Starting from six weeks to three months, you should begin to create a bedtime routine, which will signal to your baby that it is time to go to sleep. A routine can include any and all of the following:
- Taking a bath
- Changing the diaper and changing into pajamas
- Hearing a story or singing a song
Put your infant to sleep while they are drowsy but awake. Establishing this habit early will teach your child to go back to sleep on their own when the child awakens in the middle of the night. Between five to seven months of age, your baby may disappoint you by starting to wake up once again during the night. This isn’t backsliding. It’s a normal developmental phase. Let them stay in their bed, comfort them, pat them on the back, or change their diaper if it is dirty or wet (but keep the lights down). The pattern of uninterrupted nighttime sleep will soon return. Try not to pick your baby up or reintroduce feeding during the night as it may start a habit which will be difficult to break.