4. Sleep

Frequent night waking is the norm, especially in early infancy. About 3-4 months infants start to consolidate their sleep and begin to sleep for longer stretches. Older infants who sleep more are less likely to be overweight as children perhaps because:

• Sleep regulates appetite hormones
• Infants who continue to wake in the night are sometimes fed as a method of soothing, which may contribute to rapid weight gain

All parents want their infants to sleep well so supporting them to ensure they are doing what they can to enable this may be a useful starting point if an infant is gaining weight too rapidly.

Healthcare professionals can support parents to develop a sleep plan which meets their individual goals and capabilities.

This is likely to include:

• Having realistic expectations of very young infants sleep patterns
• Ensuring a sleep conducive environment
• Encouraging bedtime cues such as reminding parents to have a quiet gentle change of pace at bedtime
• Strategies to promote self-soothing such as a blanket or special soft toy (not left in cot for infant <7 months of age)
• Using circadian cues and exposing to daylight in the morning and during the day
• Remember to follow-up and review the plan so that you can build parents' confidence and adjust goals as necessary

Further advice on sleep can be found in the resources section.