X
TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
EnglishFilipino
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Money Tips
    • Savings
    • Insurance
    • Loans
    • Investments
    • Government Benefits
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Becoming a Parent
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery
    • Losing a Baby
    • Project Sidekicks
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler Years
    • Preschool Age
    • Kids
    • Preteen & Teen
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • News
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Health & Wellness
    • Diseases & Injuries
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
    • COVID-19
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • K-12
    • Special Education Needs
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Celebrities
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Home
    • Travel and Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
    • Money
  • Become a VIP
  • Press Room
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping

7 common sleep mistakes new parents make and how to avoid them

7 min read
7 common sleep mistakes new parents make and how to avoid them

One reason that new parents are completely exhausted is because they just aren't getting enough sleep. Read on to find out about these common sleep mistakes and how to avoid them.

Having a baby is the happiest moment in a parent’s life. But for many first-time parents, the joy comes with a price as they find themselves drained and fatigued soon after welcoming their bundle of joy. Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest reasons for this. The good news is that there are many common sleep mistakes new parents make and they can be corrected for a better night’s sleep!

It’s not surprising that new parents make these mistakes as they are doing it for the first time and of course the baby didn’t come with a user guide. Most parents go through a few rounds of trial and error to figure things out.

And no, contrary to popular belief, it’s not as simple as giving your baby a nice bath, diffusing lavender oil in the room, playing some soft music, turning the lights off and singing a couple of nursery rhymes. Such routines are important to help babies to sleep, but sleeping through the night is another story.

Read on to find out the common sleep mistakes new parents make and how to avoid them.

1. Inconsistent methods

On some days you feel loving and you rock your precious angel to sleep then gently place her in her cot. Then there are days when you are dead beat and you just climb into bed with your baby and let her nurse herself to sleep (and you fall asleep in the process). Change is the only constant, right? Wrong. This is one of the common sleep mistakes new parents make.

Sleep expert and parenting coach, Zoe Chu of SG Supernanny, explained that when you keep changing the way you get your baby to sleep, they get confused! Yes, babies do get confused about their sleep methods and that makes it more difficult for them to sleep.

common sleep mistakes new parents make

Babies need consistency for a good night’s sleep.

You need to find the method that works best for you and your baby and stick to it. Religiously. Do also ensure that you stick to the same place. Don’t get them to sleep in the nursery one day and in your room on another day. The environment needs to be the same.

Advertisement

2. Pacifiers may be cute, but don’t get dependent

The pacifier seems heaven-sent for many parents. It magically stops the baby’s screams and accelerates their sleeping process. Many parents have complained that it’s impossible for their babies to sleep without the help of the pacifier.

But the problem starts when you remove this prop. Of course parents wouldn’t leave the pacifier in their baby’s mouth all night long. So if the baby wakes up in the middle of the night, it’s only normal she would scream for it. You can forget about the baby soothing herself to sleep.

Some parents shared how they ended up taking the hard way out. They let their baby cry it out, night after night. Then finally one night, the baby slept through and they never looked back at the pacifier.

So this is another common sleep mistake new parents make. Save yourself the trouble and don’t start using one if you haven’t already been doing so.

3. Attending to baby immediately

As new parents, it’s only natural to feel terribly disconcerted when you hear your baby wailing. Instinctively you reach your arms to pick the crying baby up, and soothe her back to sleep. But do take note that this is one of the most common sleep mistakes new parents make!

common sleep mistakes new parents make

It’s perfectly normal for babies to cry a little in their sleep.

Parents need to understand that it’s perfectly normal for babies to cry in between their sleep cycle and the best way to go is to let the baby settle herself. Otherwise, your baby will start to expect someone to pick her up the moment she starts to cry and you can kiss your sleep goodbye.

Wait it out for a bit to find out if your baby is just fussing, or if she is really hungry and needs a feed. Likewise, when your baby naps, don’t respond too quickly if she cries after maybe just half an hour of napping. She’s likely to be just partially awake so just let her fuss for a bit and go back to sleep.

4. Rushing bedtime

Yes, we are fully aware of the great sense of relief that parents get when their baby finally sleeps but remember, baby needs to be ready to sleep. If your baby is still wide awake and bursting with energy, don’t be too quick to do the bedtime routine and force them to sleep. This will result in a baby who will scream and protest because they aren’t prepared for bedtime.

You need to allow your baby sufficient time to wind down. The bedtime routine should be relaxing enough to increase melatonin (the hormone that controls your sleep and wake cycles).

5. Delaying bedtime

Having said that rushing baby to bed is a bad idea, prolonging their bedtime way past what it should be is a terrible idea as well. Among the common sleep mistakes that new parents make is keeping baby up longer to spend more time, especially in the case of working moms. They get home late and feel guilty and push back baby’s bedtime.

common sleep mistakes new parents make

Working moms might push back baby’s bedtime to make up for lost time in the day.

But this leads to a baby who is too tired and eventually gets cranky and has even more trouble sleeping. When babies get overstimulated, they get hyperactive and it’s tough to get them settled. Children need a lot more than the eight hours of sleep that adults need.

6. Wishful thinking that sleep problems self-resolve

I’m sorry to burst your bubble but no, sitting around and hoping that your child’s sleep issues will get better in time is unfortunately a myth. Sleeping, akin to other behaviour, is something that needs conditioning. It is a skill that you have to teach your child.

Partner Stories
Kids at risk of stunting? This Growth Calculator can help moms find out plus predict their future height!
Kids at risk of stunting? This Growth Calculator can help moms find out plus predict their future height!
Four Findings Every Parent Should Know About Brain Development
Four Findings Every Parent Should Know About Brain Development
From Past to Present: How NIDO® 3+’s “You're My #1” Song Connects #1Moms and Their Toddlers
From Past to Present: How NIDO® 3+’s “You're My #1” Song Connects #1Moms and Their Toddlers
5 Tips To Challenge Your Child For His All-Around Development
5 Tips To Challenge Your Child For His All-Around Development

Create the right environment for your child to acquire the right sleep skills, as absurd as it may sound to you.

7. Dreams that baby will sleep through the night

It’s idealistic to think that your little baby can sleep through the night. Their tummies are tiny and they need to eat frequently. Before three months of age, they also have completely no concept of day and night so you can’t quite expect them to be able to know that night is for sleep and day is for play.

The general consensus among the experts is that babies who are older than 3 months, and more than 6kg, and who are thriving, can sleep for about six to eight hours at one go. But of course, every child is different.

Let me also dispel the myth that feeding them cereal or formula milk will keep them full and thus help them to sleep longer. It doesn’t work that way. Of course when they start solids, you can expect them to sleep for longer periods but it only happens if you create the right environment and instil the right practices.

common sleep mistakes new parents make

With determination and consistency, you can improve your baby’s sleep patterns.

On a concluding note, do remember that there isn’t one right way to solve your baby’s sleep problems. If you have been making any of these mistakes, remember that these are the most common sleep mistakes new parents make, so it’s perfectly normal!

You need to do a lot of trial and error and patiently work out what’s the best way to go. If you don’t meet with success immediately, take your time. And don’t let everyone around you confuse you with their conflicting advice.

Babies, parents, families, they are all different. What works for one may fail miserably for another. So hang in there moms and dads, and remember that this too shall pass!

Source: Channel News Asia 

Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Beverly Burgess

Become a Contributor

  • Home
  • /
  • Baby
  • /
  • 7 common sleep mistakes new parents make and how to avoid them
Share:
  • Wag Muna Buhatin si Baby: Tulog Pa ’Yan, Active Sleep Lang sa Newborn Sleep!

    Wag Muna Buhatin si Baby: Tulog Pa ’Yan, Active Sleep Lang sa Newborn Sleep!

  • Preparing Your Child for School: Helping Them Thrive in Kindergarten and Beyond

    Preparing Your Child for School: Helping Them Thrive in Kindergarten and Beyond

  • Toddler Social Skills: Helping Your Child Build Friendships and Confidence

    Toddler Social Skills: Helping Your Child Build Friendships and Confidence

  • Wag Muna Buhatin si Baby: Tulog Pa ’Yan, Active Sleep Lang sa Newborn Sleep!

    Wag Muna Buhatin si Baby: Tulog Pa ’Yan, Active Sleep Lang sa Newborn Sleep!

  • Preparing Your Child for School: Helping Them Thrive in Kindergarten and Beyond

    Preparing Your Child for School: Helping Them Thrive in Kindergarten and Beyond

  • Toddler Social Skills: Helping Your Child Build Friendships and Confidence

    Toddler Social Skills: Helping Your Child Build Friendships and Confidence

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Money Tips
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Pregnancy
  • Parenting
  • Lifestyle Section
  • FAMILY & HOME
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it