Baby Bedtimes: What to Do If Your Newborn Won’t Sleep

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

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

Baby Bedtimes

The average 3-month-old’s bedtime is around 9:30pm. Yet, as infants get older their bedtime gets earlier, dropping to 8:30pm…and earlier.

Researchers found that newborns who went to bed before 9pm slept significantly longer overall (13 hours) than those who went down after 9pm (11.8 hours).

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

For more help, check out my guide to sleep schedules for your baby's first year!

Clues a Newborn Bedtime Is Too Early

• They fight falling asleep for 30 to 60 minutes.
• They show no sign of fatigue at bedtime.
• They wake 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

• They fight falling asleep for 30 to 60 minutes.
• They're moody and irritable and fall asleep during the day in the car or stroller.
• They take naps over 2 hours long.
• They're clearly overtired at bedtime (rubbing their eyes, blinking, yawning, cranky).

How to Get Your Newborn to Sleep

If you’re having difficulty getting your newborn to sleep at night, then the solution might be starting the bedtime drill 15 minutes earlier every two to three 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.

How long does it take to get a newborn on a bedtime routine?

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

Newborn won’t sleep? No problem.

If you’re still struggling to get your newborn to nap, then it might be time to try SNOO. SNOO Smart Sleeper is a responsive bassinet that aids a baby's sleep by automatically rocking and using white noise to lull your baby to sleep.

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.