‘Boost my fertility’ was my most searched-for-term pre-baby and ‘when do babies sleep through the night’ was my google favorite post-baby. I remember six months being the holy grail for parents in desperate need of slumbering sprogs. Well, six months came and went with no tiny glimmer of hope for baby one or baby two sleeping through the night. According to an American Academy of Pediatrics study, 62.4 percent of babies were sleeping through the night at the age of six months. I would have definitely been in the 38 percent!

Just to take some more pressure off- the expression ‘sleeping through the night’ constitutes only six of consecutive sleep. So if your baby goes to bed at 8 pm for example, still expect a wake-up call at 1 am. Under the age of six months, babies wouldn’t developmentally be able to go for longer periods without a feed. Much of when a baby sleeps through the night depends on their weight, their soothing habits, and your parenting styles. We are never here to tell you how to raise your children. It might be you cut down the nighttime feeds as a way of stringing out some extra slumberland or perhaps you are content to continue with some comfort feeding. It really is down to you.

Even if your baby does reach a lovely long stretch of sleep after a few months it’s important to remember there might be some bumps in the road that set you all back.

Some of these to look out for are:

• Colds
• Growth spurts
• Teething
• Brain developments
• Changes in routines

What I might suggest is to try not to get into any unnecessary tug-of-war with other parents. There will always be the parents who have perfectly sleeping children… and the parents who still occasionally have a seven-year-old creep in for a nighttime cuddle (that’s me by the way!) Understandably, sleep is a huge topic of conversation and it’s lovely to share tips with other moms and dads. At the end of the day, they do all get there, and often in their own sweet time. But they do get there – I am a testament to that!

If you feel like you are drowning in a sleepless soup then it may be worth reaching out to a healthcare professional to help you find out a strategy that works for you. If you are looking for any practical ideas when it comes to helping your baby get some better rest, feel free to have a little read-through of some of our tips.

Tips to help your baby sleep through the night:

Establishing a Routine

It can be lovely to establish a nourishing bedtime routine for your little one. It will help them avoid ‘sleep fighting’ or waking up overstimulated. Try a bath, some baby massage (seek professional advice), and change into nightclothes. Make sure they are getting enough sleep during the day too. Sleep Foundation recommends that 4-11 months old get between 12 and 15 hours of sleep per day.

Calming Environment

Moshi’s Sleep Stories and Sounds can be a wonderful way to minimize separation anxiety and create a peaceful environment. Also, try reading a bedtime story with the lights down low as they will simply love the sound of your voice. It’s a good idea to take away anything too stimulating like a nursery mobile. White noise has also been known to help babies and young kids sleep better, too.

Self-soothing

Getting your baby used to falling asleep without you rocking or carrying them can be the first step. Try putting them down drowsy but not asleep yet. If you are swaddling your baby, please follow the correct guidelines.

Samantha Redgrave-Hogg