Sleep is important—not only for adults, but for babies too. What your little explorer is still missing is a sleep rhythm. But that’s not a problem at all. Your little one sleeps about 16 to 18 hours a day and spreads those hours over a 24-hour period. They can easily drift off for two hours, be awake for half an hour, and then return to Dreamland. Your little one also needs that sleep to process the many impressions of the day, develop motor skills, and store movement patterns. It also helps the immune system recover and supports the body in producing important growth hormones.

But what if your child doesn’t want to sleep? Or what if your baby’s sleep schedule—quite literally—causes you sleepless nights? We spoke with a children’s sleep coach about sleep regression, how to recognize signs of a sleep disorder, how a growth spurt in your baby can trigger sleep regression, and, finally, we’re happy to share 8 sleep tips for your baby.

Sleep coach for your baby

How much sleep does a child need?

A child needs a lot of sleep, but a sleep pattern or rhythm is still missing. That’s why it often happens that babies are awake at night and take short naps during the day (catnaps). They can’t yet connect multiple sleep cycles, so they may wake up every 20 to 45 minutes. Your baby may then no longer want to sleep, or your baby may cry during sleep.

Shortly after birth, babies are not yet able to produce melatonin (the sleep hormone) on their own, even though they are very sleepy during this period. This is because they received melatonin from their mother during pregnancy. After a few weeks, this melatonin has disappeared, causing babies to suddenly become more awake and alert.

Babies only start producing melatonin themselves after 6 to 8 weeks, and after that, a biological clock begins to develop very gradually. However, even then, a baby’s sleep cycle remains different from an adult’s in several ways: it’s shorter and structured differently. All of this explains why many new parents experience sleep problems with their little one.

Signs of sleep regression in babies

Your baby doesn’t want to sleep, or your baby cries during sleep—does that mean it’s sleep regression? Interpreting certain signals as sleep regression in your baby is difficult, because you (and even an expert) can never determine it with complete certainty. In other words, many parents only recognize sleep issues as sleep regression afterwards—for example, once a growth spurt has passed. The child often becomes much calmer again after a certain period.

If your baby is experiencing a leap or sleep regression, you will usually recognize it by clingy, crying behavior; a strong need to be close to you; less feeding ( ); shorter sleep; waking up more often; or waking up earlier.

8 sleep tips for your baby

Your baby’s sleep rhythm is different from yours. However, there are a few things you can do to support your baby’s sleep. This is not only beneficial for you, but it also helps your little one learn to handle sleep times and wakefulness. Here are 8 sleep tips for your baby from children’s sleep coach Myrthe.

1. Maintain a routine for naps and daytime feeding

If you build a routine for daily activity, your little one will recognize the structure over time and may fall asleep more easily. Structure and consistency are also important for the bedtime routine (more about this in tip 4).

2. Ensure the right amount of sleep and nutrition during the day

Too much sleep during the day can mean your baby needs less sleep at night. Conversely, too little sleep can also cause your little explorer to sleep less overall. Pay attention to your child’s signals, put them to bed when they are clearly tired, and try to find the right sleep balance. Usually, you’ll get a feel for this after a few weeks.

Make sure your little one eats enough during the day. If your little one goes to bed hungry, their body will likely sound the alarm after a while, and your little one will be fully awake.

3. Ensure a good sleep environment

A good sleep environment definitely deserves your attention. Make the room dark so melatonin production can start optimally. If you need to change your baby at night, try not to turn on a bright light; instead, use a nightlight or a dimmable lamp. Choose LILLYDOO diapers for extra leak protection at night and optimal freedom of movement in bed.

Room temperature is also important. The optimal temperature for your baby is 16 to 18°C at night. If your little one has cold hands or feet, it doesn’t automatically mean it’s too cold. A better indicator is the neck and shoulder blades. If the skin there is warm and dry, then usually there is nothing wrong.

Where is the best place for your baby to sleep? During the first year of life, a crib or cradle in your bedroom is the best spot. Experts suspect that the breathing sounds of parents also stimulate the baby’s breathing. However, it is not advisable to let your baby sleep in your bed. Your blanket could inadvertently cover your child, causing them to become too warm. A too-soft mattress can cause your baby to sink in, making it difficult to breathe freely. Your little explorer sleeps best in their own bed with a relatively firm mattress, a sleeping bag, and without a pillow or large stuffed animals.

4. Maintain a sleep routine

Newborns cannot yet distinguish between day and night. However, from the fourth month onward, a sense of structure develops, and your little one will respond accordingly. With a bedtime ritual, you give your baby structure and help them get used to a day-night rhythm and regular bedtimes. Depending on your baby’s age, you might consider singing a lullaby, reading a story, cuddling a little longer, or winding up a music box. The most important thing is to create a calm, relaxed, and loving atmosphere for your little explorer (see also tip 3).

5. White noise for your baby

White noise can help some babies fall asleep more easily. White noise for your baby is a monotone sound that masks other noises. As a result, it calms the brain and helps your little one relax and fall asleep more easily. It is important that the white noise stays on continuously. Online, you can find countless videos that play continuous white noise for several hours straight.

6. Be aware that babies and children make sounds at night

Without really noticing, we seamlessly connect so-called sleep cycles. Most adults unconsciously wake up during the night before entering the next sleep cycle. We turn over, pull the blanket back up, and fall asleep peacefully again. During this process, we often make noise.

Babies and young children aren’t quiet at night either. Especially during light sleep, parents often mistake these sounds for being awake. They go to the child and try to soothe them. This is well-intentioned—but it usually only wakes your little one up more.

When your baby or toddler is briefly awake or making noises, it’s better to wait and see what happens. Being awake doesn’t always mean hunger (or a full diaper). There’s a good chance your little explorer will fall asleep again on their own.

7. Teach your child to fall asleep independently

If your little one can’t fall asleep independently, it can interfere with longer stretches of sleep. As soon as they wake up, they need you to fall back asleep. Once your baby is familiar with falling asleep on their own, they can usually also sleep through the night independently.

8. Don't let yourself get upset

Give yourself and your baby a little time. Don’t be too hard on yourself or your little one. What do you find important in parenting, and what do you find important for yourself? Base your choices around sleep and settling on that.

It’s good to realize that a restless night is simply part of having a new family member in the house. But we hope that with the tips above, those nights will remain the exception rather than the rule, and we wish you and your little explorer a good night!