How to establish a bedtime routine

Scientists agree that good sleep is important for healthy growth, so follow our all-day guide to better sleep for baby.

When your baby first comes home from the hospital, their irregular sleep patterns can be both challenging and exhausting. With little care for day or night, your new little bundle will probably wake often for feedings, diaper changes, or comfort. Be assured that this won’t last forever and by six months, 24 hours in the life of your baby will look very different.

Getting enough sleep during the first months of your baby's life means adjusting to your own new sleep habits and those of your baby.

Here are a few things that might help with getting baby to sleep and to help you get sleep:

Did you know? Waking up during the night doesn’t always mean your baby is hungry.

As a new parent, your baby’s sleeping habits are probably one of the first things you talk about with other new moms and dads. Here’s a rough guide of what to expect.

You’re half-awake at 4 am with a wide-awake baby in your arms and wondering if you’ll ever get a full night’s sleep again. Don’t worry, you will. Your baby will eventually learn to sleep through the night. You know this because  you eventually learned to sleep through the night when you were a baby. The tips below will help you and your baby adjust, as will what the Canadian Paediatric Society says about newborn sleep development any time of day ¾ or night!

Make the most of your time at home with these five tummy-time moves to get your little one active and help you bond with each other.

By Dr. Jeff Habert, family physician

Baby’s first bath will be a new experience for both of you, so give yourself plenty of time to relax and enjoy it. In the beginning, you should give your baby a sponge bath twice a week or as needed, until the umbilical cord heals.

Infantile colic is characterized by intense, uncontrolled crying or fussing in an otherwise healthy and well-fed baby. Colic affects up to 20% of infants, and usually subsides around 3 months of age. Both breastfed and formula-fed babies may develop colic.

How will you feed your newborn?

Did you know? Getting your baby into good sleep habits now can affect their sleep as they grow up. 

Is your baby getting enough?

Let’s talk baby talk! No, not words just yet, but the language basics begin here!

Did you know? Too much screen time can keep your baby from being active, and may interfere with their sleep.  

By Dr. Dina Kulik, pediatrician

By Dr. Ted Jablonski, family physician

You’re never too young (or old!) for playing. Here are some ways you can both enjoy fun-filled, safe, and stimulating daily activities that set your baby up for an active, healthy life.