When Will My Baby Sleep Through the Night?

A science-informed perspective from a holistic sleep coach.

It’s one of the most Googled parenting questions out there: “When will my baby sleep through the night?”

And if you’ve landed here, you’re probably exhausted, hopeful, and wondering whether what you’re experiencing is normal.Let’s break it down together - gently, honestly, and with science on our side.

First, what does “sleeping through the night” actually mean?

The phrase can be misleading. In sleep science, “sleeping through the night” typically refers to a 5–6 hour stretch of continuous sleep, not 10-12 hours of uninterrupted rest - especially in infancy.

It’s also important to know that even adults wake up multiple times a night as we move through sleep cycles. The difference is: as adults, we often fall back to sleep without realising we’ve even woken. For babies and toddlers that’s not so easy to do as they may need something to feel safe or soothed, like feeding, comfort, or co-regulation.

A newborn baby peacefylly sleeping on a woman's chest.

The science: night waking is biologically normal

Research shows that frequent night waking in infants is developmentally expected and not a sign that something is wrong.

Night waking in the first year helps:

• Regulate feeding needs (especially for breastfed babies)

• Maintain close proximity for safety and bonding

• Support emotional and neurological development

• Protect against SIDS, as infants who can more easily wake from sleep are less likely to remain in dangerous low-oxygen states.

  
  

One widespread misconception is that sleep automatically improves as babies grow. But sleep patterns evolve gradually and are influenced by biology, temperament, and environment, not just age. Leaps in development - like teething, crawling, or separation anxiety - can temporarily disrupt sleep, even later in toddlerhood.

Another myth: once a child begins sleeping through, they’ve “cracked it” forever. Swiss longitudinal research shows that night wakings in infancy don’t reliably predict sleep later in childhood. In fact, night waking can rise until age 4 and decrease slowly - and many school-aged children still wake occasionally.

So when do babies start sleeping longer stretches?

There’s a wide range of normal. Some babies may sleep longer stretches by 6–9 months. Others may continue to wake for comfort well into toddlerhood.

What influences this?

• Temperament: Some babies are more sensitive and wake more easily

• Feeding: Night feeds are common well into the first year and often beyond

• Environment: Sleep setup, routines, and parental responsiveness all play a role

• Developmental changes: Teething, crawling, separation anxiety, growth spurts, and more can all impact sleep

So if your 18-month-old is still waking at night - you’re not doing anything wrong and your baby is not broken.

Do you need to “train” a baby to sleep through?

No, you don’t.

Traditional sleep training often focuses on suppressing night waking behaviours – babies who are sleep trained will still experience night wakings, but they may not signal or cry out, so it appears (to the parent) as if they’re “sleeping through”. But when you support your child responsively, you’re helping them build long-term security and emotional regulation, which actually supports better sleep over time.

Whatever your approach, it can be helpful to:

• Understand what’s developmentally appropriate

• Tune into your baby’s unique sleep needs

• Set realistic expectations for sleep at each stage

  
  

Supporting healthy sleep without pressure

There are ways to support your child’s sleep that are grounded in science - without needing to rush them toward independence before they’re ready.

• Focus on connection and emotional safety

• Create predictable bedtime routines

• Offer consistent, responsive care

• Support their sensory and emotional needs during the day

• Take care of your own wellbeing and ask for help when needed

Sometimes, small changes to routines, rhythms, or expectations can make a big difference.

Final thoughts

There’s no universal milestone where babies suddenly start sleeping “through the night” - and that’s okay.

Sleep develops gradually, with ups and downs along the way. Whether you’re getting longer stretches or still waking every couple of hours, you’re not alone - and you’re not doing anything wrong.

References:

1. Mindell, J. A., Leichman, E. S., DuMond, C., & Sadeh, A. (2015). Sleep and social-emotional development in infants and toddlers. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 11(9), 1007–1013. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5020

2. Carskadon, M. A., & Dement, W. C. (2017). Normal human sleep: An overview. In M. H. Kryger, T. Roth, & W. C. Dement (Eds.), Principles and practice of sleep medicine (6th ed., pp. 15–24). Elsevier.

3. Feldman, R., Weller, A., Sirota, L., & Eidelman, A. I. (2007). Testing a family systems model of a bi-directional spillover of disturbance. Developmental Psychobiology, 49(7), 621–632. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.20246

4. Pennestri, M. H., Laganière, C., Bouvette-Turcot, A.-A., Pokhvisneva, I., Steiner, M., Meaney, M. J., & Gaudreau, H. (2018). Uninterrupted infant sleep associated with higher maternal mood. Pediatrics, 142(6), e20174398. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-4398

5. Hookway, L. (2023). The nurture revolution: Grow your baby’s brain and transform their mental health through the art of nurtured parenting. Piatkus.

6. Sadeh, A. (2000). Cognitive-behavioral treatment for childhood sleep disorders. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 4(2), 125–134. https://doi.org/10.1053/smrv.1999.0093

7. Fricke-Oerkermann, L., Plück, J., Schredl, M., Heinz, K., Mitschke, A., Wiater, A., & Lehmkuhl, G. (2007). Prevalence and course of sleep problems in childhood. Sleep, 30(10), 1371–1377. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/30.10.1371

8. Mindell, J. A., Sadeh, A., Wiegand, B., How, T. H., & Goh, D. Y. (2009). Cross-cultural differences in infant and toddler sleep. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 4(4), 437–452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2009.07.002

9. Brown, A., & Harries, V. (2015). Infant sleep and night feeding patterns during later infancy: Association with breastfeeding frequency, daytime complementary food intake, and infant weight. Midwifery, 31(10), 946–950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2015.06.006

10. Teti, D. M., Kim, B. R., Mayer, G., & Countermine, M. (2010). Maternal emotional availability at bedtime predicts infant sleep quality. Child Development, 81(2), 717–731. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01434.x

11. Owens, J. A. (2004). A clinical overview of sleep and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 51(1), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-3955(03)00172-3