How do I get my 3 month old to sleep through the night?

Answer 1

I feel your pain. First of all, don't listen to people who say that your child shouldn't sleep through the night at this age. Rubbish. Sleep is when kids grow and it's important for your baby to develop good sleeping habits. I wish I had more details on your child, but here's what I suggest:

1) Put him on a feeding schedule. We started at 4wks old. He's 15 wks now. His schedule is feeding at 7am, 11am, 3pm and 7pm. Don't let him nap after 5pm. During the day, try to get him to sleep 3 or 4 times for a total of 4 hrs. The more they sleep during the day the better they sleep at night. Counter-intuitive, I know. For help with a schedule check out the book BabyWise.
2) DONT feed him in the middle of the night. When he wakes up put a pacifier in his mouth, or sing to him, pet him whatever. But don't feed him. Start holding him out for food until 7am. (this might take you a week, depending on why he's waking up now).
3) if you get up in the middle of the night with him, make it as boring for him as possible. No lights, don't pick him up, don't engage him. You don't want him waking up for comfort.
4) In the morning when he should be waking up, say 6:30 am, make a big production out of it. Come in and say GOOD MORNING! Open the blinds, unswaddle him, tickle him a bit, coo with him. Let him know that it's officially morning.
5) it might be too late for this, but try swaddling him. Use the SwaddleMe blanket. At his age he might be too big for the small size, but I'd try the smallest size he can fit into.
6) Make a whole routine at night. Like, bath, food, story, then put to bed, so he knows bedtime is coming.
7) Put him to bed early. If you let him get overtired he'll struggle against going to sleep. I'd try to get him in bed by 7:45pm.

Best of luck!!!

Answer 2

My son wouldn't sleep through the night consistantly until he was almost 2 yrs old, and I know several people that have the same issues. At 3 months old I was despirate for some sleep, so I looked online and found a thing called the Miracle Blanket, which is a special swaddling blanket. They can wiggle their way out of a regular swaddle, but not with this. There's a similar wrap type blanket at Babies R Us.

Answer 3

I think all babies are different. Some do well on cereal but I haven't started my baby girl on it yet. I just don't feel right starting her so soon just so I can try getting more sleep at night. She will be ready soon. Our doctor recommended to wait on cereal because their digestive systems are just not ready. She's almost 4 months and wakes up 2 times during the night. I put her to bed between 9-10pm and wakes up anytime between 7:30-9 am. But some babies are just hungry for more than milk and if its works well for the baby, then go for it. But I agree, keep it boring during the night and use as little light as possible.

Answer 4

I found if you do the same routine every night your baby will understand that its time for bed. I found even though i was breastfeeding it helped to give him a bottle with expressed milk for the last bottle feed before going to bed.It seemed to fill him up longer.Never open the light during the night so he understands its dark time & its time to sleep.I never changed my babies diper through the night either b/c this will wake them up & confuse them. If my baby woke up during the night i would then feed him not saying a word & put him back to bed. My baby slept through the night since he was 6 weeks old & he is now 9 months. Good luck , just remember not every baby are all the same.

Answer 5

On the next doctor's visit, ask if you can mix the formula or breast milk with rice cereal. If you have a swing, see is she/he will fall a sleep there. Try letting the baby sleep with you. Cuddling might work with the baby skin on skin. Make sure that the baby is warm, after falling asleep (onesies, pajamas,or a blanket). Holding and rocking might help too, but with each of mine, they wanted to be held all of the time. Once you start, it is hard to stop, especially when you have a screaming baby in the home. Take care. I hope this helps.

Answer 6

i have a son that never slept through the night till maybe he was 1.5 yrs old.. always hungry.. i ended up letting him sleep with me 4 a while and he slept longer..he is married now and at the age of 26 yrs.. he still gets hungry every three hrs.. and through the day he only took an hour nap.. good luck i don't know the answer.. sorry..

Answer 7

I give my daughter rice cereal shes almost 2 months old. I do it because shes hungry. It doesn't make her sleep through the night. Put your baby in the swing and wrap your baby up tight. have you tried warm baths? That helps my 7 week old daughter

Answer 8

Get the "Amby Bed". We used it for our baby girl, and she was sleeping through the night at a month and a half old. It lasts up to a year, unless you get the toddler package. check it out at the address below :)

Answer 9

at this age, you are just now getting where you can count on 6 hours of sleep, maybe 8...here's what i did and it worked pretty good...i set up for the 10 oclock feeding and gave her all the bottle should could take, i also put a small spoon of cereal in it, this gave her some substance on her stomach....she would fall alseep someyimes without taking much bottle, i would gently roust her and try to get her to take a little more bottle, get her full, burp her and maybe, just maybe, you will get 6 to 8 hours rest, btw, i also have wound her swing up at 4am and slept on the end of the bed to keep it wound if she woke..she is a perfect 28 year old today....sign...Kelli's Dad

Answer 10

Maybe you could just accept that 3mths old don't usually sleep through the night (at least not mine or my friend's).

You could try feeding him/her just before bed also do a fresh diaper change and try to put the child to bed the same time every night. Good Luck