Think of a baby, a new-born baby, and nine times out of ten the image that comes to mind is that of a soundly-sleeping infant, lying all cosy, warm and innocent in his cot watched over by a favorite teddy bear. Now think about the amount of time and effort it probably took his mum or dad to get him off to sleep. They might have got up to tend to his cries many times that night, leaving either one or both of them red-eyed and exhausted.

The question most parents are asked after “How’s the baby?”, is “Is he sleeping through the night yet?” And in those first few hectic, chaotic months of having a new baby in the house, sleep will be a topic close to most parents’ hearts. Will the baby ever stop waking five times a night? Will he ever sleep through? Please, please, please, when are we going to be able to get some sleep?

If you are feeling tired out and demoralised from trying to soothe your baby to sleep, time and time again, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Babies are not born with an In-depth knowledge about the different times of day. They’re not aware that adults have general routines and certain times for having a meal or going to bed. They certainly have no preconception about what night-time is and that night-time is when we prefer to get our sleep. All baby will have on his mind in the first months is making sure his stomach is constantly filled with milk, and he won’t mind If he has to wake you at 2am every morning to do this, and then again in another couple of hours!

If you’re prepared not to get too much in the way of uninterrupted sleep in baby’s first three months, you won’t be disappointed. The majority of babies are going to wake once or more each night during this time. 75% of babies are sleeping through by the time they reach six months, so things should improve for you, and soon.

A minority of babies, however, are problem sleepers right through their toddler years. Generally, when a new-born baby is sleeping, nothing, but nothing will disturb him. Dogs barking, noisy parties, he’s oblivious to them all. But just like some adults, some babies can be light sleepers, waking at the smallest noise. Others will still wake regularly in the night just for reassurance that you are there. Thankfully, most of these problems can be resolved with a little guidance and perseverance. This article will give you some useful tips for both avoiding and solving sleep problems, and provide information on:

- how a baby’s sleep patterns will change;
- how to build up a bedtime routine for you and your baby;
- how to provide an environment in which baby will want to sleep, and which is safe for sleeping in;
- some common sleep problems, and tips for solving them.

So take heart. It can be very difficult indeed to cope initially on the few hours’ sleep you manage to snatch here and there. Have sensible expectations right from the start. And while you are suffering the sleepless nights, there are plenty of things you can do to catch up on your sleep and help you cope.

- Sleep when your baby sleeps if you can.
- Ask a family member or friend to mind your baby for a few hours whilst either you or your partner takes a rest.
- Jointly share the baby’s care and getting up to baby during the night with your partner so you both have an opportunity to get some sleep.

You’ll soon find, especially as you bond with your baby, that you will begin to understand his behaviour – his different cries, his sleep patterns. All this will help in building up a bedtime routine that will prevent difficult sleeping habits from the start. Then both your baby and you will hopefully get to sleep through the night.