Myths About Babies Sleeping Through The Night

1- Keeping my baby up during the day will help him sleep better at night. It seems counterintuitive, but babies who nap more are usually better nighttime sleepers. That's because if baby doesn't nap, his body produces cortisol, a stress hormone that will rev him up and make it harder to fall and stay asleep.

2- You're doing something wrong if your baby isn't sleeping through the night (and it seems like all your friend's babies are.) Ditch the Guilt: To a large degree, you are at the mercy of your baby's internal clock. Keep in mind that newborns aren't clones. Some have reflux that hinders sleep, preemies take longer that full term babies to sleep through the night and so on. Be patient and don't compare your kid to anyone else.

3- Switching foods helps baby sleep. Pediatricians agree: Feeding baby cereal in his bottle won't help him sheep all night. Doctors says, "sleeping through the night is a developmental stage like walking or talking, and babies really can't do it before they're ready." Likewise, many moms swear that formula will keep baby's tummy full and everyone sleeping longer that breast milk, but a recent study at West Virginia University indicates otherwise. Researchers tracked 80 breast and bottle feeding moms and found no difference in how many times they were up with their babies during the night. Still thinking you'd get a better night's sleep if you switched to formulas? Keep this in mind: "One of the benefits of breastfeeding is that it induces hormones in both mother and baby that make it easier for both to fall back asleep after feeding".

4- Some babes just don't need as much sleeps as others. You'll hear this from some moms who insist it's true, but the experts beg to differ. "Very few children need less than the average amount of sleep for their age," True, some babies temperaments make it more challenging for them to lean to nod off and for parents to read their sleep cues, but that doesn't means they don't need sleep.

5- Babies, especially very young ones, aren't capable of being manipulative, and ignoring his cries completely sets the stage for future problems. If you don't respond to your baby, he may get the message that he's not important. Responding to his cries is vital to developing a secure attachment, which is key to healthy self esteem later in life.