Understanding your babies sleep, 4-7 mths old

You have probably already established a bedtime routine and are staying with it. If you haven't established one, start now!  There are some suggestions on how to do this in earlier sections.   

Soothing activities, such as a warm bath followed by stories or singing will signal transition to sleep, and these same activities can be used at bedtime for years.  Put him into his cot while he is still awake. If he cries, stay away for a few minutes.  He may settle down and go to sleep. If the crying continues, go back in and soothe him for a moment, without picking him. This may go on a few/many times until he figures out that the crying is not getting him anywhere. Expect that this may be a difficult exercise for you, simply because it's distressing to hear him cry. Try to remember that if you know he is safe, a little crying now, so that you can all sleep better later, is ultimately the healthier choice.

Using a sleep bag helps a baby understand it is bed time and becomes a familiar item that they associate with sleep.

Even a baby who has already been sleeping through the night (anywhere from 7 to 12 hours) will occasionally awaken in the wee hours. After ruling out teething pain, illness, or an extremely soiled diaper, it's best to let him resettle back to sleep on his own. Give him a few minutes before you respond, then after seeing that everything is OK, leave him alone to fall back to sleep. Don't forget that any cuddling, feeding, or talking you do may prompt him to wake each night for this attention.

If he is waking up many times each night, perhaps there is an external reason. Is he too big for his bassinet? Do you still have him in your bedroom?  Is his room the right temperature?  Is his room too light or dark?  Is there a noise outside at a particular time of the night (e.g. trucks reversing) which could be waking him up?  Once you know the problem the solution is often very easy.

Once you have stopped giving him night feeds never re-introduce them, unless your baby is extremely unwell.  He will soon realize he can have milk at night and will start to take less during the day.  Your sleep schedule will be over turned.  If you think he is thirsty, or it is very hot, offer some cooled boiled water from a cup or bottle.  This will provide less incentive for him to wake again for the same thing tomorrow night.  Once you know the problem the solution is often very easy.

Another common sleep 'problem' at this age is the early riser - the baby who begins to babble or cry for you before the crack of dawn. There is probably nothing you can do to prevent your baby from getting up when he or she is ready, but a few safe toys in the crib may soothe your baby for a while longer, and a window shade to keep out the first light of day may let you get another few minutes of early-morning rest.