Are you also in need of a little more sleep? The arrival of a baby changes your whole life and therefore also your sleeping pattern. It is one of the changes that young parents often underestimate. After all, your sleep is essential and if it is disturbed, this can result in less energy. Which also makes you much more frustrated. Are you therefore also looking forward to the moment that your baby falls asleep? Find out now what sleeping through is and when this will happen. Finally, we will give you some useful tips.
What is sleeping through?
Sleeping through is when your baby goes to sleep from midnight, when he has had his last feed, until around 6.00 a.m. When your baby sleeps through, it is called a “deep sleep”. If your baby sleeps through, he or she will sleep from 0.00 to around 6.00 without waking up.
When will your baby sleep through?
Every parent wishes they could get 8 hours of sleep again as soon as possible, but unfortunately this is not the case for the first few months. It may be that your 3-month-old baby can already sleep for 6 hours. But you will have to wait until your baby is 6 months old to get those 8 hours of sleep. Then your baby may be able to sleep through from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., for example. That does sound good, doesn’t it? After 9 months it gets even better, then your baby will normally be able to sleep through from 7pm to 7am.
Your baby may stop crying at night and be able to sleep through the night without your help. However, he or she may wake up every now and then, but you may not be aware of this.
Fear of dropping off at night
Did you know that from 9 months onwards your baby will develop separation anxiety? What happens then is that your baby suddenly wakes up and starts crying. The fear that you will leave him or her causes your baby to cry. So if sleeping through the night was already going well, separation anxiety can change that.
5 tips for sleeping through
As a parent, you do not have much influence on sleeping through, but there are a few things you can do to help your baby.
- Distinguish between day and night
Make it clear to your baby that it is time to sleep or time to get up. You can do this by switching off the lights and reducing the noise at night. During the day, you can allow light into the room where your baby sleeps. It is best to do this until your baby is three months old, after which it is best to keep it dark. Why? It all has to do with the sleep chemical ‘Melatonin’ that your baby produces and which helps him to fall asleep.
- Don’t just take care of your baby, take care of yourself too
We know very well that the first few months can be very exhausting because your baby cannot sleep through the night. So take plenty of breaks during the day so that your batteries are fully recharged at night. This will help your baby fall asleep more easily.
- Let your baby sleep when he or she wants to
Never keep your baby awake against his will. This will have the opposite effect. If your baby is overtired, this will make it even harder for him to fall asleep.
- React quickly when crying
By reacting quickly, you avoid upsetting your baby and make it even harder for him to fall asleep. Help your baby to calm down so he can sleep through the night.
- Use a sleeping bag
If your baby moves around, a sleeping bag can help calm him down.
We hope that sleeping through the night will gradually start to work so that your batteries can be recharged. But don’t forget to enjoy your baby’s early years as much as you can, because they grow up so fast.