How can you get your baby to sleep through the night? 

This is one subject guaranteed to set parents’ WhatsApp groups buzzing with messages. 

Some babies sleep through the night almost as soon as they are born but Dream Team certified sleep coach Orla Connaughton helps those families who need a little extra help.  

“We guide the family through this process with one-to-one coaching,” she told Late Breakfast with Stephanie Preissner. 

“Essentially, we do a consultation, we talk through what you’re having issues with. 

“Is it night feeds? Is it daytime sleep? Whatever the issue is, we then come up with a nice plan together. 

“Pick a start date and we coach you through the process.” 

Sleep training

The aim of coaching is to teach a baby how to fall asleep independently and it usually takes the infant several weeks to master.

“You might have a nice routine in place but there might just not be a nice settling method happening for your baby or something that used to work isn’t working anymore,” Ms Connaughton said. 

“We usually say about two to three weeks [and] you should be good to go without the sleep coach. 

Gentle method

Ms Connaughton said the Dream Team favour a “really gentle method” that does not leave a baby feeling worried or abandoned. 

“We encourage parents to help their baby to learn to feel they’re falling asleep by themselves but safe in the knowledge that the parent is close by,” she said. 

“We advocate for responsive parenting, so we do tell parents to go to their babies during night wakes to help them back to sleep. 

“As each night progresses, we have a plan for each night [which involves] moving slightly away from the baby - but still supporting them.” 

A sleeping baby. Credit: Iuliia Bondarenko from Pixabay

With roughly a week to go before creches begin, Ms Connaughton said it is a good time to get a child back into a normal sleep cycle after Christmas. 

“Let’s say you notice your child’s bedtime has got later and later and they’re sleeping in,” she said. 

“I’d start by bringing bedtime earlier every night by about 15, 20 minutes.

“So, let’s say bedtime is 9pm and you want to get back to 7.30, gradually over the next couple of nights just start bringing it earlier until you’re back at your normal bedtime.”

A newborn baby sleeps between 12 and 16 hours every day.

Main image: Close-up of a baby girl sleeping.