After ten beautiful weeks of snuggling your sweet baby, sometimes at all hours of the night, suddenly the countdown to going back to work begins! As maternity leave is ending, baby may not be sleeping. And you might be wondering how you’re going to function at work totally sleep deprived.
Is it too soon to sleep train? Most likely, yes. If you start early, it might not work. During that fourth trimester (birth-twelve weeks), babies’ brains are still developing. Their sleep cycles are naturally short and unpredictable. They probably can’t self-soothe and still need you to help them fall asleep. While some babies are ready to sleep through the night without feedings by twelve weeks, most are not. This is all completely normal!
While we don’t recommend sleep training yet (until sixteen weeks), you can still help your baby develop good sleeping habits. These habits could lead to easier nights before you can start sleep training:
- Pay attention to your baby’s awake window and sleepy cues. Put your baby to sleep, before he or she gets overtired.
- Establish a bedtime routine for your baby- often families include bath time, books or songs in their routines.
- Keep your baby’s room as dark as possible for sleep.
- Make sure your baby’s bedroom is cool (68-72 degrees is ideal).
- By eight to ten weeks, place your baby in the bassinet or crib awake, but drowsy.
- If you’re rocking, bouncing or swinging for sleep, try to get baby used to motionless sleep by that eight to ten week mark.
- Use true white noise for naps and night sleep.
- Put your baby to sleep in the same environment for naps and night sleep. When possible, save the car and stroller for awake time between naps.
Most importantly, as your maternity leave is ending- remember you’ve figured it all out this far! And we’re here to help if you need it.