According to an expert in family health, the key to getting a good night's sleep after the birth of a child is to immediately establish a predictable routine.

A sleep report has discovered as many as a quarter of mothers with a child under two years of age are affected by a lack of sleep and many of those feel unable to cope with life in general.

One in three mothers believes sleep deprivation is causing a strain on their relationships with others, revealed the Pampers Nappies Sleep Report that was conducted in conjunction with Tresillian Family Care Centres.

The problem goes even worse when exhausted mothers allow their baby to fall asleep while feeding them, and or allowing their baby to doze off with them in their bed.

Professor Cathrine Fowler, spokeswoman for Tresillian said such habits are not conducive for health sleeping routine for either mother or the baby.

Babies, according to Prof Fowler wakes up from their sleep typically because of a wet and dirty nappy.

It seems night time is the most common time for nappy leakages, with the cause often being too much liquid consumed before bedtime, she said in her statement on Wednesday.

She recommends mothers to change their baby's nappy before putting them down to sleep.

One of the things that a parent can do to ensure their baby gets a decent amount of sleep is to check their environment is conducive for sleep - that includes ensuring you change their dirty nappy before they go to bed to avoid them waking with a leaking nappy, she said.

New mothers should try to establish a regular sleep pattern for their baby immediately as possible, said Prof Fowler.

It is also advisable for mothers who are struggling with unhealthy sleeping patterns to get professional help before the negative consequences set in.

Getting your baby into a daily routine is the first step to solving this but it takes a lot of discipline, which often goes out the window when you have a crying baby who won't sleep, added Prof Fowler.

It is important for mums to realize that there is help out there and they don't need to suffer in silence.