Sleep Tips For Newborns

Lil Community: Sleep Advice For a Tired New Mom

June 1, 2010

Sleep deprivation may be the toughest part of new parenthood and many new mamas will try anything to get their lil one to sleep through the night. This question was submitted by senorita in the Ask Anything box.

My 4-month old won't sleep through the night? He wakes up around 4 am everyday, any tips? I would love 8 hours of sleep!

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13 Comments

starbucks 3 years

No, I didn't get the age wrong. Obviously I was talking about herbal teas than calm the stomach and are very good for lil babies. Definitely not black tea or those sweetened intant teas. I know tea drinking is not big in the US...but it helped my baby a lot when she had bad gas.

FrankiLee 3 years

Hahaha, MissSushi, my daughter is now sleeping in later (she was an early riser like your first) and I feel like I'm on holidays! It's nice to just have that one extra hour, instead of waking up before it's even light out, lol!

wisecat 3 years

http://www.sleepsense.net/ I read this book when my son was 6 months old. After a week he was sleeping from 7p-7a. He's still sleeping 10-12 hours a night. I hope to get my second baby sleeping long stretches even earlier. My ped had encouraged me to have my son off night time feedings at around 3-4 months as long as he was gaining weight and healthy. He was off night time feedings at around 4 months but still waking up for his pacifier. This book helped me ween him from sleep props and to learn to fall asleep on his own. I loved it! Good luck!

MissSushi 3 years

I'm going to have to agree that that is sleeping through the night. That's actually astronomically awesome for 4 months old. Babies just aren't meant to sleep for 12+ hours without food or being changed. My first woke every 2 hours for 6 months, and every 4 until around 18 months old when she slept the night and woke at 5am every morning. My second is 2 1/2 months now and sleeps from 12 to 5-6am and it's like a vacation every day to me, lol. Unfortunately, sleeping for solid stretches just isn't a reality with most babies.

schnappycat 3 years

I would have loved that with my son! He didn't STTN until about 18 months (although he did go back to sleep quickly). I'd actually consider you lucky, especially if he goes back to sleep easily. I have a newborn right now, so I'm looking forward to just once a night feeding. :) Hopefully she will STTN much sooner than my son. Oy.

schnappycat 3 years

Zivanod 3 years

Offer him tea??? I really hope you read the baby's age wrong instead on seriously telling someone to give a 4 month old tea. Waking up at 4am consistently is really good as long as he is going back to sleep after. My 5 month old goes to bed around 7:30 and wakes up between 1 or 3am for a bottle and then goes back to sleep until about 6:30am. I wish she would sleep in a bit longer but at her age, it's considered STTN so I really can't complain.

Zivanod 3 years

Offer him tea??? I really hope you read the baby's age wrong instead on seriously telling someone to give a 4 month old tea.Waking up at 4am consistently is really good as long as he is going back to sleep after.My 5 month old goes to bed around 7:30 and wakes up between 1 or 3am for a bottle and then goes back to sleep until about 6:30am. I wish she would sleep in a bit longer but at her age, it's considered STTN so I really can't complain.

starbucks 3 years

Having her sleep until 4am would've been heaven for me at that age! She is only now sleeping through the night (7-6) at 9 months after I weaned her. Babies at that age have small, small bellys and usually aren't capable of eating enough to last them the whole night. Basically, be happy that he is sleeping that long and if eventually try to offer him tea or plain water at night only. If he goes back to sleep after that, he might end up sleeping through the night. If he doesn't he's probably hungry and there's nothing you can do.

starbucks 3 years

Having her sleep until 4am would've been heaven for me at that age!She is only now sleeping through the night (7-6) at 9 months after I weaned her.Babies at that age have small, small bellys and usually aren't capable of eating enough to last them the whole night.Basically, be happy that he is sleeping that long and if eventually try to offer him tea or plain water at night only. If he goes back to sleep after that, he might end up sleeping through the night. If he doesn't he's probably hungry and there's nothing you can do.

jenni5 3 years

I don't know what time you are putting him to bed but try keeping him up a little later with you, or go to bed earlier with him. The first few months are very tough! Maybe you could start solid foods soon too if you haven't already.

FrankiLee 3 years

Yeah I would consider that STTN as well! My daughter nursed throughout the night every 3-ish hours for a while. If you just nurse him/give him a bottle does he go right back to sleep? I would say you're doing just fine! I know it's tough to have broken up sleep -- but if he isn't waking up at all until 4am to eat, you're doing pretty well!

LaurenG22 3 years

4 am?! That means he gets about 8 hours before he wakes up hungry or thirsty? I consider that STTN, especially if he is breastfed and he falls back to sleep after you nurse/feed him.

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13 Comments