As the parent of a newborn, you’ll come across a lot of sleepless nights. There will be tears, dirty nappies, breastfeeding, bottles, and more tears. And while we can’t promise you sleep-filled nights and zero crying, with a few suggestions, we can help make your nights a little easier!

So first, let’s cover what your baby’s bedroom environment will need to include to induce deep and lengthy sleep.

What are good sleeping conditions?

Babies need a relatively dark and quiet space to fall and remain asleep. The temperature of their bedroom should sit at around 16–20 degrees Celsius, and it should be kept free of distractions. And where possible, the bedroom environment mustn’t change during sleep, or your baby will wake and be upset by any significant alterations.

Now, you’ve checked their bedroom and decided that they’re sleeping in the perfect sleep-inducing environment. So, what’s causing them to wake up?

Why does my baby wake up?

During their first few weeks, your baby will inevitably wake up a lot during the night, and for several different reasons. They might be hungry, need a nappy change, or just want a cuddle from you. They may wake up because they’re a little too cold or hot, they have some pent-up energy, they need longer naps, or it could be that some trapped wind is making them uncomfortable. They also won’t yet understand the difference between night and day and will simply sleep when they’re tired and wake when they’re not. Older babies may also wake up because they haven’t learned to self-soothe and fall back to sleep without your help.

With all of this in mind, how can you possibly keep your baby sleeping through the night? How can you teach them to recognise the difference between day and night? How can you teach your baby to self-soothe? How do I get my baby to sleep?

How can I teach my baby to sleep well?

Accept that nighttime waking is a given before 6 months. Your baby will need feeding and changing a lot, and they’re going to cry a lot when they don’t get it, as this is their only way to communicate. While there isn’t an easy fix that will keep them sleeping through the night, there are certain steps we can take, even in the first 6 weeks, that will at least make a difference.

Teach them the difference between a night and a day. After they’ve been fed in the evening and they’re getting sleepy, pop them in their Moses basket or crib in your bedroom and dim or turn off the lights. Talk as little as possible to keep the environment as calm as you possibly can. Don’t move too much or attract their attention. Don’t change their nappy unless it’s pooey or leaking, and if you must, do it with as little fuss as possible. What we’re trying to achieve here is to create as boring an environment as possible. Not only will this quiet setting induce sleep, it’ll also teach them that there’s very little worth staying up for once the lights turn out. Then it’s time to establish a regular bedtime routine.

Establish a bedtime routine. Once bedtime comes around, adjust your tone of voice to a soft and soothing one. Give your baby a warm bath and pop them in a clean nappy and some comfy PJs. Feed them in the same place each night—ideally, in the bedroom they fall asleep in—and keep the lights dim. Try not to let them fall asleep as they feed, or they’ll expect to be fed every time they wake. If this means you feed them a little earlier, that’s perfectly okay. Burp them gently, even though they’ll be drowsy, and then place them in their basket or cot. Sing to them, pop the baby mobile on, or gently stroke their chest, and then, saying “night night”, leave the room. They may cry for a couple of minutes, but unless it persists, don’t go into the room. It’s really important that you aren’t holding your baby and jiggling them as they drift off, or they’ll struggle to self-soothe and drift off on their own.

Make sure they’re napping well during the day. Initially, your baby will nap a lot—a whole lot—including throughout the day. But eventually, they’ll develop a sort of nap schedule, with roughly three or four naps a day from about 6 weeks onwards. Try to keep these nap times consistent once they emerge, placing them in their cot and letting them sleep uninterrupted. It’s also a good idea to let them know it’s nap time by singing them a little song or giving them a quick feed and a burp. You don't need to repeat the whole bedtime routine for naps; a brief, simplified version will work just fine.

Establish and stick to your responses. You can leave your baby for a couple of minutes to have a little cry, as it’s really quite normal for them to do so. If their crying sounds distressed or they continue to cry after five minutes, go in and see what’s wrong.

Take care of yourself. It’s really important that you take care of yourself during this time. Nap whenever you can, get help from family and friends if you need it, eat well, and talk to your doctor if you are struggling. There’s absolutely no shame in this!

How do I establish good sleeping conditions for my baby?

On Unii’s Baby Sleep Journey, we look at setting the best sleeping conditions for your baby.