Tips on getting baby to sleep throughout the night

New born babies sleep for about 6 hours during the night but without any fixed pattern of sleep.. toward the end of the first year, the baby can sleep for a maximum of about 10 to 12 hours. Though you cant do anything to control a new born's pattern of sleep, you can regulate and teach him to sleep throughout the night continuously, as he grows.

Give your baby a toy as a security:
This toy can act as a security for baby when mums not around. Make the toy mum scented by keeping it near you for sometime. Give your baby this favourite blanket or stuffed toy during sleep so that the smell of mum on the toy can reassure baby that mums near him when he awakes up in a start during sleep.

Teach him to differ day from night:
Give him his last feed/meal for the night at a certain time daily and when ready for sleep switch off the lights. Start to create bedtime routines at night.. reading, taking a warm bath, changing into pyjamas, singing, rocking and darkening the room. During the day there wont too much of darkness which will help him distinguish day from night.

Day time meals should be different from night:
When baby awakes for feeds during the night, don't talk or sing a lot, try to keep the quiet and sleepy atmosphere. Don't even switch on the lights unless he has messed up himself so that baby gets aware that it isn't playtime. Make day time feeds more lively and treat as opportunities to coo, sing, talk to, and interact with your baby.

Older babies should fall of to sleep on their own:
As your baby grows he will fall off to sleep during feeds, play time, singing or cooing while in your arms but gradually as you see him drowsy, but yet not asleep put him down while still continuing to love him, he will associate falling asleep with these emotions and will fall to sleep on his own.

Continue to put your baby down sleepy, but awake, and soon he'll get the hang of it.