Baby Sleep: 7 Tried, Tested, & True Tips to Get Your Baby Sleeping Through the Night by 3 Months Old
- TinyTots&Tidbits
- Nov 21, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 22, 2023
Ensuring our little ones get the sleep they need is a game-changer for both babies and tired parents alike. I get it – the initial sleep deprivation is real, but what if I told you that with a few simple tweaks to your routine, you could have your baby sleeping through the night by the magical 3-month mark? Trust me, I did it not once, but twice! You may have heard that in the newborn phase you cannot sleep train your baby. While this may be true, there are certain things we can do to help with the transition from the dark cozy womb, to the real world.
So, let's dive into my top 7 newborn baby sleep tips that are tried, tested, and oh-so-true. Get ready, tired mommas, because a good night's sleep is within reach!
In this article:
Teaching the Difference Between Day and Night
One of the first challenges you may face is that your baby might have a hard time distinguishing between night and day. This may result in a super sleepy baby during the day and a little partier in the evening and overnight hours. Cue the sleep deprivation momma! SOS! So, what can we do? We can teach the difference between night and day. I used the below strategy.
Create a vibrant daytime sleep space to expose your baby to natural light.
For nighttime establish a calming environment with dim lighting and minimal stimulation.
Consistency is key during this phase, and it may take a few weeks for baby for learn the difference, but it's worth it.
Establish a Bedtime Routine Early On
One of the next things you can do right from birth is start developing a bedtime routine. You may have heard that babies thrive on routine. This was very true for us so its something we adopted very early on. This can look different for everyone but I will share what it looked like for us.
Warm bath: A soothing start to signal bedtime.
Fresh jammies: A simple change that can make a big difference.
Bottle or feed: Ensure a full belly before bedtime, but keep baby awake during the process.
Calming music: Create a serene atmosphere with music to wind down.
Of course, your routine doesn’t have to look like this one and you can make your own variation of it. This is just what works for us. With our first we also included a book after the bottle feed. With our second, sometimes we opt out of the book for now until he's a little older. The point is, your routine can look the same or be completely different, the important thing is that you have one.
Early Crib Transition
The third and probably the most GAME CHANGING thing I did with both of my babies… Are you ready? MOVE THEM TO THEIR CRIB EARLY!! I get excited about this one because so many people are shocked when I tell them how early we transitioned to the crib. By 5 weeks old, with both babies, we transitioned them from the bassinet into the crib.
Here's why: Both of my babies were BIG GRUNTERS! And let me tell you it kept us up all hours of the night. The issue with this? We kept thinking they were awake! So we would get up, get a bottle ready, pick them up only to find when we went to pick them up they were actually still asleep! They were in what's called “Active Sleep.” According to takingcarababies.com, babies spend half their time in active sleep. During this phase, babies may grunt, move and fuss even though they are sleeping. It’s important to recognize this and not rush to pick them up during this phase.
Here’s Why Moving Baby To the Crib by 5 Weeks Worked for us:
Helped Teach Baby Independence Early
Taught Them Self-Soothing Skills
Got them Used to their Crib Environment Faster
Better Sleep Quality for Mom and Baby
By the time the dreaded 4-month sleep regression came around, my babies were both already so accustomed to their sleep routine and sleep environment that it did not impact them as much as I would have thought.
Follow Age-Appropriate Wake Windows
At this age it’s too early to do any formal sleep training however, you can follow age appropriate wake windows to help. The Huckleberry App was my lifeline in the beginning as it helped me determine the right wake windows for my baby. It is hands down the best and only baby app I’d recommend for tracking. The app is more than just for sleep too. Here you can track everything from sleep to diaper changes, feedings etc.
You can download the app here.
Here why wake windows are so important when it comes to baby sleep:
Matches Natural Sleep Patterns
Prevents Overtiredness
Boosts Brain Development
Forms Healthy Sleep Habits
Enhances Sleep Quality
Sticking to wake windows is so key in avoiding an overtired cranky baby. Once we miss that wake window it becomes even more difficult to settle the baby to sleep. Remember, skipping naps during the day results in an overtired baby and from experience, I can tell you it most certainly will not result in a more tired baby in the evening.
Know Your Baby’s Sleep Cues
Once you know the general range of wake window for your baby, it’s time to watch for those sleep cues. Sleep cues can vary from baby to baby but there are a few common ones to look out for:
Eye rubbing
Yawning
Irritability
Staring off
Turning head or not engaging
Quiet moments
Red eyebrows
Once your baby starts to show signs of tiredness it’s time to hit the crib! With my first baby, I relied heavily on wake windows alone because I found it really difficult to spot her sleepy cues. But with my second, I find the sleepy cues much more obvious and it has helped tremendously!
Don't Rush In Right Away
This part and probably the most difficult from my experience is trying to resist running in at the first moment baby seems to have woken or cries. There is nothing worse than standing by and listening to your baby cry, trust me I know it is hard! That being said, sometimes if we just take a deep breath and allow 2 or 3 minutes for the baby to resettle, you may find that they fall back into a peaceful slumber.
Resist the urge to immediately intervene when your baby cries or appears to wake up.
Sometimes, giving them a few minutes can lead to them settling back into sleep on their own.
Of course, it has to be said that mommy instincts come first. If you feel there is something wrong, or if your baby is sick then of course those things trump all. When my babies fell ill, all went out the window for those couple of days in order to ensure their safety and well being.
Dropping the Overnight Feed
This can be tricky. First and foremost my advice would be to ALWAYS consult with your healthcare professional before dropping this feed as some babies have different circumstances such as jaundice, low birth weight or other medical conditions that would prevent from being able to drop the night feed too early. Both of my littles were chubby little bundles so they were, according to their doctor, metabolically capable of dropping the nighttime feed early but most studies suggest that babies still require a night feed until about 3 months old.
With both of my babies, once I got the all clear from their doctor I stopped waking up for their nighttime feed. If they would wake up on their own I would offer their pacifier and sooth them with a gentle pat on the chest or belly and leave the room. I kept these interactions short under two minutes. It took a couple of nights to get them out of the habit of waking but with some consistency, we were able to drop the feed.
If you’re ready to drop the nighttime feed, try these 5 steps:
Ensure baby has enough daytime calories before bedtime to prevent them from waking hungry
Take a gentle approach to dropping the feed by just reducing the feeding time or amount they are eating by about 1 or 2 ounces a night until they are no longer waking to feed.
If they continue to wake up at their regular time for feeding overnight, go in try a gentle soothing touch and then leave the room. I find a pacifier can help for this.
Delay the last feed of the day. Sometimes it helps to push the last feed of the day a little bit later to make sure their bellies stay full for a longer period of time.
Encourage Independent Sleep. This one is important because if your baby falls asleep while feeding during the last feed of the night, they may begin to associate the feeding with sleep which may cause night wakings. Instead, try feeding the last bottle night ensuring the baby stays awake and then follow that up with a book or a bath.
Conclusion
As a mom who craved more sleep, these tips transformed my nights, and I hope they do the same for you. If you're embarking on your sleep journey and don't know where to start, download the Huckleberry App. This was a great starting point for us to help teach the foundations of baby sleep.
Here's to a well-rested family.
Disclaimer: Please note I am not a medical professional. Always consult a doctor before making changes to your baby's feeding/sleep regimens.
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