One of the most important things you can do to get your baby to sleep better is to establish a sleeping pattern and stick to it. The more regular your baby’s sleeping hours are, the more likely he or she will be able to sleep solidly throughout the night.

Establish a sleeping pattern with your baby that mimics the pattern in the rest of the household as soon as possible. If you find your baby is sleeping-in, rouse him or her at the time when you get up. By doing so, it is more likely your baby will be tired when it is time to sleep and fall asleep without much persuasion.

There is no reliable way to avoid the odd times when your baby simply wants to be awake while the rest of the family goes to sleep. However, your baby will adjust to your family’s regular sleeping habits if you instill in him or her at an early age a sense of routine.

A baby, particularly when he or she is very young, is heavily influenced by routines. You must resist the temptation to let your baby arrange his or her sleeping habits. Babies need to sleep a lot. But don’t let your baby sleep too much when you are not. By establishing a sleeping pattern with your baby at a very young age, you ensure you and your baby will sleep a lot better for years to come.