Overcoming sleeping problems in your baby

By 3or 4 months, most babies start to sleep 15 hours a day. You may still be getting up once or twice a night for feeds at the beginning of this stage, but by the time your baby in 6 months she/he will be physically capable of sleeping thought the night. He/she will about 14 hours of sleep a day and may sleep for as long as 7 hours. He/she no longer needs a feed during the night.

By 9 months to a year, your baby will probably be sleeping for about 10-20 hours at night and napping twice a day for an hour and a half to hours at a time. Lot of babies, especially newborns, is night owls.  During the day, they sleep, wake to feed, then after a little while, go happily back to sleep.

You can prevent a lot of future sleeping problems if you try to establish a consistent bedtime routine as early as possible. Start the routine in the same way every evening. A bath is ideal, because it is both fun and relaxing. Your baby still has a bed time feeding, give it to him/her in his/her room, so he/she understands this to be a friendly and familiar place etc. put your baby into his/her cot. 

If he/she is over one year old, you can give him/her a favorite teddy or soft toys. Read a story with your baby to relax him/her and help him/her wind down. Tuck your baby up, making sure that his/her feet are at the foot of the cot if he/she is under one year old. Turn the light down, or switch a night light on. Spend a movement or two shuffling around in the room before you go, so that he/she is still aware of your presences, as he/she drops off to sleep. 

From the time your baby is three months old try to: 

• Keep bed time and nap times as regular as you can.
• Put him/her down to sleep at night before he/she nods off, so that she/he does not become depend on you to fall asleep.
• Help him/her to learn how to settle and relax herself by sucking his/her thumb or cuddling a favorite blanket or small lovable toys. 
• Give him/her a massage between bath and bed time. This should make him/her feel relaxed and prepare him/her for sleep.
Baby Care Topics: Feeding your baby|What should my baby wear? |Bathing and Washing your Baby

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