5 reasons your baby won’t sleep
Trust me, there’s hope! We will work through this together.
Baby is struggling with sleep and you’re not sure exactly why?
If this sounds like you or you want to learn more - you are in the right place! Hi there, I’m Lauren - Founder and baby sleep fairy @sleepandthecity! We are all about modern sleep shaping for the busy Mom! No CIO or outdated methods, here! Welcome and I’m so happy you are here. So, baby won’t sleep? I hear you and want you to know that you are not alone. We will work through this together to flip baby won’t sleep to baby and mama sleeps soundly!
For now, let’s chat through 5 reasons your baby won’t sleep
Baby won’t sleep because they are overtired.
Baby won’t sleep because there isn’t a schedule/routine.
Baby won’t sleep because of incorrect wake windows.
Baby won’t sleep because of unfavorable sleep environments.
“Baby won’t sleep without me”
Before we dive into each of these 5 points…
I want to share with you an amazing online experience for parents that I created called:
👑 Baby Sleep Academy for 5-18 month babies!
AND…. a brand new class has been added for 3-4 month babies. 🙌
Baby won’t sleep, here are a few reasons why:
1. Baby won’t sleep because they are overtired.
I know it sounds backwards - but it is a really big misconception- babies who are overtired will actually struggle with sleep. If baby is overtired, they may be more fussy than normal, wake up more often, and overall have worse sleep.
2. Baby won’t sleep because there isn’t a schedule/routine.
This actually fits perfect with the first point! Having a schedule and routine will actually help prevent baby from being overtired, which will help with sleep.
Schedules are so important in early sleep shaping. When thinking about schedules, it’s important to have a working nap schedule and bedtime schedule. These schedules help with wake windows - so you know how long baby should be awake in-between sleep.
Need a schedule? Take my FREE: under 30 second quiz that shows you what schedule you can use for your baby/toddler!
In the same way, routines are wonderful because they can help improve baby’s sleep and help in giving you a more relaxing night. Because babies learn through actions, having a bedtime routine will help baby learn that it’s time to go to sleep. Bedtime routines can be simple or as elaborate as you’d like them to be. Depending on baby’s age - some routines might vary. Some things to include in your bedtime routine can be bath time, jammies, burp, gently rock, white noise, and put down in crib.
3. Baby won’t sleep because of incorrect wake windows.
Make sure you are sleep shaping with the correct wake windows specific for your baby. A wake window is the time spent awake between sleeps. For Newborns, this could be 45-90 minutes. Knowing what your minimum and maximum wake window is by age is extremely important to time your naps, so baby doesn’t become overtired, and they change nearly every 3-6 months of childhood. For help with schedules ages 0-4, take this FREE & fun quiz to get a schedule you can download straight to your computer or phone.
4. Baby won’t sleep because of unfavorable sleep environments.
Just like us adults, certain things will help baby sleep!
Dr. Harvey Karp says, “Some babies are very sensitive to their external and internal environment. They may be bothered by the phone ringing, the feeling of a clothing label, or even sensations in their body.” Because of this, nurseries should be as soothing as possible.
It’s recommended that nurseries be dark, set at a good temperature, and have background noise. Sometimes, you might need to experiment with different settings to find the perfect setup for your little one.
If you are just totally left unsure why baby won’t sleep - try feeling the back of baby’s neck and ears - is it too hot? If so, remove one layer of clothing. However, if baby’s temp is fine - they may be upset by the lack of stimulation. Babies were constantly touched, held, and rocked in the uterus with constant white noise. Lots of babies need that when they are trying to fall asleep. So, wrap them up in a tight swaddle with nice noise in the background.
5. “Baby won’t sleep without me”
This is a biggie. As your baby develops, so should sleep independence. That is, baby doesn’t need you to fall or stay asleep. If your baby is 4 months old, they may be experiencing the 4 month sleep regression. If your baby is out of this regression and is 6 months old but still needs help to fall asleep (either by feeding, rocking, etc.) - it might be a good time to partner with me for sleep shaping.