When Will Baby Start Sleeping All Night?

If you're the parent of a newborn, one all-important question you're asking is: "How soon will my baby sleep through the night?"

Dr. Richard J. Castriotta, associate professor of medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and director of the Memorial Hermann Hospital Sleep Disorders Center, recognizes that establishing a successful sleep routine for your infant is one of the major milestones in parenting.

The majority of infants sleep through the night around the age of six months. How long an infant lasts between feedings often determines his or her ability to sleep through the night. Most newborns need about 14 hours of sleep a day. This decreases to 12 hours a day from six months to 12 months.

"Young children need a lot of sleep and disrupted sleep is not very restful," said Dr. Castriotta. Infants and young children need the same quiet and cool environment as adults to achieve optimum rest. Sleep patterns for each child are different, with some children taking more frequent or longer naps than others.

"Prolonged crying may mean your infant has a problem," added Dr. Castriotta. "It's a good idea to briefly check your infant to ensure everything is okay. Sleeping habits may improve when your infant is ready for solid food and learns how to return to sleep with minor soothing attention from you. "

Courtesy of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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