From structured bedtime routines to intuitive, co-sleeping approaches, experts offer three distinct philosophies on baby sleep; whether through consistency, connection, or calm, all agree on one thing: restful nights start with confident, relaxed parents There’s hardly a new parent who hasn’t wandered bleary-eyed through the house at dawn, wondering when their baby will finally sleep for more than an hour at a time—and more importantly, how to build good sleep habits from the very beginning. So how do you do it? We explored three different approaches, all with the same goal: a full, peaceful night’s sleep. Everyone knows that good sleep is vital for daily functioning—for adults and children alike. In children, it strengthens the immune system, releases growth hormones, and supports memory development, among many other benefits. But until about three months of age, babies don’t have a biological clock. Their day and night cycles are reversed, largely due to immature self-regulation—and it’s up to us to help them learn it. We, as adults, get into bed, pull up the blanket, and fall asleep. But a baby gets into bed and doesn’t know what to do,” explains Dorit Kreisler, parent coach, psychotherapist, sleep consultant (CBTI specialist), and author of Shhh At Night We Sleep. “It’s an innate ability, but not yet established. From around three months, the biological clock develops—the baby is active during the day and sleeps at night, feeding becomes more regular, self-regulation improves, and they can begin to learn the process of falling asleep.” “Go in and touch them, but keep them in bed. This sends two messages: ‘I’m here for you,’ and a sensory-behavioral message that helps them learn to self-soothe. I instruct parents to leave the room every minute or so, then return. This helps the baby fall asleep on their own. Within three to six days, most babies sleep 10–12 hours straight. If they wake up during the night, repeat the same routine.” She adds that as babies grow, new milestones—like standing up or moving to a toddler bed—can disrupt sleep. “Parents need to be consistent,” Kreiser emphasizes. “Consistency is key to development and gives children confidence because they learn to predict their parents’ response. Every baby is born with the ability to fall asleep. We’ve just replaced it with external aids—like nursing or rocking.”
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Three Paths To A Good Night Sleep How Parents Can Help Babies Rest And Themselves Too
