Baby Sleep Myths Debunked: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Myth: Keeping babies awake during the day will help them sleep better at night.

Truth: Sleep breeds sleep. Throughout the day, the drive to fall asleep (sleep pressure) grows. When we allow a child to nap or sleep, this sleep pressure drops, and along with it, cortisol levels drop, too.

Really tired babies often have more trouble falling asleep as their cortisol levels peak. We often see them get cranky & upset; some people call this the witching hour.

When babies are super tired, they crash into sleep, meaning they jolt through the transitions between sleep states and they may wake up more frequently during the night.

Appropriate daytime naps help babies regulate their sleep patterns and can lead to better and longer sleep at night.

Myth: Adding cereal to a baby's bottle & early weaning will help them sleep through the night.

Truth: Introducing solid foods too can be a tempting option with the belief that it can help a baby to sleep better. The reality is babies should be able to sit independently and reach 6 months of age so that their gut has the opportunity to mature. Introducing foods too early can pose choking hazards and may lead to digestive issues.

Similarly there's no scientific evidence supporting the idea that switching formula milks or adding cereal to a bottle improves sleep duration.

Babies usually start sleeping longer stretches as they mature neurologically, not because of early introduction to solids.

Myth: Co-sleeping will spoil your baby and create long-term sleep issues.

Truth: Co-sleeping (sharing the same room or bed with your baby) is a personal choice and when done safely can mean the whole family can get better sleep! It certainly doesn't spoil a baby or lead to lifelong sleep problems. Across many cultures the practice of co-sleeping is the norm! Co-sleeping can promote bonding and make nighttime feedings easier.

Co-sleeping and the desire to be close to a caregiver is a natural part of mammals' evolution. Often, co-sleeping can create confident little sleepers who transition to their own sleep space when the time is right.

If co-sleeping feels good for your family, by all means keep going!

Myth: You should never wake a baby.

Truth: While it's often good to let sleeping babies rest, there are times when waking them is necessary and beneficial.

For example, newborns need to be fed frequently, and sometimes you may need to wake them to ensure they are eating enough, especially in the early weeks.

Additionally, waking a baby from long daytime naps can help maintain a healthy sleep schedule and promote better nighttime sleep. Ideally day sleep shouldn’t be any longer than a maximum of 2 hour chunks.

I also practise waking babies at the same time every morning; this helps to fix their circadian rhythm and anchor their day sleep so they can have more balanced rest and not get to the end of the day exhausted or end up having a really late, disrupted night. Work out the average time your baby wakes and pick a reasonable average time that you would like this to be. Wake your baby at the same time every day (yes even the weekends!). This really will help transform sleep!

Myth: All babies should sleep through the night by six months old.

Truth: Every baby is different, and sleep patterns can vary widely.

While some babies may start sleeping longer stretches early on, the majority continue to wake up during the night for feeding or comfort. Developmental milestones have a huge role to play in the sleep journey too; teething, skill acquisition, brain development and growth spurts can also affect sleep patterns.

Did you know that only 6% of 6-month-olds sleep 6 hours in one block of sleep? This means 94% of 6-month-olds still wake multiple times in the night!

It's important to have realistic expectations and understand that interrupted sleep is a normal part of early childhood development.

Myth: Babies should be taught not to require parental intervention to fall asleep

Truth: All babies require human contact and support. When they are tired this is more true than ever!

Babies need us to help them feel calm and regulated, which means we have to be involved in helping them to become calm. This might involve feeding, rocking, singing, patting, shushing and swaying a baby.

Depending on a baby's personality and temperament, a child might need more or less intervention from a caregiver to feel relaxed.

We cannot teach a baby to sleep as this isn’t a skill to acquire. If it was a skill, once a child learnt it they wouldn’t regress.

When it comes to baby sleep, there are lots of still widely believed myths - and why wouldn't you when you are desperate to get some more sleep! But that’s why we are here to help share practical advice and science-based tips to help you along your sleep journey…

Head to our sleep hub for all things baby sleep!’