It can be difficult to get a baby to go to sleep at night. It's best to establish a routine to help your baby develop healthy sleeping habits.
 | Wait until your baby is tired to put him to bed. |
| Develop a regular, predictable bedtime routine. |
| Establish good sleep associations, such as a favorite blanket or toy, or a pacifier. |
| Don't put your baby to bed with a bottle! |
Some babies want to sleep all day and stay up all night. A parent can try a couple of strategies to change the day/night situation with her baby.
| Limit daytime naps to a few hours each. |
| Don't overstimulate the baby when you get up for nighttime feedings. |
| By day, let baby nap in a light area, with some noise. At night, put baby in a very quiet, dark room to sleep. |
| Keep baby up during the day by talking and singing or providing other stimulation. |
There may be a difference in the sleep habits of bottlefed and breastfed babies. Bottlefed babies often sleep longer at night as they mature. Breastfed infants may not shift to longer sleep patterns until around the time they are weaned. See the chart below for a comparison of bottlefed and breastfed babies'sleep patterns.
Length of Nighttime Sleep Patterns
Age | | Bottlefed Babies | Breastfed Babies |
Newborn | | 5 hours | | 4 to 7 hours |
4 months | | 8 to 10 hours | | 4 to 7 hours |
6 months | | 9 to 10 hours | | 4 to 7 hours |
Total sleep in | 24 hours | 13 to 15 hours | | ■ 11 to 14 hours |
