Why Won't My

Baby Sleep?

THESLEEPFAIRYWAY.COM
 Why Won't My Baby Sleep?

If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why won’t

my baby sleep!?” I want you to know that
you are not alone. In fact, I recently
reached out to thousands of parents and
97% of them said they have tried to find
answers to this very question at some
point in their parenting journey.

Good
Good news!news! I'm
I’m here and here
I haveand
answers.
I have answers.
I’ve been helping families get more sleep
for over a decade now and I’m excited to
help you do the same. I’m going to give
you the top 3 reasons why your baby
might not be sleeping, and what you can
do about it! I know you’re short
on time, so let’s get to it.

The top 3 reasons why your baby might not be sleeping:

1. Wake windows are off

2. Bedtime is too late
3. Your baby hasn’t learned HOW to fall asleep
 #1: Wake Windows Are Off
Wake windows refer to the amount of time that your baby is awake between naps
and before bedtime. These wake times play a huge role in your baby’s ability to
sleep. On one hand, your baby can be getting too much day sleep, making it really
hard to sleep at night because they simply are not that tired. And on the other
hand, your baby can be lacking day sleep, causing them to become overtired. This
also makes it very difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

So, how do you know if your baby is getting too much sleep during the day? Or if
your baby is not getting enough wake time during the day? The table below gives
you an idea what your baby’s wake windows should look like based on their age:

If your baby’s wake windows are significantly longer or shorter than this chart
suggests, make adjustments where they are needed. Sleep begets sleep, so it’s
important to get the right amount of rest during the day in order to promote better
sleep at night.
 #2: Bedtime is Too Late

Can I tell you my magic bedtime formula? The time your baby wakes up + 12
hours = their ideal bedtime, starting at 3 months. Why? Because that is when
melatonin is being released in their brain, letting their body know it’s time to calm
down and go to sleep. If your baby is waking up at 6:00am but has a 7:30-
8:00pm bedtime, chances are they are getting overtired and having the same
problem we discussed earlier: they are getting a dose of energy after not going to
bed early enough, making it really hard for them to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Time your baby wakes up + 12 hours = Bedtime

A common question I hear is “But Jessalyn, if I put my baby to bed an hour earlier,
won’t they wake up at 5:00am!?” Nope, and I’ll tell you why. If your baby is going to
bed during their “sweet spot,” they are going to get into their deepest, most restful
sleep. When this happens, it makes it so much easier for them to sleep longer.

On the contrary, if your baby is going

to bed too late, it makes it really hard
for them to get into a deep enough
sleep to push through the second half
of the night when their body is
naturally in a lighter state of sleep.
This is why early bedtime can solve
SO many sleep issues, including
skipped naps, night wakings, and
early morning wakings, to name a
few.
 #3: Your Baby Hasn't Learned
HOW to Fall Asleep
How we fall asleep at night matters. How we fall asleep is exactly how our body will
transition through sleep cycles in the night. For example, if your baby is falling
asleep on the breast and they come out of a sleep cycle, they expect to be on the
breast to get into the next sleep cycle. If they aren’t, they will likely start to cry until
they are latched again! The same is true if your baby is falling asleep
independently in their own bed. If your baby is falling asleep on their own, they will
most likely be able to transition in and out of sleep cycles with ease.

“Okay, but HOW do I do that?” I want

you to know that there is SO much that
goes into teaching your baby this life
skill, and I have an entire sleep training
course along with multiple Mini-
courses that dive into this in detail. But
to get a head-start, here are 3 things
you can do to today to help teach your
baby the skill of independent sleep.

1. Have a consistent bedtime routine

2. Practice putting your baby in bed
awake
3. Keep an eye on those wake windows
mentioned above

As you implement these tips, keep in mind that sleep training is a process. It’s a
journey that takes time, consistency, hard work and patience just like learning any
other skill in life. Helping families get more sleep is my passion and my superpower,
and I want you to know that I am here for you. If you’re ready to take a deeper dive
into sleep training with me, head to thesleepfairyway.com.
 Keep Going!
You are well on your way to helping your baby sleep all night.
Making small adjustments can yield big changes in your
baby's sleep both day and night!

I'm here to
encourage you every
stepLet's
ofconnect!
the way.

Find me on Instagram
@the_sleepfairy
Follow me on TikTok
@the_sleepfairy
Connect with me on The
Sleep Fairy Way Podcast

For more resources, visit:

THESLEEPFAIRYWAY.COM