Whether you’re baby is a good, bad or average sleeper can often depend on your perceptions, expectations and attitude. Obviously that doesn’t mean if you have a great attitude then four hours sleep is ok, but if you know that it’s normal for babies to wake during the night for a feed for at least the first 6 months and of their life and consider this part of the package of being a mum then you can deal with the sleepless nights a little easier than someone who has expectations of a sleeping beauty at only a few weeks old. Here we’ve consolidated all the information & tips from some well known authors and ‘sleep experts’ so you can hopefully get a grip on your babies sleep patterns.  

Lets face it, being a normal part of motherhood doesn’t make months and months of broken sleep any easier and some babies don’t just wake once for a quick feed and go straight back to sleep, some mothers (and fathers) only get an average of three to five hours sleep for countless nights on end (now seems like a good time to remind everyone that sleep deprivation has been used as a form of torture by different cultures in times of war!) which can have negative effects on your general health and wellbeing. So it's essential that you do what you can look after you own health and wellbeing during this time. How? 1. Don't listen to other mother carelessly brag about their babies sleeping all through the night at two weeks old, babies often do this for short periods and start waking as their night time sleep patterns change. 2. do listen when people tell you to make up for your sleep losses by resting during the day and sleeping while your baby sleeps. 3. Consider the food you eat an important investment in your health and energy levels, it can be even harder to eat well during a time of huge adjustment but don't let your diet go out the window. For information on improving your sleeping patterns or Insomnia in adulthood read our article I need SLEEP too!

Every magazine, book or website has tips on how to get your child to sleep, to sleep longer or to sleep through the night. You only have to call a sleep school in your area and be told there’s a month long waiting list for a phone consultation to realise it’s obviously a major problem for many families. This can bring some consolation, knowing you are not alone, but when you’re up with your baby at 2am, 3am &/or 4am it can feel as though the rest of the entire world is asleep. 

One thing that's very pleasing to know, in this world of too much technology, intervention, competitive drive and parenting badges being proudly displayed, is that according to www.askdrsears.com, sleep patterns are more a reflection of your babies temperament rather than your style of nighttime parenting so do not think that you are doing something wrong if your baby is waking frequently during the night, but your best friends or sister's baby is 'sleeping through'!