3-6 months
- Typical sleep at this age. At 3 months, most babies sleep a total of 12-15 hours a day, including nighttime sleep and naps.
- Sleep training opportunity.Typically, by age 3 months or so, babies have started to develop more of a regular sleep/wake pattern and have dropped most of their night feedings.
- Sleeping through the night. At some point between 3 and 6 months, most babies are capable of sleeping through the night. I am not talking about 8 hours through. "Through the night" at this age generally means a stretch of five or six hours (though some babies may sleep much longer.) If your baby isn't sleeping five or six hours straight, you're not alone. Many 3-6 months old babies still wake up more than once a night for feedings.
- Wake up again. If your baby already sleeps for long periods at night,enjoy it. But babies who have slept through the night for weeks or months may start to wake up again--so don;t be surprised if you are suddenly getting up every couple of hours again. It can be frustrating and puzzling if your baby does this, but he or she has reasons. They may be increasingly socially aware and wake up crying for your company. Or may be working so hard to master skills, like rolling over or sitting up , that he or she practices it in their sleep and wakes their selves up.
- Establish a set bedtime and regular nap times--and stick to them. You should establish a regular bedtime,as well as consistent nap times,to regulate your baby's sleep patterns. And of course your household routine will influence your baby's sleep schedule too. Choose a reasonable bedtime that suits your family's schedule and stick to it as much as possible. If your baby seems to want to stay up past bedtime,consider this:Energetic behavior late at night can be a sign that a child is tired. You can start to plan naps for a specific time everyday,too,such as at 9 a.m., noon, and 3p.m. Or you can put your baby down about two hours after he or he last woke up. If your baby is having a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep,whether during naps or at night, try putting your baby down sooner. Being too tired can make it hard to settle down and get restful sleep.
- Begin to develop a bedtime routine. If you haven't already done so, now is a good time to start a bedtime routine. Your ritual can include any or all of the following:giving your baby a bath,getting him or her changed for bed,reading a bedtime story or two,singing a lullaby,and giving him or her a kiss goodnight. Whatever routine works for your family is fine, as long as you do it in the same order and at the same time every night. Babies thrive on consistency.
- Wake your child in the morning to set his or her daily clock. It is fine to wake your baby up in the morning if he or she is sleeping past their waking time,to help set their daily clock.(It may be tempting to let them sleep so that you can enjoy that extra 30 minutes or so of sleep or silence.)BUT your baby needs to follow a regular sleep/wake pattern and recharge with naps during the day. Waking your baby up at the same time every morning will help keep him or her on a predictable sleep schedule.
- Encourage your child to fall asleep independently. All of us, babies and adults alike,wake up several times every night for brief periods (anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes). As adults, we put ourselves back to sleep each time --and we don't even remember doing it. The ability to get back to sleep is key when it comes to snoozing through the night. Some babies seem to do it naturally. But if your baby doesn't, it is a skill your baby will have to master. One way to get your baby started is to put him or her down when they are drowsy but awake. If your baby needs more help and you think he or she is ready, you can try a more involved method of sleep training. Your options include various no-cry and cry-it-out techniques. What will work best for you depends on your parenting style, you personal beliefs, and your child's particular needs.
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