How to get your baby to sleep: a step-by-step routine for Singapore homes

Here's how to get your baby to sleep. Do the same short, calm routine at the same time each night. Then lay your baby in the cot drowsy but still awake, on their back. Keep the room dark, quiet and cool, and night feeds dim and boring. That's what KKH and HealthHub advise, and the steps below put it in order.

How to get your baby to sleep, step by step

1. Watch for tired signs. HealthHub lists yawning, rubbing the eyes and fussing, and says some newborns get sleepy 1 to 1.5 hours after waking.
2. Start winding down when you see them. Dim the lights and turn off the TV; KKH says not to use TV or videos to settle a baby.
3. Do the same routine, in the same order, every night. HealthHub suggests 20 to 40 minutes of quiet activities, such as a bath, a story and a lullaby.
4. Feed before the story, then wipe the gums or brush the teeth. HealthHub says a full tummy helps, and to brush after the last milk feed.
5. Put your baby down drowsy but awake. KKH says this helps babies learn to fall asleep on their own, and to settle again after night wakings.
6. Lay your baby on their back in a clear cot: no pillows, bumpers, loose blankets or soft toys. HealthHub says back to sleep until age one; our safe sleep guide has the rest.
7. Keep the room dark, quiet and cool. KKH suggests about 25 degrees C at home, with the cot away from any draught.
8. Keep night wakings dim and dull. HealthHub says to wait a few minutes before you go in. Then feed or change your baby quickly, without talk or play.
9. Open the curtains at a steady time each morning. HealthHub says light and darkness tell the brain where it is in the sleep-wake cycle.

A sample bedtime routine

Keep the whole thing inside HealthHub's 20 to 40 minutes. Start at about the same time each night.

Some babies settle better with a dummy. HealthHub says sucking a pacifier may help a baby fall asleep, with some risks; our pacifier guide covers when to start.

Baby fighting sleep: overtired or not tired yet?

A baby who arches, cries and won't settle is usually off on timing. HealthHub says a baby kept up too long after the sleep cues gets cranky and overtired. Raising Children Network says an overtired child finds it hard to settle.

• Overtired: cranky, crying, hard to settle. HealthHub says the faster you respond to sleep cues, the more likely a baby falls asleep quickly. So start the routine earlier next time.
• Not tired yet: happy, playing, no tired signs. Raising Children Network says some newborns go 2 hours or more without tired signs. KKH says a nap close to bedtime can delay night sleep.
• Uncomfortable or unwell: check for hunger, a wet nappy or a hot room. HealthHub says to see your doctor if your baby has a fever or is much fussier than normal.

How long can they stay up? Raising Children Network says babies of 3 to 6 months may be tired after 1.5 to 3 hours awake. From 6 to 12 months, it's 2 to 3 hours. Our baby sleep schedule tool works out wake windows by age. If crying is the bigger problem, see why babies cry and how to soothe them.

Baby won't nap: naps by age

Naps count. The Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood, from a KKH-led team, include naps in each day's sleep total.

For a baby who won't nap, use a short version of the bedtime routine. HealthHub says to keep the room as dim as you can. It also names starting infant care as one cause of sleep setbacks. So ask the centre for its nap times, and keep weekends close to them. See also newborn sleep in the first 6 weeks, baby sleep schedules by age and, for nap training, our sleep training guide.

Baby sleeping with a bottle: milk in bed and teeth

A bottle in the cot gets many babies off to sleep, but it's hard on their teeth. HealthHub says a milk bottle at bedtime can lead to tooth decay. Sugars in formula milk and juice feed mouth bacteria, and the acid they make attacks the teeth. The front teeth get it worst.

• Don't let your baby fall asleep with a bottle of milk, formula or juice, NDCS says.
• If your baby needs something to suck on between meals, NDCS suggests a bottle of plain water.
• Before teeth come through, wipe the gums with a wet cloth after every bottle feed (HealthHub).
• Aim to move off the milk bottle by age one, with a cup in its place. HealthHub and NDCS both say this.
• Breastfeeding to sleep counts too. NDCS lists long, on-demand breastfeeding without oral care as a risk. Clean the gums or teeth after night feeds.

Our children's dental care guide covers brushing by age and the first dentist visit.

Baby sleep myths, answered

• Cereal in the bottle helps a baby sleep longer. HealthHub says not to add cereal or solids to the bottle, as they might cause choking. Nor should you push extra milk in the hope of a longer sleep.
• Skipping naps means a better night. An active day helps babies fall asleep faster, HealthHub says. But a baby kept up past their sleep cues gets overtired, and the Singapore guidelines count naps in the sleep a baby needs.
• Tummy sleeping is safer for reflux. The NHS says babies with reflux should still sleep flat on their back, and the head of the cot stays flat too. KKH says babies should never sleep on the tummy.
• A yao lan is the best way to get a baby to sleep. HealthHub says hammocks, sarongs and yao lans aren't safe for unsupervised sleep, especially once a baby can roll. A baby rocked to sleep may also need rocking again at night.
• A good baby sleeps through by six months. HealthHub says most babies of 4 to 6 months still wake at least once a night. There's no hurry to drop night feeds if you're comfortable with them.

Sleep in a Singapore flat: shared rooms, aircon and many carers

• Sharing your room: HealthHub says to share a room but not a bed for at least 6 months, preferably a year, with your baby's cot close to your bed. Bring your baby into your bed only to feed or comfort, then put them back.
• Aircon: about 25 degrees C (KKH), your layers plus one for your baby (HealthHub), and a sleep bag instead of a blanket. Point the aircon away from the cot. Our guide to dressing a newborn in Singapore has more.
• Thin walls and siblings: if a neighbour's TV wakes your baby, try a steady background sound; our soothing guide covers white noise. Read the older child's story in another room, then bring them in once the baby is down.
• Grandparents and helpers: HealthHub says the same routine works even when different caregivers carry it out. Stick the table above on the wardrobe door, with the safe sleep basics: on the back, in a clear cot, no yao lan.

When to get help

Most bedtime trouble comes down to routine and timing. KKH says to see a doctor if:

• your newborn or baby is extremely and consistently fussy
• your child has problems breathing, or breathing is noisy
• your child snores, especially loudly
• your child struggles to fall asleep and stay asleep, and is sleepy in the day

HealthHub adds a fever, or a baby much fussier than normal. Start with your GP or polyclinic. For trouble breathing, go to the children's emergency at KKH or NUH. If you're worn out, HealthHub says to reach out for help. Read on with a baby waking at night, new parent sleep deprivation and sleep consultants and hospital sleep clinics. For children over one, see the toddler sleep guide.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a baby bedtime routine be?

HealthHub suggests 20 to 40 minutes of quiet activities before sleep. Keep the steps and their order the same each night. Start at a similar time, so your baby learns what comes next.

Why is my baby fighting sleep?

Usually it's timing. A baby kept up past their sleep cues gets cranky and hard to settle. KKH says a nap too close to bedtime can delay night sleep. Check for hunger, heat and illness too, and see your doctor if there's a fever.

What do I do when my baby won't nap?

Watch for tired signs, darken the room and use a short version of your bedtime routine. HealthHub says most babies from 4 to 12 months take 2 to 3 naps a day.

Is it OK for my baby to sleep with a bottle of milk?

Not in the cot. NDCS says not to let your child fall asleep with a bottle of milk, formula or juice. Sugar sitting on the teeth raises the risk of decay. Feed before the story, clean the gums or teeth, and offer plain water if your baby needs a bottle to suck.

Should I keep my baby awake in the day so they sleep at night?

Keep days bright and busy, but don't skip naps. HealthHub says an active day helps babies fall asleep faster. It also says a baby kept up past their sleep cues gets overtired and resists sleep.