Sleep deprivation is one of the most challenging aspects of new parenthood - but understanding how babies sleep can help. Newborns sleep 16–17 hours per day but only in short stretches of 2–4 hours, as their tiny stomachs need frequent refilling.
A consistent bedtime routine is the foundation of good sleep habits. From around 6–8 weeks, you can start a simple routine: bath, feed, sleep. The key is consistency - doing the same things in the same order signals to your baby that sleep is coming.
Sleep associations are things your baby learns to associate with falling asleep. If your baby always falls asleep while feeding or being rocked, they'll need the same thing when they wake between sleep cycles. Teaching your baby to fall asleep independently (when developmentally ready, usually after 4 months) is the key to longer stretches.
Sleep regressions - at 4 months, 8–10 months, 12 months, and 18 months - are periods when your baby's sleep temporarily worsens. They're a sign of developmental progress, not regression.
The 4-month sleep regression is the biggest. This is when your baby's sleep architecture permanently changes to resemble adult sleep, with multiple lighter sleep cycles through the night.