Mastering the Art of Sleep
Your little girl is getting so good at so many things. So when is she going to learn that nighttime is for sleeping? You may well spend a good part of his first years wondering if you'll ever get a good night's rest ever again. The good news is, all babies figure out the sleeping thing eventually.
By the way, good nutrition leads to good sleep. If his belly is full and she’s getting all the nutrients she needs to grow and develop, she’s more like to sleep for longer stretches before needing more.
Here are some of the milestones you can expect in your little one's sleeping patterns in the first year:
Birth to 3 Weeks
She’ll sleep between 12 and 20 hours a day, day or night, and wake every 2-3 hours for meals.
Month 1
Some babies are better at being awake during the day and sleeping at night than others. The important thing is that she gets the rest she needs for brain development.
If you feed or change her at night, do it quickly and quietly with the lights low. Rock her back to sleep or pat her gently. Quiet music is good too.
Month 2
Her sleep style is probably established by now, for better or worse. Try to create schedules that work for both of you.
Month 4
She may be staying up for longer stretches now, and sleeping for longer ones too. She may even be sleeping and waking like grownups now, though he should nap several times during the day and may need a late-night feeding.
Month 6
Since she’s so much more aware of her surroundings at this point, it may be harder for her to settle down for bed at night. Keep a steady routine at night like a warm bath followed by a feeding and a story to soothe her.
Month 8
Many parents find that at this point their babies have settled into a comfortable sleep routine. However, yours may also be experiencing some stranger anxiety or separation anxiety that causes him to wake up looking for you, or to resist going to sleep. Try staying in the room with her (but not holding him/her) until she’s drowsier. And leave the door open a crack when you leave, so she can still hear you.
Month 12
All that moving around all day can tire her out. Continuing with your winding-down routine at bedtime can help you both get the restful night's sleep you've been dreaming about.
