My Baby Won’t Fall Asleep – Help and Guidance

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Do you recognise these or similar questions? And despite all the guidebooks, internet research, and countless sleep tips, your baby still cannot fall asleep?

There are countless myths about baby sleep that create confusion, false expectations, and stress. Parents also often compare themselves with others based on whether their baby sleeps through the night. This creates pressure to succeed, and feelings of failure.

Babies sleep differently than we think. Sleeping through the night is often presented as a developmental milestone. However, new infant research shows that sleeping through the night is actually a maturation process. In the womb, your baby has its own day-night rhythm, which is not identical to yours. In the first months, the baby slowly gets to know day and night and finds its own rhythm. This process can be gently supported by speaking softly at night and keeping lights dim. Infants also have shorter sleep cycles and different deep-sleep phases. They wake up briefly – often. What your baby urgently needs to fall back asleep is the reassurance that everything in their world is okay: a feeling of protection and safety. Your calming voice and physical closeness help your baby relax and drift off.

Tips and Ideas When Your Baby Doesn’t Fall Asleep

• If possible, hand your baby to your partner for a moment, or place them in the Dondolo. Before guiding your baby to sleep, you need a short break.
• Drink something, take a deep breath, write down everything spinning around in your head — for example, the tasks you need to manage the next day.
• Then make things as comfortable as possible for yourself and your baby.
• At the end of the day everyone is tired, and you long for time for yourself or with your partner. This can increase the pressure inside you and your expectation that the baby should fall asleep quickly. Try to stay in the present moment and forget about the time – pressure creates tension, and tension will definitely keep your baby awake.
• Simply be there for your baby for a moment, and they will surely fall asleep more easily.

It is important to understand what kind of sleep situation you envision for your baby, especially when falling asleep or sleeping through the night is challenging. With my extensive experience, I am happy to support you professionally, sensitively, and without judgment on your individual journey toward healthy baby sleep.