Can You Give a Baby Melatonin?

As any parent or caregiver knows, the term “sleeping like a baby” is completely misused in our culture.

Although babies do sleep a lot (up to 18 hours a day as newborns), their sleep tends to be erratic, unpredictable, and well, sometimes downright exhausting for tired parents.

This is especially true during teething, transitions, and developmental leaps, which occur regularly for years.

Extended periods of erratic sleep can leave weary parents desperate for ways to get their babies to fall asleep faster and/or stay asleep longer.

It often leads to the question, can I give a baby melatonin? 

After all, melatonin is now commonly used in children’s sleep and immune supplements, so wouldn’t it be OK for babies too?

The short answer is usually no. You should not give a baby melatonin unless your doctor recommends it. However, there are other things you can do instead.

Read on to learn more about why melatonin is generally not recommended for babies, what normal baby sleep looks like, and what to try instead.

Can You Give a Baby Melatonin? Probably Not. Here’s Why

Melatonin is usually a no-no for babies, but why?

Although it is a natural substance made by the body and has various benefits, there is insufficient safety data to know if melatonin supplements are safe for babies.

Some doctors will recommend it for babies as an antioxidant or for certain conditions, but generally not for sleep.

Also, many melatonin brands have been tested and found to contain several times more melatonin than is listed on the label.

This may not be a big deal for adults with full-grown bodies and brains, but for a baby, a melatonin overdose could be disastrous and lead to known and unknown physical, mental, and developmental consequences.

For instance, per the CDC, melatonin ingestions reported to poison control leaped from 0.6% in 2012 to nearly 5% in 2021. 

A baby’s body is already equipped with everything they need to make just the right amount of melatonin for sleep.

Unless your baby’s doctor recommends otherwise, it’s best to let nature take its course and not interfere with this natural system.

How Melatonin Works in the Brain

Melatonin is a natural hormone made primarily in the pineal gland, a walnut-size gland that’s part of the endocrine (hormonal) system.

Its main function is to regulate our sleep-wake cycle. 

It’s also a powerful antioxidant that helps protect neurons and regulates other aspects of hormonal function, like the female menstrual cycle.

Melatonin is naturally stimulated by darkness, and subdued by light.

So, when the sun sets, your body’s melatonin levels naturally rise. When the sun rises, those levels naturally dip.

Given that a newborn has spent the last nine months in a dark environment, it takes some time for their sleep-wake cycle to regulate.

Plus, babies must wake frequently to feed every 2-4 hours or more for survival.

Parents often see a shift in children’s sleep patterns where they start sleeping more at night, after four months of age (hence the dreaded four-month sleep regression we all hear about), and again at twelve months.

However, every child is different, and teething, developmental milestones, illness, travel, and disruptions in family life can all impact how a baby sleeps.

Normal Baby Sleep: How Baby’s Sleep Cycles Differ From Adults

In a perfect world, babies sleep 8-9 hours a night, just like their parents!

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

Although babies and adults share the same stages of sleep (non-REM and REM), babies' sleep cycles are vastly different, and change quickly as they grow.

For example, a newborn spends about 50% of their time in deep REM sleep, vs. 20% for an adult.

A newborn baby also sleeps up to 18 hours a day, versus 7 ½ - 9 (more or less) for a healthy adult.

Babies also move through their sleep cycles more rapidly, which causes frequent waking until they get older and sleep begins to consolidate.

All this means that “normal” baby sleep looks and feels anything but normal to new parents!

Here’s a quick guide to what’s considered a normal amount of sleep for babies in the first year:

• Newborns (an infant in its first 28 days of life) usually sleep 14-18 hours a day in 30-minute to 3-hour increments
• Infants and older babies generally sleep 12 - 16 hours a day, including naps and nighttime sleeping
• Most non-newborns take 2-4 naps a day, and decrease naps as they reach the toddler stage
• Although most experts say babies start sleeping through the night at six months old, this is not true for every baby, and regressions and changes in sleeping are normal as they grow and develop.

Always remember that babies are individuals and go through many stages that may require more or less sleep or more frequent waking.

Alternatives to Melatonin for Babies

So melatonin is generally not recommended for babies.

Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to help your baby (and YOU) sleep better naturally, including:

1. Bring Them Outside in The Morning to Soak Up Some Sunlight

Morning light in the eyes and on the pineal gland (located on top of the head) naturally signals the body that it’s time to wake up.

It also sends a message that it’s time to sleep when it gets dark.

Bringing your baby outdoors for just a few minutes in the morning can help begin to regulate their sleep-wake cycle, and get them some healthy vitamin D too!

2. Turn Down The Lights at Night And Keep Baby’s Room Dark

Darkness naturally stimulates melatonin production, signalling the brain that it’s time to sleep.

Ideally, let your baby sleep in a very dark room and dim the lights as the sun starts to set.

Yes, they’ll still wake up at night to feed (which is absolutely necessary), but the darkness will eventually signal that it’s time to go back to sleep.

3. Sleep Near Your Baby

It is now recommended that parents sleep in the same room as their babies (close but separate) for at least the first six months.

This helps you stay in tune with your baby’s nightime needs, while allowing you to get to them faster for feeds, which will help them settle back to sleep faster.

Research has shown that sleeping near your baby, responding promptly to their needs, and providing them with plenty of touch helps them adapt and sleep better.

4. Create a Bedtime Routine That’s Developmentally Appropriate

A newborn generally won’t respond to an imposed routine. They’re too young and their needs are too great and sporadic for this level of detail.

However, older babies benefit from flexible bedtime routines for promoting sleep, such as taking a bath, putting on pajamas, feeding, singing a song, and going to sleep.

Babies and children thrive on consistency, so practice the same routine every night for best results.

5. Avoid Exposing Babies to Blue Light

It may be tempting to use a device to keep a baby entertained, but it’s not recommended. 

Ample research has shown blue light emitted from devices, like phones and tablets, interferes with the sleep cycle and can even lessen phases of deep sleep.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against screen time for children under two, and minimal time after that.

They’re only babies for a short time, let them benefit from natural stimuli versus screens.

6. Consider Cutting Caffeine if You’re Nursing

Breast milk is recognized as the ultimate form of infant nutrition.

However, as veteran mothers, parents, and lactation experts will tell you, what the mother eats can impact the baby positively or negatively.

Although most experts say some caffeine is okay during lactation, it’s essential to understand that some of that caffeine will get into your milk.

Studies are inconsistent regarding the effects of caffeine on babies’ sleep—some say it doesn’t affect them, others say it does. 

However, given their small size and the impacts of caffeine on adults, it’s likely that it may affect them.

Try cutting back or eliminating caffeine for a few weeks and see if it makes a difference. It certainly can’t hurt, and you’ll likely sleep better too.

7. Let Napping Work to Your Advantage

As mentioned, babies need a lot of sleep, up to 18 hours for newborns and 14-16 hours for infants.

Much of this comes during their nap times.

However, if a baby naps too much during the day, they may sleep less at night. 

Conversely, if a baby doesn’t nap enough and gets over-tired, they may have a restless night.

What’s a parent to do?

First, talk to your pediatrician or doctor about adjusting your baby’s sleep schedule. 

General recommendations for babies under six months old is to not interfere using methods like sleep training or shortening naps.

However, if you have their doctor’s blessing, first, become familiar with how much sleep your baby needs for their age (and remember, every child is different), and what’s considered “normal” for quantity of naps.

From there, gently begin to adjust how much your baby is napping and see how it affects their nighttime sleep.

This may mean waking them up a little earlier from their naps, adjusting nap times, or dropping a nap as they get older.

Experiment, be patient, and be kind and compassionate. Your baby will show you the way.

8. “Tank Up” Your Baby Before Bed

This may go without saying, but be sure to give your baby a good feed and/or snack (if they’re old enough for solids) before bed.

Babies have small tummies, and often wake up from growth-induced hunger pangs and should be fed.

However, you may be able to reduce these hangry wake-ups in older babies, especially those eating solids, by filling them up before lights out.

9. Wear Your Baby During the Day

The ancient art of babywearing has become popular with modern parents as a convenient way to carry their babies and involve them in everyday life.

Babies love it because they get the closeness, bonding, skin-to-skin, rhythm, and the security they crave from mom, dad, or caregiver.

Baby wearing also provides a vast array of natural beneficial stimuli, which can help wear a baby out.

Some parents like wearing their babies for naps and say it helps with nighttime sleep. 

Others prefer “wearing them down” to put them to sleep.

Regardless, baby wearing may help provide a baby with natural stimuli, security, rhythm, and routine, all of which can help them sleep.

Not with your baby during the day? 

Ask their daycare or caregivers if they can be worn throughout the day. You can also wear them when you’re at home together.

10. Make Nighttime Boring

If your baby wakes frequently at night, feeds, and is still wide awake, try to keep things dull, sleepy, and boring.

The message you’re trying to send is that nighttime is for sleeping, not playing. 

Avoid playing exciting or stimulating games with them, and instead rock them, walk them around, dance quietly with them, read a book quietly, and keep trying to put them back to bed.

Eventually, they’ll get the message that they’d be better off sleeping.

11. Give Your Baby Plenty of Touch and Attention

The research is clear: the more touch, love, caressing, attention, and nurturing a baby receives, the better it will grow, develop, stay calm, and (yes) sleep.

Touch is essential for healthy brain development, secure attachment, and social-emotional skills, and it makes babies feel safe.

It also causes the release of oxytocin in the caregiver and baby, a calming, affection-inducing hormone that helps promote sleep.

If you’re home with your baby, carry them, massage them, stroke them, give them skin-to-skin contact, kiss them, hug them, and touch them a LOT. 

Give them plenty of attention and respond to their cries and needs.

If your baby is in childcare, ensure the caregivers understand the importance of touch and offer the baby plenty of touch and attention.

Sadly, for years, parents were told that too much attention, carrying, or touch would “spoil” a baby. 

Fortunately, research has finally put this theory to bed!

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician or Baby’s Doctor

It can never hurt to talk to your pediatrician or baby’s doctor about sleep concerns, even if they seem normal.

Conditions like reflux, thrush, or diaper rash can sometimes cause excess wakings.

Your doctor may also have recommendations for identifying irritants, such as fragrance in laundry products or pet dander, that may interfere with sleep.

Extreme fussiness or any signs of pain or discomfort are other signs to check in with your doctor. Many birthing hospitals also have a free 24-hour nurse line you can call with concerns or questions.

Babies and Melatonin: Key Takeaways

We’ve covered a lot, so let’s recap:

• Babies should not be given melatonin unless their doctor recommends it.
• It is normal for babies to wake frequently, and it is not an indicator of a melatonin imbalance.
• There are not enough safety studies to know the short- and long-term effects of melatonin supplementation on babies.
• Newborns are naturally disorganized in their sleep cycle, and will regulate with time, proper care, and feeding.
• Parents usually notice their babies start sleeping more at night around four months old and one year old. However, other factors such as teething, illness, sleep regressions, and other changes can factor into this.
• Every baby is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all for how they should sleep or when they will sleep through the night.
• There are many things you can do to help your baby’s sleep cycle, as listed previously.
• Most experts do not recommend taking steps to modify a baby’s sleep habits (such as sleep training) unless they are at least six months old.

If you don’t see improvements, know this time will pass, and seek support. 

Your pediatrician, grandparents, the baby’s caregivers, and other parents can all be excellent sources of helpful ideas and recommendations.

Helpful Supplements For Expecting And Nursing Mothers

Ensuring your baby gets enough sleep and grows up strong and healthy is a top priority.

However, the demands of pregnancy, birthing, and caring for a baby can be very taxing for the mother and father.

Whether you’re preparing for pregnancy, in the thick of it, or struggling through those bleary-eyed sleepless baby nighttime feeds, Country Life can help.

For mothers, we offer an Organic RealFood Prenatal Multivitamin that can help support a healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding journey, ensuring you and your baby are getting all your nutrient levels met.

We also offer a Folate supplement for optimal fetal development and healthy red blood cells.

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Click here to shop all Country Life’s gluten-free vitamins, minerals, and supplements.

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References Mentioned in This Article:

• “On the development of sleep states in the first weeks of life”. PLOS ONE.
• “Sleep and sleep ecology in the first 3 years: a web-based study”. Journal of Sleep Research.
• “Pediatric Melatonin Ingestions — United States, 2012–2021”. CDC Morbidity And Mortality Weekly Report.
• “Effects of maternal caffeine consumption on the breastfed child: a systematic review”. Swiss Medical Weekly.
• “Screen Time For Infants”. American Academy Of Pediatrics.
• “Systematic review of light exposure impact on human circadian rhythm”. Chronobiol Int. 
• “Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood”. Somnologie (Berl). 
• “To have and to hold: Effects of physical contact on infants and their caregivers”. Infant Behavior & Development.
• “Scoping Review of Biological and Behavioral Effects of Babywearing on Mothers and Infants”. Grisham, Lisa M. et al. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, Volume 52, Issue 3, 191 - 201.
• “Blue Light Has A Dark Side”. Harvard Health Publishing.
• “How Important Is Physical Contact With Your Infant?” Scientific American.
• “The Role of Affectionate Caregiver Touch in Early Neurodevelopment and Parent-Infant Interactional Synchrony”. Front Neurosci. 
• “The importance of touch in development”. Paediatr Child Health.