If you’re reading this at 2:17 AM while rocking your baby and wondering if you’ll ever sleep again—you’re not alone. Newborn sleep can feel unpredictable, exhausting, and confusing. The truth is, newborns aren’t wired to sleep long stretches yet. Their tiny bodies are still adjusting to life outside the womb. The good news? There are gentle, effective ways to support longer, more restful nights—for both of you. Although we aren't ready for sleep training under 14 weeks, there are still some things we can do now to set ourselves up for success later. Here are five tips to help your newborn sleep better at night.

1. Focus on Full Feedings During the Day
Newborns need to eat frequently, but encouraging full, effective feedings during the day can help reduce excessive nighttime waking.
In order to make sure they get the right nutrition during the day, try to keep baby awake during feeds by gently tickling their feet or changing their diaper halfway through. This will allow them to to get the nutrients they need. If you are breastfeeding, the fattier, more nutrient dense milk called hind milk, is accessible to them 5-10 minutes into feeding on each breast. Feeding for longer periods will allow them to stay fuller longer. Offer feeds every 2–3 hours during the day and try to avoid letting baby “snack” every hour if possible.  When babies get the calories they need during the day, they’re more likely to have longer stretches at night.

2. Watch Wake Windows Closely
One of the biggest reasons newborns struggle at night is overtiredness. Most newborns can only stay awake for 45–60 minutes at a time. When they stay awake longer, their bodies release stress hormones that make it harder to fall and stay asleep.
Watch for early sleepy cues like:
Red eyelids or eyebrows
Staring off or zoning out
Slower movements
Yawning
Putting your baby down before they become overtired makes a huge difference. As often as you can, try having baby sleep in their own crib or bassinet to practice getting comfortable with sleeping independently. We love a good contact nap here and there, but exclusively contact napping will develop a habit that will be difficult to break later on.

3. Bedtime Routine
Your newborn doesn’t need an elaborate routine—but a short, consistent pattern helps signal that nighttime sleep or their "big long sleep" is coming.
A simple routine might look like:
Bath or a warm water wipedown
Diaper change
Feeding
Swaddle
SHORT rock or cuddle
Into bassinet or crib AWAKE but drowsy
Consistency helps your baby’s brain begin to recognize nighttime sleep and support them as their circadian rhythm develops and they can distinguish day vs night on their own.

4. Establishing a Safe & Supportive Sleep Environment
The next thing we want to make sure is that the sleep environment is conducive to healthy sleep. Babies sleep best (and safest) when the room is
68-72 degrees with good air circulation
Very dark during both nights and naps
White noise sound machine is continuous, at 50 decibels, and positioned away from baby’s ears
Baby should always sleep on their back in their own sleep space
Baby should be in a swaddle or sleep sack, with nothing in the crib
It is recommended for children to sleep in their parent’s room for the first 6 months to a year
The AAP suggests that these are the best and safest sleep practices at lowering the risk of SIDS.

5. Don’t Expect Your Newborn to Sleep Through the Night Yet
This is the most important one: newborn night waking is normal.
Most newborns wake every 2–4 hours to eat because:
Their stomachs are small
Their circadian rhythm is immature
They need frequent nourishment for growth
According to the National Sleep Foundation, newborn sleep is highly variable, and longer stretches develop gradually over the first few months.

The goal right now isn’t perfection—it’s progress.

If your newborn isn’t sleeping long stretches yet, it doesn’t mean you’ve created bad habits. Their sleep is developmental, not behavioral. With time, consistency, and gentle support, sleep will improve.
Focus on:
Preventing overtiredness
Encouraging full feeds
Keeping routines consistent
Creating a supportive sleep environment

And most importantly, give yourself grace. You're in one of the most demanding (and beautiful) seasons of parenting.