In partnership with Johnson’s Baby, Aveeno and Calpol
As your baby grows, their sleep pattern will change too. Learn how much sleep they’ll need at three to six months, and how you can create a night-time routine to help them get it
There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep. Though you might not be getting much of it in the early days of being a parent, it’s important that your baby does, to aid their growth and development both mentally and physically.
A newborn baby can sleep for as much as 18 hours a day, typically waking only when they’re hungry. But as your little one grows and develops this will slowly reduce. Sleep patterns differ from baby to baby, so there’s no hard and fast rule, but your little one’s sleep should become more regular and predictable as the weeks go by.
This guide will help you understand your little one’s sleep needs, and how you can create a sleep routine to help them get enough.
Your baby’s sleep at 3-6 months
The three-month mark can be a turning point in your baby’s sleep pattern.
At this stage, your baby will likely be sleeping a bit less during the day (usually around 15 hours, broken into short naps), but having a longer stint at night. This can be a welcome relief for parents, who can enjoy slightly longer periods of sleep without interruption.
This is because your baby is starting to understand the difference between night and day, recognising that darkness is a time for resting. But this doesn’t mean they won’t be waking up at all. Your baby may still wake up for one or two night feeds at three to six months, especially if they’re breastfeeding.
Getting your little one used to a regular sleep schedule is an important part of their development process. As they start to associate night-time with resting, it’s the perfect opportunity to introduce a regular bedtime and relaxing sleep routine – which can also improve your nights as a sleep-deprived parent!
Creating a sleep-friendly environment
Whether they’re still in your room or have their own nursery, creating a sleep-friendly environment is key to helping your little one learn to snooze for longer stretches.
First, ensure the environment is nice and dark to help them learn to associate night-time (and darkness) with sleep. If you’re still feeding during the night, practice latching on or bottle feeding with dimmer lighting to avoid reinforcing night-time waking, and only let light into the room when it’s a suitable time for them to wake in the morning. Installing a blackout blind will keep the room dark and cave-like until it’s time to wake up.
You should also pay attention to the temperature of the room, ensuring it’s not too hot or too cold. Experts say that the optimal sleep temperature for babies is between 18 to 22°C – using a room thermometer will help you keep an eye on this.
If your baby is sleeping in a crib or bassinet, you need to make sure it’s safe and not too stimulating. Keep the crib within an arm’s length of you, especially during the first six months to decrease the risk of SIDs, and keep it away from windows and curtain strings, and make sure there are no toys, blankets, pillows or bedding inside the crib. A baby sleeping bag is a great alternative that will help to keep your little one cosy and safe.
Establishing a night-time routine
Once you’ve set your baby’s sleep environment up for success, your next step is to establish a relaxing and effective sleep routine.
The JOHNSON’S® Baby and AVEENO® Baby’s 3-step routine is clinically proven to help babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer – after one week of using the routine, infants (on average) slept longer and spent 32% less time awake.
The routine incorporates bathtime and massage, two key rituals that help engage your baby’s sense of smell and touch while strengthening your bond and preparing baby for a good night’s sleep.
Step 1: Warm bath
Bathtime is a great way to start your baby’s sleep routine and soothe them before bed. Begin by gently cleansing their skin with a bath product that suits their delicate skin, like JOHNSON’S® Baby Bedtime Bath or Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Bedtime Bath & Wash, which is made from soothing natural oat extract, blended with calming scents of lavender and vanilla.
Along with engaging your baby’s sense of smell, bathtime encourages skin-to-skin contact, which can lead to improved physiological, cognitive, emotional and social development.
Step 2: Baby massage
A gentle baby massage will soothe your little one and make them feel secure, loved and ready for sleep. Choose a lotion with a relaxing scent like AVEENO® Baby Calming Comfort Lotion or JOHNSON’S® Bedtime Lotion, which blends relaxing aromas with a deeply moisturising lotion to leave your baby’s delicate skin feeling soft and healthy.
Massaging your little one will also help you recognise and respond to your baby’s body language, which will increase the bond you have with one another.
Step 3: Quiet time
Once your baby is bathed, dried and massaged, it’s time to send them off to sleep with a little quiet time in a cosy and calm atmosphere. A nightlight that releases soothing vapours, like the Calpol Vapour Plug & Nightlight, can comfort your little one with its lavender and chamomile scent, and soft orange light.
If you choose to feed at this time, try not to feed your baby to sleep because this could become something they expect, and will be hard to change later. Instead, try winding them down by reading or singing softly.
By using this 3-step routine, your little one should be well on their way to a restful night’s sleep – and you’ll hopefully get one as well! But remember, every baby is different and sleep patterns will vary from child to child for all kinds of reasons. Be kind to yourself, and keep trying. They’ll be in a more regular and predictable routine before you know it.
For a successful bedtime routine, find JOHNSON’S® products here, AVEENO® Baby here and Calpol here.
