Will I ever sleep again?!

How to cope with your little sleep thief? The first few weeks and months (or years!) with a new baby are tiring.

Babies can wake frequently throughout the night for many months.

It might be reassuring to know that it is both normal and essential for your baby to feed during the night. Babies grow quickly in the early weeks and months of their lives and have very small stomachs. Therefore they need to feed around the clock to meet their needs.

Looking after young children and babies can be a serious struggle some days. Add in broken sleep and it’s no wonder many parents end up with mood changes, or feeling forgetful and down. Find out how to cope with baby waking up at night from Breastfeeding.support.

Breastfeeding lowers the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS). Breastfeeding for at least 2 months halves the risk of SIDS but the longer you can continue the more protection it will give your baby. Take a look at the Lullaby Trust's safer sleep advice for more information. If you're worried about falling asleep with your baby while feeding at night or have decided to share a bed with your baby, check out their co-sleeping section.

BASIS is also full of helpful information on normal sleep development and sleep safety. You can download the Infant Sleep Info app with the same great information delivered in smaller chunks.

You can also find more information in your red book or speak to your midwife or health visitor.