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The question that plays on most parents mind...is "it even possible to get a baby to sleep through the night??"
The answer is yes, but sometimes it is not as simple from one baby to the next. Lots depends upon the baby's physiology, their pregnancy, their birth, family history, their environment...to name but a few!!
Below are some reasons why your baby may not sleep along with some tips that may help encourage your baby to sleep through the night.
I want to make it very clear, I would not be expecting a baby prior to 2 months old to be sleep through the night.
Could it be down to hunger as this can cause frequent wake ups. If you are unsure if your baby may be hungry it's worth noting down how much they are eating per feed. Obviously if your baby is being breastfed just make sure they are on the breast for long enough and that you aren't taking them off the breast before they are ready. If your baby is at weaning stage then also make sure they are having enough food during the daytime.
Could it be because they are overfeeding as this too can also cause an issue with sleep. Babies typically regulate how much they actually need, but if your baby often vomits after a large feed, it is possible they are taking too much. Think about slowing the feed down by using slow flow teats or, if breastfeeding, feed laying down to reduce the flow of the milk in the breast.
Could it be wind which is causing stomach discomfort. Make sure you are effectively winding your baby, it might be worth trying a different method. Try placing them on your right shoulder slightly tilting outwards. Due to the oesophageal valve being off-centred, the tilting motion can be very effective in releasing wind.
Wet or soiled nappy could be another reason, some babies feel very uncomfortable with damp against them whilst others really aren't worried.
The baby's environment can play a large part on a babies sleep...
If the baby is still in the adults room it could be too bright therefore keep artificial lights to a dim setting as you want to encourage the natural release of melatonin.
If the room is naturally bright with the sun coming in then I would recommend you look into thicker curtains/shutters or black out blinds. I haven't needed to suggest it to too many families as thicker curtains seem to do the trick.
Noise, if the babies sleeping environment is situated to a busy street and your windows don't tune out the beeping of car horn or motorbikes backfiring then consider a white-noise device but note, it should be used throughout the entire night to be effective. If a baby has fallen asleep with the white-noise, during the light sleep phases the sound will be noted if it is not present. A parent snoring can also be enough disruption for a baby not to sleep, I have personal experience of this situation!! As above, using white-noise can help drown out the periodic snores.
Temperature can play a factor in all of our sleep but babies do not regulate their temperatures therefore if they are hot they do not have the ability to cool themselves down and vice versa, if they become too cold they do not have the ability to warm themselves. The recommended temperate of a baby's room is between 16-20 degrees, I have found over the years, babies and children sleep better in cooler environments so my personal recommended temperature is 16 degrees.
Nighttime clothing, what you baby sleeps in dictates their temperature again. Check how many layers you have dressed your baby in. Depending on what time of year, will dictate their requirements.
Unwell baby such as a cold/cough or from teething. Babies do become unwell, managing their symptoms can help, but you may experience a few nights of disturbed sleep.Try to get back on track with a routine once your baby is well again.
An overtired baby never sleeps. Much like you or I, if we are totally exhausted, it may take us longer to fall asleep. Babies are much the same, it takes longer for their system to relax into sleep. Try to prevent this happening in the first place, if napping throughout the day isn't working, find out why...it may be you need to take a drive in order to ensure your baby has a sleep.
Lastly but possibly the largest significant reason your baby may not be able to sleep throughout the night time is down to a potential degree of reflux. This, in my experience, is the most common reason for babies not sleeping well. If you do think your baby has a form of reflux which is causing them to wake then please feel free to read my blog about Reflux as you may be able to alleviate your babies symptoms through my suggestions.
Feel free, as always to contact me via email: norlandnanny@icloud.com