Baby Bedtimes: What to Do if Newborn Baby Will Not Sleep

Being overtired makes children energetic! The Sleep in America poll found that overtired children take almost 20% longer to fall asleep. While that is true, infants who go to bed too early put up a good fight at bedtime as well.

To end the nightly struggle, you will want to figure out your baby’s ideal bedtime.

Baby Bedtimes

The average 3-month-old’s bedtime is around 21:30. Yet, as infants get older their bedtime gets earlier, dropping to 20:30…and earlier.

Researchers found that newborn babies who went to bed before 21:00 slept significantly longer overall (13 hours) than those who went down after 21:00 (11.8 hours).

Most babies drift off easily and sleep longer when they are laid down before they get tired and bug-eyed. But if you push for a baby bedtime that is too early, your little buddy just may not be tired. Yes, you are walking a real fine line here!

 Clues a Newborn Bedtime Is Too Early

• He fights falling asleep for 30 to 60 minutes.
• He shows no sign of fatigue at bedtime.
• He wakes up in the middle of the night or very early the next day, refreshed and raring to go.

The solution: Try pushing your routine 15 minutes later every 2 to 3 nights to nail the right bedtime.

Clues a Baby Bedtime Is Too Late 

• She fights falling asleep for 30 to 60 minutes.
• She is moody and irritable and falls asleep during the day in the car or stroller.
• She takes naps over 2 hours long.
• She is clearly overtired at bedtime (rubbing her eyes, blinking, yawning, cranky).

How to Get Your Newborn to Sleep

If you are having difficulty getting your newborn to sleep at night, then the solution might be starting the bedtime drill 15 minutes earlier every 2 to 3 nights until you settle on a time that works for your little one. Creating a newborn bedtime routine can be challenging, and there may be some trial and error before you find the right bedtime. But this sample bedtime routine may help get your baby on track—and get you both more sleep each night. 

How Long Does it Take to Get a Newborn on a Bedtime Routine?

With these approaches, your bedtime battles should end within 1-2 weeks—and you may be able to end your bedtime struggles in a matter of a few nights.

Newborn Will Not Sleep? No Problem.

If you are still struggling to get your newborn baby to nap, then it might be time to try SNOO. SNOO Baby Cot aids in promoting healthy sleep by automatically rocking and using white noise to lull your baby to sleep. Want to learn more? Click here to find information on SNOO.

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider. Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for babies. It is important that, in preparation for and during breastfeeding, mothers eat a healthy, balanced diet. Combined breast- and bottle-feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of a mother's breastmilk and reversing the decision not to breastfeed is difficult. If you do decide to use infant formula, you should follow instructions carefully.