How We Help Your Baby Sleep Better at Night (By Getting the Day Right First)
If you’ve ever found yourself at 2am frantically typing “why won’t my baby sleep?” into the faint glow of your phone, you’re not alone. According to recent google data from 2025, parents are searching for quick answers to everyday chaos more than ever. From toddler tantrums to teen slang, we’re all turning to the internet for those bite sized lifesavers. It is nice to get concise, accurate answers and proven results in one reliable place.
At My Happy Newborn, everything we do with regards to sleep is built around one simple truth: a well-rested, well-fed baby during the day is far more likely to give you longer stretches at night.
That’s why one of the very first things we teach every family is how to read their baby’s unique sleep and hunger cues. When parents learn to spot those early, subtle signs, we can meet baby’s needs quickly and calmly—before they become overtired or frantically hungry.
Early Sleep Cues (Catch these and you’ll both win the day!)
• Staring off into space or a “glazed” look
• Slow, deliberate blinks or fluttering eyelids
• Quiet and calm (the magical “still” moment before the storm)
• Turning head away from toys/people/light
• Little yawns (even one yawn is a big hint in newborns!)
• Smooth, relaxed movements (jerky = overtired already)
• Sucking on fists or fingers gently (this can be hunger OR self-soothing)
Late Sleep Cues (We try to avoid these—baby is now overtired!)
• Fussy, whining, or crying
• Red eyebrows or watery eyes
• Pulling at ears or rubbing face
• Arching back
• Hyper, frantic energy (the “second wind”)
Hunger Cues (The earlier, the calmer the feed!)
• Early: Lip-smacking, tongue movements, rooting (turning head with open mouth), hands to mouth
• Late: Agitated movement, frantic rooting, crying (crying is the very last hunger cue)
Why does catching the early cues matter so much?
Because overtired or over-hungry babies release cortisol, fight sleep, and wake more often at night looking for what they missed during the day. Respond in the early window and the whole day flows—naps lengthen, evenings calm down, and nights naturally stretch.
Here’s exactly what we focus on with every family:
• Cue-based care: We show you how to recognize your baby’s personal tired signs and feeding cues so you’re always one step ahead.
• Daytime feeding goals: We gently guide you toward the recommended ounces (for bottle-fed babies) or the right number of effective breastfeeding sessions so baby goes into the night truly satisfied.
• Balanced day sleep: Too much day sleep can rob nighttime rest; too little creates an overtired baby who catapults through sleep cycles. We track everything and adjust on the fly.
• Detailed tracking: Whether you love apps (Huckleberry, Baby Tracker, etc.) or prefer a simple notebook, we keep a clear log of every feed, diaper, and nap. Patterns jump out fast when they’re written down, and that’s when the magic happens.
(Quick reality check: It is completely normal—and biologically appropriate—for babies to need at least one night feed well past 6 months, sometimes even past a year. We never push “sleeping through the night” at the expense of healthy growth. Longer stretches happen naturally when the daytime foundation is solid.)
Parents are always amazed at how quickly things shift once we get the days flowing smoothly. More predictable naps, calmer evenings, and—yes—those glorious longer chunks of nighttime sleep start showing up without force, without tears, and without ignoring your baby’s needs.
Ready for your days (and nights) to feel easier? Reach out today and let’s build your baby’s perfect schedule together.
Thank you,
Denise Melvin
