Key points to remember

• Babies and toddlers need sleep to grow and develop.
• Caring for babies and toddlers with sleep problems can be exhausting and distressing. Speak with your doctor or Maternal and Child Health Nurse if you have concerns about how you are coping.
• It is common for children to wake up at the end of a sleep cycle when they are in a light sleep.
• Babies and toddlers can form habits in how they fall asleep, called sleep associations.
• Sleep associations can make it harder for babies to fall asleep and stay asleep without support from a caregiver.
• Setting a consistent sleep routine may help your child to sleep.

About sleep for babies and toddlers

Sleep is critical for babies and toddlers. When their bodies rest, they can grow, process new skills, consolidate memories, and strengthen their immune system, among other things. However, it is very common for babies and toddlers to struggle to fall asleep and wake up many times throughout the night.

Caring for babies and toddlers with sleep problems can be exhausting and distressing. During challenging times, it is important to seek support from family, friends, and your community. Speak with your doctor or Maternal and Child Health Nurse if you have concerns about how you are coping.

Sleep cycles

Sleep consists of cycles – periods of light and deep sleep. In adults, a full sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes, while children aged six to 18 months have shorter sleep cycles of approximately an hour, and a newborn's sleep cycle is even shorter.

Babies typically fall straight into a stage of sleep called ‘rapid eye movement’ (REM). During this phase, the brain is very active and the eyes move quickly behind closed lids. It is where most dreams happen. Toddlers tend to fall asleep like older children, into a more restorative stage called ‘non-rapid eye movement’ (NREM).

It is normal for children to wake at the end of a sleep cycle when they are in light sleep. Many children can easily resettle themselves, while others will call out or cry.

Sleep associations

Every child has different sleep needs. Some naturally settle and fall asleep easily, while others may need help. It is common for parents and caregivers to soothe their child to sleep using techniques such as feeding, patting, rocking, or holding their child until they fall asleep in their arms. If a child gets used to being settled for sleep in a certain way, such as with a feed or being rocked, they can form habits known as 'sleep associations.'

Babies who do not need help falling asleep at the start of a night may be able to soothe themselves, but those with sleep associations will likely need their parent or caregiver to fall back to sleep. They may wake often and become dependent on their sleep associations to fall asleep.

Sleep at different ages

Under six months old

Babies under six months old often wake regularly during the night. This is normal. They need regular feeds and time for their body clocks to adapt to the differences between day and night. During the first six months, you will learn about your baby’s cues for tiredness, hunger and overstimulation – although, for many babies, it can be hard to work out the differences.

There is no evidence that behavioural sleep interventions help babies under six months. If your baby wakes throughout the night, try to respond to their cues as best you can.

Over six months old

From around six months of age, babies become more likely to have behavioural sleep problems. This is because they reach a developmental milestone called ‘object permanence’ where they learn their caregivers are still around even if they cannot see them. Babies may start crying at the end of each sleep cycle and sleep associations can start to cause problems.

Some babies may have medical issues that affect their sleep quality or make them wake in the night. If your baby snores, appears to pause when they breathe or has trouble breathing at any age, speak to a doctor or your Maternal and Child Health Nurse.

Strategies to promote good sleep habits

There are many evidence-based strategies to promote good sleep habits. However, it is important to remember that some things may work for one baby but not another, and preferences can change over time.

By around six months, a child can predict and respond to positive routines. It is a good idea to set a regular evening routine that works for your family. This consistency will help your child expect bedtime.

Here are some tips for a good bedtime routine:

• Keep a consistent and predictable routine each evening so your child learns what to expect and when.
• Replace screen time with a story before bed. Screens before bed can make it harder for children to fall asleep.
• Try to time your child’s last feed at least half an hour before bedtime to avoid forming a sleep association between food and sleep. You may want to give this feed outside the bedroom in a quiet space.
• Let your child hold a comforter like a soft toy or small blanket if they are over twelve months of age. Do not give a comforter to babies under twelve months of age, as it can be a choking or suffocation hazard.
• Patting or rocking your child to sleep is okay when they are newborns, but older babies and toddlers can form sleep associations with these actions.
• Consider putting your child into their cot awake at bedtime; this may help them learn to settle themselves to sleep.
• If your child develops a sleep association with dummies, you may want to wean them off dummy use.
• Try to leave the room and come back for brief but regular checks until your child is asleep. If this is too distressing, sit quietly in a chair in the bedroom until your child falls asleep. You can gradually move your chair out of the room over time.
• Be consistent in your behaviour and set limits.
• If you are co-parenting, share the bedtime routine and strategies with your partner so your child has consistency.

Speak to a Maternal and Child Health Nurse or a doctor for guidance on which strategies will best suit your family.

Prepare for setbacks

Over time, most children learn to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night, but you should still prepare for change. Sometimes things will work for a while, and then stop working. Setbacks can happen for a few reasons, such as developmental shifts, illnesses or other changes at home. These changes may affect your child's routine and contribute to sleep problems.

It is okay to pause your child's sleep routine when they are sick and return to it later. When you resume the routine, it is common for it to feel more challenging than before. Things are likely to get better again with time. It is important to be gentle on yourself and seek support if you need it. Remember: you know your baby best.

Crying and unsettled babies

For more information

• Speak to your child’s doctor
• Kids Health Info fact sheet: Sleep problems - children and teens
• Raising Children Network: Sleep and settling help for babies and toddlers
• Raising Children Network: Sleep
• Sleep with Kip: Fast, effective sleep help for you & your kids

Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital Respiratory and Sleep Medicine department, with input from Centre for Community Child Health. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

Reviewed February 2025

Please always seek the most recent advice from a registered and practising clinician.