How to Get Baby to Sleep Through The Night
If you’re reading this at 2:00 a.m. while rocking a wide-awake baby, you’re not alone.
One of the most common questions new parents ask is, “When will my baby finally sleep through the night?”
The answer isn’t the same for every baby. Some infants naturally begin sleeping for longer stretches around 3–4 months, while others continue waking to feed well into their first year. What’s important is understanding what’s developmentally normal and creating healthy sleep habits that encourage longer, more restful sleep over time.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- When babies typically sleep through the night
- What “sleeping through the night” actually means
- Three proven habits that encourage better sleep
- Common mistakes that keep babies waking
- Safe sleep recommendations every parent should know
- Frequently asked questions
Many parents think sleeping through the night means 10–12 uninterrupted hours.
Pediatric sleep experts often define it differently.
For infants, sleeping through the night usually means one uninterrupted stretch of about 5–6 hours, especially during the first several months. Longer stretches often develop gradually as babies mature.
Newborn (0–2 Months)
Expect frequent wake-ups.
Newborns need to eat every 2–4 hours because of their small stomachs. At this age, waking is normal and healthy.
2–4 Months
Many babies begin developing a circadian rhythm and may sleep for longer stretches at night.
4–6 Months
Some healthy babies begin sleeping 5–8 hours at a time, although many still wake to feed.
6–12 Months
Many babies can sleep for 8–12 hours, but it’s still normal for some to wake occasionally due to teething, illness, developmental milestones, or hunger.
1. Create a Predictable Bedtime Routine
Babies thrive on consistency.
A simple routine might include:
- Feeding
- Bath (optional)
- Pajamas
- Reading a short book
- Singing a lullaby
- Into the crib while drowsy
Repeating the same routine each evening helps signal that bedtime is approaching.
2. Encourage Full Feedings During the Day
Babies who consume enough calories during the day are often better able to sleep for longer stretches at night, once they’re developmentally ready.
Talk with your pediatrician before intentionally reducing nighttime feedings, especially during the first few months.
3. Help Your Baby Learn to Fall Asleep in Their Sleep Space
Whenever possible, place your baby in the crib when they’re sleepy but not fully asleep.
This gives them opportunities to become familiar with falling asleep in the same environment they’ll wake up in later during the night.
Some babies adapt quickly, while others need more time—and that’s perfectly normal.
Even great sleepers have rough nights.
Some common reasons include:
- Growth spurts
- Hunger
- Teething
- Illness
- Sleep regressions
- Learning new developmental skills
- Changes in routine
Frequent waking doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing anything wrong. Sleep patterns often change during the first year.
While everyone wants more sleep, safety should always come first.
Current recommendations include:
- Always place babies on their back to sleep.
- Use a firm, flat crib mattress with a fitted sheet.
- Keep pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and bumpers out of the crib.
- Share a room—but not a bed—for at least the first six months when possible.
- Stop swaddling once your baby shows signs of rolling over.
Is it normal for my 6-month-old to still wake at night?
Yes. Many babies continue waking occasionally throughout their first year.
Should I wake my baby to feed?
Ask your pediatrician. Once babies are gaining weight well, many healthy infants no longer need scheduled nighttime feedings, but recommendations vary.
Does sleep training work?
There isn’t one approach that’s right for every family. Some parents choose structured sleep-training methods, while others prefer more gradual approaches. Discuss options with your pediatrician if you’re considering sleep training.
Chances are, if you are reading this, you have a baby and some sleepless nights under your belt. I’ve been there. Getting a newborn baby to sleep through the night is a challenge. And to show my sympathy and support and I am going to make this straightforward and to the point.
When I was in my final trimester I think I read about 634 articles and blog posts about baby, sleeping, breastfeeding, pooping… you get the picture.
It’s been quiet a while now that I have been able to put all of these things to the test and I can tell you that some people make it WAY too confusing.
There’s no need for a printable schedule to get your baby to sleep through the night. It is a BABY after all.
So keeping that very important fact in mind, let me tell you the three steps I follow every night to get my baby to sleep in at minimum 6 hour chunks.
I never let my baby sleep for more than 2 hours at a time during the day.
I know I mentioned there is no way to keep baby on a perfect schedule, but this is just rule of thumb to follow.
Baby is likely confused on day and night times. This is how I helped her figure it out.
I simply wake baby gently after two hours. I usually scoop my little one up and start with humming and lightly singing to her to stir her. Then I talk to her, maybe set her on the bed and play with her arms and legs.
She usually wakes up smiling and then eats after a diaper change. We play for a little bit and about an hour or so into play time she starts to fuss and I know it’s time to go back to sleep. So we rock or I walk around the house with her in my arms and she goes back to sleep. This is the routine we follow almost all day until around 8:30 P.M.
The ONLY exception I make to this is the first time she goes back down in the morning. If she wakes up at 6:30 to eat, I may let myself the baby sleep until 9 ish.
I Always Swaddle My Baby at Night
The science behind why we swaddle babies makes this one a no-brainer.
Babies love the tight security a swaddle creates that reminds them of the womb.
Babies also have a startle reflex that can wake them up frequently. Have you ever had that feeling that you’ve just gone off the edge of the worlds tallest roller coaster while trying to fall asleep? That happens to your baby. Alot. If my baby isn’t swaddled and you watch for long enough, you can see her little arms kind of flail in the air. This wakes her right up.
The swaddle keeps this from being so intense for the little ones.
I personally used the SwaddleMe Swaddler in the beginning and have recently moved to the Halo Sleep sacks. Both work great and the only reason I switched was because my little one had become strong enough to wiggle out of the SwaddleMe Swaddler.
As a side note I do not swaddle my baby during the day unless she has a really hard time going back to sleep and is on the verge of being really over-exhausted. In this case I will just to help her get some rest and for me to keep my sanity!
Dream Feed Baby
I mentioned earlier that we keep the same routine going all day until around 8:30. At this time, our little one usually goes down for the night swaddled. Around 10:30 ish, we wake her for our final feeding of the night. I un-swaddle to make sure she is alert enough to get a full feeding. Once she’s done eating, I re-swaddle her and we are both down for the night. Happy baby, happy mama 🙂
Be sure to read up on how I doubled my breast milk production in 48 hours in order to keep those morning bottles coming!
Keep in mind that if there is something constantly waking your baby, none of these steps will work. I found early on with Emmy that the cause of her short sleep span was gas. We would eat, she would fall asleep and an hour later she would be up, fussing and pulling her legs to her tummy. I’ve outlined the 5 ways we helped her through her conquer her gas issues here.
I hope at least one of these steps helps you get a better nights sleep. There were alot of tips and tricks I read that do not work for us.
For example, so many people suggested having a bed time routine that included a relaxing bath. Our baby gets so worked up and frantic when we get her out of the bath that it was taking us way too long to get her calmed down. Then once she was calm enough to sleep she was hungry and then she was over exhausted and crying more and it was just a big no for us.
Keep doing what works, stop doing what doesn’t seem to take you in the right direction.
Follow your baby’s cues and celebrate each tiny step you take in the right direction. You are going to look up one day and realize it’s all just easier and you have figured it out. You’re doing an awesome job as a mom by taking the time to research the best ways to help you baby sleep!
Sweet Dreams!
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