🤔Sleeping through🤔
What does ‘sleeping through’ mean? I’ve heard it all:
‘My baby sleeps through 7-7….with 3 feeds’
‘My baby sleeps through. We put them to bed at midnight and they sleep through until 6am’
When people say a baby is “sleeping through the night,” they usually mean the baby can sleep for a long, uninterrupted stretch during the night without needing to feed or be comforted—but the exact meaning can vary depending on the baby’s age and the context.
Firstly, newborns (0–3 months) are not expected to sleep through the night. They will sleep in short stretches (2–4 hours) due to frequent feeding needs.
Younger babies (4–6 months):
* “Sleeping through the night” typically means 6–8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Many babies this age can go without a nighttime feed, but not all.
Older babies (6–12 months):
* Sleeping through the night might mean 10–12 hours of sleep, possibly with brief wakings that the baby can self-soothe through.
* By this age, many babies can sleep for longer stretches without feeding.
Important context:
* Some people define “sleeping through the night” as 5+ consecutive hours (especially for younger babies), which can be surprising for new parents.
* Developmental milestones, growth spurts, illness, and teething can all temporarily disrupt sleep.
So, the phrase is somewhat flexible but usually means at least 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep—and up to 10–12 hours by the end of the first year.
For me, if baby is put down at bedtime and doesn’t need any support until you wake up in the morning, that is sleeping through. Babies who need feeding or extra comfort etc may not sleep through for a while. If they’re younger, that’s absolutely normal! If they’re older but it’s working for you, there is absolutely no need to change anything!
Bottom line – when someone tells you their baby ‘sleeps through the night’, take it with a pinch of salt. Their definition could be completely different to yours. As long as what you are doing is working for you, there is no need to change ❤️
