What Time Should You Put A Newborn To Bed

Dont Play The Blame Game

Brooding about the situation will make it harder for you to fall asleep when you are given the opportunity. And its wrong-headed, too: You might be doing everything you can to get more sleep, and still be stuck with a baby who sleeps less than average.

Research suggests that the amount of sleep we get at night is strongly influenced by genetics , and, as mentioned above, there is a lot of individual variation among newborns.

Sample Sleep Schedule For A 3

The best sleep schedule for your 3-month-old ultimately depends on his needs. While your childs routine will probably still be unpredictable at 3 months, a typical day might look like this:

• 7:00 a.m.: Awake
• 6:30 p.m.: Bedtime routine

This sample schedule assumes your little one is awake for 90 minutes at time and naps for exactly one hour throughout the day. However, keep in mind that babies at this age can stay awake for 60 to 90 minutes at a time, while naps can be between 30 minutes and two hours.

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Learn How Much Sleep Your Baby Needs

For the first couple of months, newborns can’t decipher between day and night because they haven’t developed their own circadian rhythms of melatonin production, says Kim West, aka “The Sleep Lady” and author of The Sleep Lady’s Good Night, Sleep Tight.

Your baby will likely sleep a total of 16 to 18 hours per day during their first weekabout half during the night and half spread out over four daytime naps. From two weeks to two months of age, they’ll sleep an average of 15.5 to 17 hours total, broken down by about 8.5 to 10 hours at night and six to seven hours during the day spread out over three to four naps. During the third month, babies need an average of 15 hours of sleep, with 10 hours at night and five hours spread out over three daytime naps.

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Stick To An Early Bedtime

When considering how to put a baby to sleep, timing is just as important as a routine. At around 8 weeks, babies have a rise in melatonin, a drowsy-making hormone the body releases when its time for sleep, which means theyre ready for an early bedtime consistent with the sun setting, says Turgeon. If you keep them up late instead, they become overstimulated and harder to put down. Melatonin levels rise somewhere around sundown, but given that sundown can be anytime from 4:30 in winter to 8:30 in summer, stick to the clock and put your baby down around 6:30 or 7 p.m. for the most success. If the sun is still up, close the shades.

A good sign of drowsiness is when the baby becomes calmtheyre less active, have a bored look, or just stare off, says Turgeon. Dont mistake this behavior as happiness for being awake. Seize the moment and start your bedtime routine. The babys internal clock is telling them when to be awake and when to be asleep, and you want to reinforce that, she notes.

If You Are Breastfeeding You Are Likely To Get More Sleep If You Keep Your Baby Nearby

The World Health Organization recommends that babies share a bedroom with their parents, and its a recommendation that makes breastfeeding less disruptive. A recent study found that breastfeeding women got more sleep when they co-slept with baby . In fact, mothers who co-slept and breastfed got more sleep than did mothers who bottle-fed their babies .

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How Will I Know If My Babys Bedtime Is Too Early

Its all about the timing!

Andrea says: At about six to eight weeks, when your baby typically starts to do her first longer sleep stretch, you really want this stretch to be from later than 10pm or so.

Putting your baby to bed too early can mean she is then up for a long period during the night.

Also, be mindful of your babys changing needs when it comes to daytime naps especially the timing of her last afternoon nap of the day.

Andrea says: With an older baby, you may notice that as the day progresses, her need to sleep stretches out a bit.

‘So while she may only last an hour or two hours after waking from the night until the first nap, she may need three hours or so after waking from the final nap before she is ready to settle for the night.

Is My Babys Bedtime Too Late

Its very hard to settle an overtired baby. So the key is to put her to bed before she gets to this stage.

Andrea says: When babies and children get very tired, they can become wired rather than sleepy. Rocking and over handling them can sometimes make things worse.

To avoid this, look out for the cues above that your baby is tired.

And Andrea recommends starting your bedtime routine around 30-40 minutes before this.

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Can Newborns Put Themselves To Sleep

Babies may not be able to create their own sleeping and waking patterns. Surprisingly, not all babies know how to put themselves to sleep. And not all babies can go back to sleep if they are awakened in the night. When it is time for bed, many parents want to rock or breastfeed a baby to help him or her fall asleep.

Baby Sleep Schedule: 2 To 4 Months

By the time your babyreaches 4 months old, they will have finally sorted out their days and nights, making napping and night sleeps a bit easier. The womb-like trifecta of white noise, gentle rocking, and swaddling are still importantbut one of these sleep-savers may need to stop soon. Once your baby shows signs of rolling, its no longer safe to swaddle them . And be warned about the possible 3-month sleep regression! It can suddenly appear, with your baby starting to wake up like a newbornevery few hoursand wanting to play or cuddlebut refusing to sleep alone.

Total Sleep for 2- to 4-Month-Olds: Babies this age are still sleeping a ton, usually around 13 to14 hours of ZZZs a day.

Wake Time for 2- to 4-Month-Olds: Your little one will most likely wake up little earlier now. Most babies this age start their day around 6am.

Napping for 2- to 4-Month-Olds: When babies first emerge from newbornhood , they settle into two to three daily naps, totaling four to eight hours of sleep.

Bedtime for 2- to 4-Month-Olds: Lights out shifts a bit earlier, with most babies going down around 9pm.

Nighttime Sleep for 2- to 4-Month-Olds: Babies are able to sleep a little longer now, but they still wake for a feeding or two. Longest unbroken sleep can range from around five hours to up to eight hours.

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How Much Sleep Do Newborns Need

Every baby and child is different, and the amount of sleep each little one needs may vary. In general, though, newborns sleep for up to 16 or 17 hours in 24-hour period, but the sleep doesnât happen all at once. Instead, very young babies will snooze in one- to three-hour blocks during both the day and night.All of this sleep is essential for your babyâs healthy and happy development. Over time, this haphazard round-the-clock dozing will become more organized, with more of your little one’s sleep hours taking place at night.

Create A Nighttime Feeding Schedule

Keep in mind that your baby’s stomach is small, so they won’t eat very much at one time and they’ll digest breast milk or formula fairly quickly. This is why newborns need to be fed every two to three hours.

Your little one should wake up regularly for nighttime feedings. If they don’t, you’ll need to wake them every 3 to 4 hours to feed until they establish a pattern of weight gain .

After that, “a full-term baby with no medical conditions does not need to be awakened for feedings,” says Marc Weissbluth, M.D., a pediatrician and author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.

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Lighten Up On Summer Nights

On warm nights, keep it light and breezy a basic short-sleeve cotton or organic-cotton bodysuit or T-shirt with a muslin or cotton swaddle or sleep sack layered on top is fine.

A bodysuit or tee on its own is also OK if its particularly sweltering. Of course, if you have the air conditioner pumping, you can probably stick with cotton long-sleeve pajamas with footies.

What Time Should Newborns Go To Bed

As a rule of thumb, you should put your baby to sleep at around 1011 PM and then earlier as they get older. But keep in mind that each child is different, so you might have to test a couple of varying bedtime hours and see which one works best.

If you need help, here are a few general guidelines that you can use to determine when you should put your baby to sleep depending on their age:

Newborn to 2-month-old: Nighttime sleep should start around 10 PM. Remember that your baby will wake up often throughout the night to eat. So dont be surprised if your child doesnt sleep more than 45 hours a night. 2 to 4-month-old: At this stage, you can comfortably put your baby to sleep a bit earlier, at 9 PM. Youll notice that, while they sleep longer, they still wake up for a feeding or two. As a result, your babys 58 hours of sleep a night are completely normal. 4 to 8-month-old: When your child hits the 4-month mark, they should be tired enough to go to sleep at around 79 PM. They might even sleep for 610 hours without interruptions, making most parents happy. 8 to 12-month-old: Usually, 8- to 12-month-old babies can go to sleep at 78 PM without any hissy fits and sleep way over 7 hours a night. 12-month-old: Finally, as your baby gets closer to their first birthday, you can change the bedtime to 7 PM. And, with a bit of luck, you might be able to enjoy up to 10 hours of sleep, as your child wont wake up as often as they used to.

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Time To Put Newborns To Bed

As your newborns day/night confusion goes away, they will start to stay awake for longer periods of time during the day. They will take naps and it might start to feel like daytime is now distinct from the nighttime. This is the time we start to think about setting a specific bedtime.

When you decide on the time to put your newborn to bed, you must keep in mind that newborns often only sleep 8-10 hours at night . During this time of day, they will sleep consecutively waking only for feedings and then go right back to sleep. During the day, they will stay awake for 45-90 minutes at a time, on average.

The last thing you want is for your baby to stay awake from 2:00 to 3:00 a.m., take a 1-hour nap, and then stay awake again from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m.

Therefore, you want to set your newborns bedtime to be late around 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. That way, if they sleep 9 hours, it will be from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., for example. Be sure to put your newborn on a schedule based on their age in weeks.

Average Baby And Toddler Bedtimes By Age

*Average Wake Time refers to the amount of time your baby or toddler is able to comfortably stay awake during the day, between naps.

Want to save and print this chart? for a print-friendly PDF copy!

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How Can I Create The Right Environment For My Baby To Go To Bed

There are lots of factors that will encourage your baby to go to sleep. These include:

• The right lighting
• Nightclothes that fit correctly
• The right amount of bedding, depending on the temperature

Its also important to keep your baby safe in her cot, Moses basket or bed.

Andrea says: When putting your baby to bed, it goes without saying that her safety is of paramount importance.

‘It is strongly advised that all parents follow the Safe to Sleep guidelines set out by baby sleep charity, The Lullaby Trust.

What time do you put your baby to bed? Join the chat in the thread, below …

Mittens To Prevent Scratching

One thing that continues to surprise me is how fast baby fingernails grow. It probably has something to do with their diet of 100% milk plus vitamins. Clipping your babys fingernails is an exercise in courage and takes nerves of steel. When your little one gets a little older and can grab at things, youll know their nails are long because theyll scratch you.

In the meantime, if you start finding scratches on your babys face or head, it was probably self-inflicted while he or she was sleeping. Until you have the time and bravery to trim them, a set of soft little sleep mittens will prevent any more scratches. These are inexpensive and often come in packs of four, which is good because theyre easily lost .

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Can Newborns Sleep For Six Hours Straight

A newborn most likely will not be able to sleep for six hours straight. Newborns typically sleep in one- to three-hour chunks of time and also need feedings every three to four hours. Either your newborn will wake up on his own when heâs hungry, or youâll need to wake him, depending on the advice of your healthcare provider.

Your Babys Actual And Developmental Age Matters

Your babys biological bedtime, apart from being reliant on circadian rhythms and sleep pressure, also depends on his or her age. And by age, we mean both actual and developmentally adjusted ages.

For example, a newborn infants sleep cycles and sleep requirements are not the same as those of a child of three months. And thats going to change even more as we adjust developmental age if the baby was born prematurely.

In general, use your babys actual due date to determine where they should be based on statistical norms. If your baby has a developmental delay, use that baseline to help you figure out the appropriate age for your child.

The table below, from our article on managing sleep regression, outlines the average sleep cycles for children from newborn to preschool age. These are based on statistical norms from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and other sleep data by government agencies.

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Safe Sleep Practices For Infants

• Practice the ABCs of safe sleep: Babies should always sleep Alone, on their Backs, in a Crib. Place your baby on his or her back for every sleep, night time and nap time.

• Do not put your baby to sleep on his side or tummy.

• Once your baby can roll from his back to tummy and tummy to back, your baby can stay in the sleep position that he assumes. But always place your baby to sleep on his back.

• Place your baby on a firm mattress in a safety-approved crib with slats no greater than 2-3/8 inches apart.

• Make sure your babys face and head stay uncovered and clear of blankets and other coverings during sleep. If a blanket is used make sure your baby is placed feet-to-foot in the crib. Remove all pillows from the crib.

• Create a smoke-free-zone around your baby.

• Avoid overheating during sleep and maintain your babys bedroom at a temperature comfortable for an average adult.

• Remove all mobiles and hanging crib toys by about the age of 5 months, when your baby begins to pull up in the crib.

• Remove crib bumpers by about 12 months, when your baby can begin to climb

For additional safe sleep practices for infants including information and video on choking, making a safe home environment, resources, swaddling and tummy time, click here.

When Do Babies Learn To Sleep On Their Own

Each baby comes with their own set of joys and challenges what is easy for one kid may prove challenging for another. Every parents approach will vary when adjusting to their childs particular needs after all, nobody knows your child as you do.

In research, its been shown that most little ones have the capacity to sleep independently from the age of four months old. Good news, right? However, how quickly they go down and how content they are to do so will vary, so dont be discouraged, but there is verifiable hope.

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