Sleeping is a habit that is learned—even from the womb. 98% of children who struggle to sleep have a poorly acquired habit that prevents them from resting well.
The baby is not born knowing how to sleep, since this is a habit they will learn from their very first days of life.
A high percentage of children have trouble sleeping, mainly because they haven’t learned how to do it.
Newborns don’t distinguish between day and night, so it's necessary to gradually teach them a sleep schedule.
When the baby is born, it’s the parents who must teach them to sleep. All babies know how to sleep, but not when to do it. From the third or fourth month, some children are able to sleep fully, while others still do so intermittently.
The newborn typically wakes every 3 or 4 hours, sometimes every 2 or 3 hours, to feed. During this time, the baby wakes up, is fed, has their diaper changed, and falls asleep again. This is the most common routine, but some babies don’t follow a fixed schedule and can sleep up to 16 hours a day.
The child adapts to longer sleep periods around the third or fourth month. At that point, their biological rhythm usually changes because the baby matures as their central nervous system integrates these functions—although this doesn’t apply to all; some adapt earlier and others later, and that’s perfectly normal.
How to teach a newborn to sleep?
Teaching a newborn to sleep is a complex task, but it’s achievable with a daily routine, patience, and perseverance—it’s a matter of time.
It’s also necessary to give the baby cues to help them distinguish day from night, silence from noise, meal times, etc.
Babies cry for different reasons (hunger, sleepiness, cold, heat). It’s not advisable to feed them immediately at the first cry because crying doesn't always mean hunger. Sometimes, they calm down just by being in contact with mom or dad.
**Distinguishing day from night:** To help the baby distinguish between day and night, it’s a good idea for them to be in a different part of the house during the day than where they sleep at night. Absolute silence isn’t necessary during the day; background music or regular household noises are fine. At night, it's best to keep things quieter, with less light and more calmness, and for the baby to sleep in their crib. When the baby is awake, you should talk to them, cuddle them, and play so they begin to understand the difference between being awake and asleep.
Establishing routines
It’s helpful to set routines, such as bathing the baby before their last meal at night. Try to do this always at the same time.
The baby should sleep in comfortable clothing, neither too hot nor too cold.
It’s not recommended that the baby falls asleep in your arms. It’s better to place them in their crib, sing a song or speak softly, telling them it’s time to sleep, and say goodnight.
This is not an easy task. Typically, newborns fall asleep while feeding; afterward, you wait for them to burp and then lay them down. This helps the baby associate the crib with sleep from the beginning.
That way, when they wake up in the middle of the night, they are still in the same place where they fell asleep. In any case, newborns wake more due to hunger, but it’s also the ideal age to start teaching them the habit of falling asleep on their own in the crib.
Where should they sleep?
The answer to this question must be found by the parents, based on their preferences and values. It's a good idea to plan and decide this before the baby is born. The arrival of a new baby means fewer hours of sleep and lots of fatigue.
It’s recommended that during the first 3 months, babies sleep in the parents’ room—especially to make it easier for the mother to respond to frequent night wakings. The crib can be placed close to the bed.
At three months
It’s common for babies around the third or fourth month to sleep 4 to 6 hours straight and gradually extend their sleep periods.
From that point on, the task of teaching them to sleep must be more consistent.
Parents must be confident, calm, and secure in this task. Their attitude is key, as the baby picks up on it and will be more or less willing to stay in the crib accordingly.
The baby should associate bedtime with a routine: repetition gives them a sense of security. For example: first a bath, then food, then a song or cuddles from mom or dad. Each family will decide on bedtime and whether they offer something for the night, like a pacifier or stuffed animal.
It’s recommended not to respond immediately to the baby’s first nighttime cry, as they may just be dreaming or whining and might go back to sleep on their own.
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