5 Tips for Helping Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

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Babies and parental lack of sleep often go hand in hand. After all, during those first few weeks and months, babies need to eat every two to five hours—and they don’t realize—or care—that it’s the wee hours of the morning. 

Babies are expected to be up at night. However, some feeding issues can cause babies to wake up and cry at night more often than usual. What are some strategies for getting your nocturnal little one to sleep through the night? Rest easy and try these tips. 

• Watch for hunger cues

Babies often wake up and cry at night because they’re hungry, but crying is actually a late indicator of hunger. Before putting your baby to bed or while checking on them, watch for earlier hunger cues such as:

• Wiggling while they are sleeping
• Sucking their fists
• Bringing their hands to the mouth
• Smacking their lips
• Opening and closing their mouth

If you notice these behaviors, feed your baby and then put them back to bed. Hopefully, they’ll sleep for a longer stretch of time before they need to be fed again. And ensure they get enough to eat during the day, which can help them be more satisfied at night.

2. Ward off gas

Gassy babies have trouble sleeping, as the trapped gas can be painful and lead to bloating. Some potential signs of gassiness include:

• Crying and fussiness
• Arched back
• Clenched fist
• Swollen stomach

Here are some tips that may help relieve your baby’s gas and bloating discomfort:

Feed your baby before they get frantic and agitated. An overly excited baby may gulp air while crying and feeding, causing gas. This will create a hunger-gas-crying cycle and make it harder to settle your baby. 

Hold them upright. The Sleep Foundation recommends holding your baby upright after feeding for about 30 minutes before putting them to sleep. This, coupled with burping and keeping them calm, may promote better digestion. 

Keep track of their diet (and yours). If you’re breastfeeding, try to keep track of what you eat. A food diary may help you identify if certain foods are contributing to your little one’s gas. Spicy foods, garlic, carbonated drinks, and broccoli are common culprits.

Gas and fussiness can also sometimes be associated with an allergy to cow’s milk protein, which is found in most infant formulas. Babies with cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) may also experience:

• Diarrhea
• Unusual poop colors
• Reflux
• Nausea and vomiting
• Breathing difficulties or wheezing
• Skin rash

If you suspect your baby could have an allergy to cow’s milk protein, talk to your pediatrician. They can help confirm if your baby has CMPA and provide guidance on managing it, which may include switching to a hypoallergenic formula. Don’t switch formulas without consulting your doctor first. 

Try gas-relieving moves. Encourage gas relief by doing tummy time sessions while your baby is awake. You can also place your baby on their back and move their legs like a bicycle to pedal away the gas.

3. Settle the spit-up

Spit-up, also known as reflux, is when the baby’s stomach contents, such as milk or formula, back up into the esophagus. While reflux is a common and often harmless condition in healthy babies, it may be uncomfortable, especially when lying down—which they do a lot of.

Babies should always sleep on their backs, even if they’re experiencing spit-up. However, there are other things you can try to help your baby if reflux is keeping them up at night.

• Hold your little one upright for 20-30 minutes after feeding.
• Limit the baby’s activity after feedings to avoid overstimulation. Let them settle and digest their food.
• Burp your baby frequently during and after feedings.
• Provide more frequent, smaller feedings, which can help reduce the amount of milk that backs up into their esophagus.
• Calm your baby before feeding to minimize gulping.
• Reduce a baby’s exposure to smoke in the home, which can irritate their airways and worsen reflux.
• If you’re using infant formula, ask your pediatrician about the potential benefits of transitioning to a formula specially designed to ease spit-up.

4. Keep a routine

Even though your baby’s internal clock may not yet know the difference between night and day, following a consistent bedtime routine may help them sleep better. This will help them associate certain activities with winding down and getting ready for dreamtime.

• Dim the lights, turn off the television, and put down your phone at least 30 minutes before bed.
• Give your baby a warm bath or massage.
• Read your little one a story or sing a lullaby.
• Put your baby to bed drowsy but awake.
• Try a white noise machine to promote relaxation.

5. Swaddle

Swaddling can help your newborn feel secure, which may help them sleep longer and cry less. Follow these steps to safely and snugly bundle your little one:

1. Lay out a lightweight cotton blanket in a diamond shape, folding the top corner down.
2. Place your baby’s head above the fold, ensuring their neck and head are above it.
3. Wrap one side of the blanket over the baby, with their arms inside.
4. Tuck the blanket underneath your baby securely.
5. Fold up the bottom corner to the baby’s shoulder, allowing room for their legs to move comfortably.
6. Wrap the other side around your baby.

You should stop swaddling when your baby shows signs they are starting to roll over, which can be as early as two months. But until then, swaddling may be an effective way to keep your little one calm as they snooze. 

Baby sleep can be unpredictable. Everything from hunger to disruptions in their regular schedule can affect your little one’s slumber, causing them to wake up and cry more often. When trying to get your baby to sleep through the night, it’s important to remember that every baby is different. What works for one baby may not work for another. Be patient and try a variety of strategies until you find the ones that work best for you and your little one.