How to Create Healthy Sleep Foundations for Your Baby

By Serena Girardi, Pediatric Sleep & Routine Consultant, Sand + Sleep

Sleep in the early months can feel unpredictable, overwhelming, and honestly… a little chaotic. Newborns change so quickly, and many parents wonder whether they’re doing the right things to encourage healthy sleep without jumping into sleep training too early.

The good news?
You can create healthy sleep foundations from day one.
And the even better news?
These foundations are gentle, developmentally appropriate, and support both baby and parents through the newborn stage.

Whether you’re expecting, in the thick of those early weeks, or re-adjusting with a second (or third!) baby, here’s what really matters when setting up healthy sleep habits.

1. Understand Wake Windows (Your New Best Friend)

Newborns can only stay awake 40–60 minutes in the first 8 weeks.
By 12 weeks, wake windows stretch to 75–90 minutes.

If your baby is getting overtired, you’ll see:
• Back-arching
• Red eyebrows
• Fussiness out of nowhere
• Fighting the nap
• Short 20–30 minute naps

Following age-appropriate wake windows is one of the biggest factors in better naps and smoother nights.

2. Create a Predictable Sleep Environment

Consistency in the sleep space helps baby recognize:
“This is where I sleep.”

A newborn-friendly setup includes:
• Dark room (yes, even for naps)
• White noise (steady + womb-like)
• Cool temperature (68–72°F)
• Safe sleep surface – bassinet or crib
• Swaddle or sleep sack depending on age

These small changes help reduce stimulation and support deeper, calmer sleep.

3. Use a Simple, Repeatable Bedtime Routine

A routine doesn’t need to be long or fancy, just predictable.

Try a simple flow like:
Bath → Pajamas → Feeding → Book or Snuggles → Bed

Your routine becomes a powerful cue that signals:
“Okay little one, sleep is coming.”

Start this as early as week 2–3. Babies love consistency.

4. Watch Sleepy Cues, Not the Clock

Clocks help guide wake windows, but your baby’s cues will always be your best indicator.

Early cues:
• Red eyebrows
• Looking away
• Zoning out
• Slow movements
• Mild fussiness

If you catch these early, naps go smoother and bedtime battles fade.

5. Try “Awake to Asleep” a Few Times a Day

This is one of my favorite newborn foundations.

Once or twice a day, try placing baby down drowsy but awake and gently soothing them in the bassinet instead of fully rocking to sleep.

A few minutes of fussing is okay. You’re guiding, not forcing.

This helps babies:
• Learn the sleep space
• Connect sleep cycles over time
• Develop confidence and safety in their crib/bassinet

This is not sleep training but it is gentle, age-appropriate practice.

6. Daytime Feeds Matter More Than You Think

Full, efficient daytime feeds = better sleep stretches at night.

Try:
• Feeding shortly after baby wakes
• Keeping baby awake during feeds
• Offering top-up feeds before bedtime
• Ensuring 8–12 total feeds in 24 hours

A well-fed baby is a better-rested baby.

7. Embrace Contact Naps When Needed

Contact naps are normal.
Healthy.
Connected.
Regulating.

They do not ruin sleep habits later.

A balanced approach works beautifully:
1–2 naps in the crib,
1–2 naps on you,
…whatever works best for your little one that day.

There’s no “perfect” way, only what works for your family.

8. Give Yourself (and Baby) Grace

Your newborn isn’t supposed to sleep perfectly.
Your days won’t look the same.
Your routines will evolve every few weeks.

Healthy sleep foundations are less about perfection and more about:
• Gentle consistency
• Following cues
• Responding with love
• Creating rhythms that support your family

If sleep feels overwhelming or confusing, it’s not because you’re doing anything wrong. It’s simply because newborn sleep is a world of its own.

Need Support? I’m Local and Here to Help.

As a Pediatric Sleep & Routine Consultant based in Palm Beach County, I support families in-person and virtually from pregnancy through toddlerhood.

I offer:

• Newborn foundations guidance
• Custom routines
• Sleep troubleshooting
• Sleep training support (when age-appropriate)
• In-home and virtual coaching
• Video/PDF sleep education with support options

You can reach me at serena@sandandsleep.com, visit www.sandandsleep.com, or connect on Instagram @sandandsleep.

You don’t have to navigate sleep alone! I’m here to help you build a calm, confident, and well-rested home. 💛