“Sleep through the night” usually means 8 to 12 hours of sleep without the need for bedtime feeding.
Almost all babies can sleep through the night during the first month, but this can be very different from child to child.
Some babies under 3 months of age may delay sleeping for six to eight hours. Many don’t sleep that long, even up to 12 months.
You may have heard that older babies who eat solid foods are better sleepers, but that’s not true. Your baby’s ability to sleep through the night may depend on many things, such as height, weight, or age.
There is also no research to support the claim that adding rice and cereal to your baby’s evening food will help him sleep better or longer. In fact, this is sometimes a danger, and introducing solids too early can deprive your baby of essential nutrients from breast milk or formula. Doctors recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months.
Just like adults, it’s normal for a baby to wake up briefly a few times to lie down and fall into a deep sleep. But you can help your baby learn to put himself to sleep.
“Put her/him to bed when she’s/he’s asleep, but stay alert until she’s/he’s 4 months old,” says a Pediatric Sleep Disorders Clinic doctor. “This helps her/him avoid developing an addiction to falling asleep and makes it easier for her/him to fall asleep on her/his own when she/he wakes up at night.”