And there has never been a truer statement. Small babies generally don’t sleep well; their sleep is broken, unpredictable and can, at times, be very frustrating. This lack of sleep comes as the biggest shock to new parents because it is often glossed over. 

We have put together a few truths about babies and sleeping:

Babies don’t sleep. While babies, especially newborns do need a lot of sleep, this doesn’t mean that they magically sleep for hours on end. Often, in the beginning, their sleep is very broken because they need to eat every 2-4 hours. Some babies will settle very quickly and sleep their 4 hours but there are others who suffer from cramps or wind who will wake often between feeds. There are newborns that sleep through from 6 weeks but this doesn’t always happen so babies will also wake every 4 hours at night to feed. This is normal. This is what babies do. Obviously if your baby is screaming inconsolably for hours on end you may need to pay your paediatrician a visit.

Babies sleep is unpredictable. Your baby may sleep perfectly for the first 8 weeks but then suddenly they start waking up 3 times a night. This is extremely frustrating but is totally normal. Your babies sleep may also vary from day to day. . Funso, first time mom to a baby girl says “No routine seems to work for us now as things change every few days or weeks” One day they could have a 3 hour nap but the next they could be up every 20 minutes. There are a few reasons why their sleep changes – a growth spurt, reaching a milestone, teething or it could be something as simple as they are too cold or are in an uncomfortable position. It is not because you are doing anything wrong, it is just the way it goes with babies and sleep.

It’s ok to do whatever works to get sleep. Every new parent has an opinion on everything; it is perfectly acceptable to change your mind. A lack of sleep can be soul destroying and you need to find what works for you even if it wasn’t part of your plan. Some babies sleep better in their own room, others will only sleep with mom. Some babies need to be swaddled, others don’t like it. Find what works for you and your family and do what you need to do to get sleep. “N refuses to sleep unless I do. So at about 8 I switch off the lights and say goodnight and she follows soon after. I do actually sleep then because she can tell if I’m faking it. Then I get up at 4 and do whatever I was going to do the night before.” Says Louisa, mom to 4 year old Nicola

Every baby is different. No two babies are the same. Their sleep patterns will differ and the methods you use to get them to sleep will also differ. What worked for your first child will probably not work for your second child which can leave you feeling a little helpless. Julia, mom to two boys says “Joshua kind of formed his own routine and started to sleep through when we gave solids. Joel ended up co-sleeping with us. He finally started to sleep through when he was 22 months”

The good news is that babies become toddlers who become young children who do eventually sleep through. It may take a few months but you and your baby will find a routine that works for you and you will sleep again.

Additional resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crying; https://www.flickr.com/photos/_nezemnaya_/3340554183/; http://pixabay.com/en/sleeping-sleep-baby-boy-girl-217110/

Author bio: 

Laura is a mom to four which means she spends most of her day driving kids from one activity to the next. She lives in Pretoria with her husband, the kids, a dog and a bird. Laura blogs over at HarassedMom (www.harassedmom.co.za) and runs a small party planning business (www.journey2joy.co.za), Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Journey2Joy/10150128530740425 and twitter https://twitter.com/Journey2Joy

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