These months of big changes in your baby's growth and development also include changes in his sleep patterns. While younger babies often continue to wake up every two or three hours for feedings, by four to five months most infants are sleeping much longer without waking up. And it is during these months that you can begin to work on your baby's sleep routines, deal with sleep problems, and help teach him to fall asleep on his own.

Sleeping All Night

Getting the baby to sleep all night is an important early goal for most parents. And that's understandable, because if you are up for most of the night with a crying baby, it can be hard to get through the next day. Nighttime sleep for parents becomes especially important as your baby becomes more awake and alert during the day and requires more of your attention.

Fortunately, by four to seven months, the majority of infants are sleeping through most of the night. Even if they are waking up one or two times for a feeding, there is often at least one long stretch of five to six hours that they are sleeping. If your baby is still waking up frequently at this age, it can be a good time to review how he goes to sleep and what you do when he wakes up.

Regular Daytime Naps

Although babies at this age sleep more at night, they still sleep a lot during the day too. By six months, in addition to ten or eleven hours of night-time sleep, most infants are sleeping for three or four hours during the day. This is often divided into two naps, including an early morning and early afternoon nap. Younger infants are probably still taking three naps.

If your baby isn't taking regular naps at this age, you should try to figure out why. Is it because his daytime routine is very unpredictable, so he doesn't really know when it is naptime? If so, then try to plan your day around your baby's naps.