When Do Babies Start Sleeping Through the Night?

The truth is that your little one’s trips to dreamland won’t be at all predictable or easy to control—at first, anyway. When will your baby finally sleep through the night?

While there’s no one answer to that, understanding how newborns sleep (or don’t) can do wonders to temper your expectations and help you maintain your sanity.

Let’s take a look at the evolution of your baby’s sleep/wake cycles and how you can support her as she learns to sleep through the night.

The phrase “sleeping through the night” means your little one can sleep for 6 to 8 hours without you feeding her or soothing her back to sleep.

Don’t expect your baby to hit this milestone until she’s at least 3 months old, and be aware that even after she does, she might not sleep as long as you’d like. You might fantasize about catching up with a full 10–12 hour stretch, but that day is a ways in the future. 1

How your baby’s sleep will change in her first 6 months

Sleep is an evolving process that depends on your baby’s age, weight, development, and temperament. Here’s a general timeline of what you can expect:

• Newborns (0–4 months old): At this stage, your newborn has a tiny tummy and needs to eat every 2–3 hours, both day and night. Her circadian rhythm is also a work in progress, making distinguishing between day and night difficult. With all the confusion, don’t worry about your newborn sleeping too much or too little. Just let her sleep when she wants, and expect frequent wake-ups for feedings. 2
• 4–6 months old: If your little one weighs about 12–13 pounds during these months (meaning she’s developmentally on track and doesn’t need to play catch-up with extra feedings), she’s more likely to sleep for 6–8 hours without waking to eat. She’ll also benefit from her growing ability to self-soothe. 3

Factors that will influence your baby’s nighttime sleep

There’s no shortage of factors that affect your baby’s ability to get a good night of uninterrupted sleep.

As mentioned, her age is a big one, as well as her weight; as the days and months pass and she packs on the pounds, she’ll be able to go for longer stretches without feeding. Luckily for you, this translates to more sleep.

Of course, her temperament will also play a role. Some babies just take to sleep more naturally than others as a matter of personality.

Daytime activity and napping

Babies who are up and moving during the day tend to burn off energy and sleep better at night. The time your baby is awake in between sleep and naps is known as a “wake window.” Your baby’s wake windows increase with age, so she’ll probably get more active during the day as she grows.

However, that doesn’t mean she should skimp on naps—somewhat paradoxically, frequent naps during the day are also important for your baby’s sleep quality. Without them, you run the risk of having an overtired baby who struggles to fall asleep at night.

Don’t go overboard, as too much daytime sleep might also affect her nighttime sleep. When it comes to your baby’s daily schedule (as with many other things about her), striking a healthy balance is important.

Sleep regressions

Your baby will hit certain development milestones around:

• 3 months to 4 months old
• 8 months to 10 months old
• 12 months old

These periods, which coincide with growth spurts and milestones like learning how to crawl, will also probably coincide with sleep regressions: periods when your baby will struggle to sleep more than normal.

You can expect her to wake up more frequently for meals and to exercise that newfound energy. 4 Fortunately, sleep regressions are temporary. You just have to wait for them to pass.

Teething

Are those little pearly whites coming in? The discomfort those first teeth will cause will influence your baby’s sleep.

You can help her out by offering her a teething ring or, if your pediatrician gives you the all-clear, an infant-safe pain reliever. 5

Can sleep problems ever indicate underlying medical issues?

Sometimes, bodily conditions, such as acid reflux, allergies, or sleep apnea, can interrupt your baby’s sleep. The same goes for colds, ear infections, and other illnesses.

Reach out to your pediatrician if you suspect your baby has a health problem. Even if you’re not sure—babies sometimes act in mysterious ways—it’s better to be safe than sorry.

You can’t force your baby to sleep through the night, but there are several strategies you can use to nudge her toward better sleep habits: 6

• Maintain a bedtime routine: Create a predictable routine to let your baby know it’s time to wind down. Try a warm bath, a gentle massage, a good book, and a relaxing lullaby.
• Create a sleep-conducive environment: Make your baby’s room dark, quiet, and cool. For extra points, use a white noise machine to block out stimulating sounds.
• Put her down when she’s drowsy but awake: This teaches your little one to drift off independently and encourages self-soothing if she wakes in the middle of the night.
• Start dream feeding: This involves putting your baby to bed early enough so that you can wake her for a feeding while she’s mostly asleep and you’re about to go to bed for the night. 7

Look for signs like fussiness, eye rubbing, and crying to tip you off when your baby is tired. If you spot any consistent patterns from night to night, use them to help you set your family’s sleep routine.

Weaning off nighttime feedings

If your baby is over 4–6 months old and your pediatrician has given you the go-ahead, you can start to gently wean her off nighttime feedings.

If you’re breastfeeding, shorten each feeding by a few minutes each night. Follow a similar tactic if you’re bottle-feeding by dropping half an ounce or more nightly. In both scenarios, you can extend the time between feedings to get her accustomed to longer stretches without food. 4

Similarly, don’t be too quick to reach for the bottle when your baby wakes up. Try to coax her back to sleep with a back rub or gentle shushing, and or give her a few minutes (at the very least) before turning to a meal. She might surprise you by self-soothing her way back to sleep. If not, that indicates she’s truly hungry, not just fussy, and you shouldn’t hold back on feeding her.

Sleep training means teaching your baby to fall and stay asleep on her own. Generally, you can start this when she’s between 4 and 6 months old.

There’s a lot of conflicting advice (and some controversy) surrounding the most effective method of getting your little one to fall asleep on her own. Here are some of the more popular methods you’ll hear about: 8

• Cry-it-out (CIO) method: As the name suggests, this tactic involves allowing your baby to cry until she falls asleep. This one tugs at the heartstrings of many parents, but proponents argue that the benefits are worth it.
• Ferber method (graduated extinction): This strategy calls for you to hold off on checking on your baby when she starts crying. Unlike with the CIO method, you’ll still go to her eventually, but gradually delaying your response will teach her to self-soothe when she realizes you’re not at her beck and call.
• Chair (fading) method: With this method, you’ll grab a chair and sit next to your baby’s crib until she falls asleep. Each night, you’ll move a little farther away, increasing the distance until she’s comfortable with you not being as close (or there at all).

Research which sleep training method works best for you and your baby. Once you find it, you’ll need to be consistent for it to work. Of course, if the method you pick doesn’t seem to be working, you can always switch it up and try a different one.

Most babies learn to sleep through the night on their own, but your pediatrician or a certified sleep consultant can tailor a plan for you if any of the following apply:

• Your baby is over 6 months old and consistently wakes up multiple times per night.
• You’re feeling excessive fatigue or showing symptoms of postpartum depression or postpartum rage.
• Your sleep strategies keep failing.
• You have concerns about your baby’s health or development.

Again, when in doubt, it’s worth seeing a professional. It can’t hurt, and they might offer advice you wouldn’t have encountered on your own.

Remember, all babies have their own grooves when it comes to sleeping (just like adults). Your baby will figure out her sleeping schedule in time. Until then, put on another pot of coffee and do your best to hang in there.