will be NO routine at first

You've all probably heard the stories about babies who ‘slept through’ right from the start. Well, either their mums are stretching the truth or they’re looking back with rose-tinted specs!

Newborn babies sleep a lot – around 14-17 hours is average, although it varies hugely – but they wake regularly, both day and night, because they’ve yet to develop their body clock (also know as their circadian rhythm).

Not only that, they have tiny tummies which need frequent feeds every few hours.

In those first few weeks, just go with the flow and let your baby sleep whenever she wants to for now. Lots of parents choose to put their new baby in a portable crib or moses basket which makes sense, as you can move her round the house with you when she’s napping during the day.

And forget about the washing or tidying up. Instead, grab a quick nap when your baby is sleeping – it will help you cope (somewhat!) with the disturbed nights.

2. Teach your baby the difference between day and night

You'll quickly find that one of the main topics of conversation at baby groups – other than nappy contents – will be sleep.

You can read about different routines and techniques here. And although newborn babies are not ready for a ‘routine’, you can start getting your baby into the habit of telling the difference between day and night.

This is easier than it sounds. During the day, when your baby sleeps, don’t make an effort to be quiet or tiptoe around. When she wakes from a daytime nap, play games, talk and sing to her.

At night, keep the lights low, try not to talk too much when she wakes or change her nappy unless she needs it. Put her back down as soon as she’s been fed or changed. This will help establish good habits that you can build on when she’s a bit older.

3. Take your time over the bedtime routine

By the time your baby is around three months, it can be helpful to establish a bedtime routine. This could involve a bath, changing her into a clean nappy, dimming the lights, reading a story or singing some lullabies, and having a little cuddle.

Bedtime should be a relaxing and calm experience. Also, consistency is key so make sure you do the same things every night, which establishes associations in her mind that tell her it’s time for sleep.

The biggest mistake many new parents make is to wait until their baby is already tired and then rushing the routine because she’s started to get cranky. Better to start before she enters the ‘witching hour’, so you can all take your time and unwind properly.

4. Keep calm and carry on … sleeping

It can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you’re utterly sleep-deprived but keep in mind many babies start to sleep for longer stretches from six to eight weeks.

A soothing bedtime routine will help get both of you in the right frame of mind. But if you’re feeling particularly exhausted/ grumpy/ hormonal (which happens to us ALL at some point) then ask your partner or someone else to step in.

5. Naps are important

Don’t be fooled into thinking that cutting back on naps will make your baby sleep more at night. Young babies need to sleep during the day.

During the first few weeks you’re unlikely to see much of a pattern but by the three month mark you might start to notice your baby gets tired at certain times of the day.

How long you leave your little one to rest can vary widely – find out more about your baby's sleep patterns and cycles here.

Remember that all babies are different. Some will sleep for long stretches while others will prefer cat naps. To establish your baby’s daytime nap routine, it’s a good idea to follow her own natural sleep patterns and cycles.

Try to encourage a daytime nap routine so that you can space out the sleeps in a way that won’t affect bedtime.

6. Embrace change

Just when you think you’ve got this sleeping lark sorted, your baby will have other ideas! Teething, coughs, developmental milestones like sitting up, growth spurts ... they can all disrupt your baby's sleep.

But rest assured, she will go back to her good habits again if you keep consistent. Good luck!