Laramie Pediatrics, pc

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Newborn Sleep

Normal Sleep In Babies:

Newborn infants generally sleep 16-17 hours per day during the first few months of life and their sleep patterns are not the same as adults. While we like 8-10 hours in one lump and at night, newborns generally sleep in 2-4 hour blocks scattered throughout the day. Some babies sleep more than others and they won’t develop a “night-day” schedule until about 4 months of age.

Making a Sleep Schedule:

It’s OK to gently nudge the newborn sleep schedule into a better match for your sleep pattern. Try keeping them awake about 30 minutes later each sleep cycle until you get their “night” sleep close to yours. They’ll still need to wake 1-2 times at night to feed, but you can try to make it a time easier on you.  

Set Proper Sleep Patterns Now:

Let your baby fall asleep in their crib, not in your arms. When they’re starting to fall asleep, place them down to rest in their crib. If they learn now to sleep in your arms, or even worse sleep in your bed, the habit just gets harder to break. It’s not safe to sleep infants in your bed as they can suffocate or overheat.

If your baby stirs when you place them in a crib to sleep, gently rub their back or head until they fall back asleep. Try to avoid picking them back up as it make it harder to sleep them in the crib. Place them face up when sleeping.

 When Infants Wake Up At Night:

Feed your baby, change them if needed then right back to sleep. You want them to wake enough to feed adequately, but you don’t have to get them fully aroused in the middle of the night. This can only prolong the time it takes to calm them back down to sleep. When a baby wakes up soon after feeding, you don’t have to feed them again. Try to calm them back to sleep without picking them up if possible so they learn good sleep habits. Only as a last resort should you “double feed” them at night. You don’t want them to develop the habit of waking for extra food and it can cause them to have digestive problems that can keep them up longer at night.

Try to get your own rest at night:

You’re less effective as a parent if you’re exhausted. Try to keep your sleep needs in mind and sleep when your baby sleeps. Take turns with a spouse if you can and call your doctor if you get too tired to parent. Your doctor can help you get the sleep problems back under control before you get tired, depressed or angry at your baby.

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