- Introduction
- Office Visits
- Phone Calls
- Feeding
- Solid Foods
- Vitamins
- Infant Nutrition
- Baby Care
- Bathing & Body Care
- Ear Infections
- Stools & Hygiene
- How Does Your Baby Look?
- Immunization
- Wheezing
- Spitting Up
- Fever
- Crying & “Gas Pains”
- Cough
- Sleep
- Constipation
- Bowel Movements
- Diarrhea
- Diaper Rash
- Teething
- Colds
- Vomiting
- Crib Safety
- Changing Table
- Jumpers or Walkers
- Signs of Illness
- Poisons
- Car Seats
- Choking
- Dosing
- Reading References
Sleep
You may expect your baby to do a lot of sleeping. However, the amount of time your baby will sleep is a highly individual matter. It is recommended that all babies be put to sleep on their backs.
Most newborns will wake up for feedings every two to four hours. Usually babies do not begin to sleep through the night (five to six hours) until six to eight weeks of age. An occasional baby will sleep through the night from birth. Sometimes parents think that starting solid food will make their baby sleep through the night, but there is no evidence that it will. Food is not a sedative and should not be added to the diet until four to six months of age.
By about five to seven months of age, your baby may return to waking during the night. This is a normal state of development. If this occurs, let the baby stay in bed, comfort baby, pat baby on the back, change baby if necessary, and leave. The pattern of nighttime sleeping will be reestablished quickly unless you start walking with or feeding the baby. You may need to do this frequently at first, but it will soon abate.