Newborns may only eat, sleep and poop-but they still come with so many questions! New parents can rest easy with our ultimate guide to newborn sleep.
The moment your newborn is placed in the arms of a parent there is an overwhelming feeling of love. Yet with this bundle of joy also comes a huge responsibility as well as an infinite number of questions. How much should your baby sleep? When is the right time to sleep train? Should we start our baby in a bassinet or crib?
While not every answer is right for every baby, things like sleep cues, helping baby to learn their days from their nights and safer baby sleep can help you and your baby get more rest.
Newborns are unpredictable to say the least. Newborn sleep can vary anywhere from eight to 18 hours a day during the first week. While this may sound like a great opportunity for parents to get some much needed rest, a newborn’sdesire to sleep close can often mean that they only want to sleep in the arms of a caregiver. Some babies will wake up if placed in a bassinet or carrier. So while baby may be getting rest, their parents may not.
While breast may be best, studies show that breast fed newborns have lesstotal hours of sleepper day than bottle fed newborns. Having babies close at hand can help to encourage more sleep in breastfeeding mothers.The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends that babies sleep in a crib or bassinet the same room as their parents for the first six months of life.
A great way to tackle this is to allow baby to safely sleep close. The ComfyBumpyPortable Playard is a great example of a sleep solution that allows baby the closeness they crave. This all-in-one playard and bassinet has breathable mesh sides for a great view of baby. The legs can be locked into position or go into rocking mode for when baby needs some gentle motion to fall asleep.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yokqv-M_U4c
Infants (4-12 months) |
12-16 hours |
Toddlers (1-2 years old) |
11-14 hours |
Children (3-5 years old) |
10-13 hours |
Children (6-12 years old) |
9-12 hours |
Teenagers (13-18 years old) |
8-10 hours |
Source: Canadian Pediatric Society
This seems to be the question on every parent’s mind (especially when they are feeling the lack of sleep!) Newborns usually sleep in stretches anywhere from 15 minutes to three or four hours at a time. They aren’t waking up to play though. Newborns have small stomachs and will wake to feed during the night.
While some newborns prefer to cluster feed (small frequent meals) and wake up more often, others are happy to fill their stomachs and drift off to dreamland. Your doctor can advise whether or not you need to wake your baby.
As your baby grows (it goes too fast) you will start to notice that they are alert for longer periods during the day, and sleep longer at night. Some babies start sleeping through the night (six to eight hours) around three months old while others are still waking through the night at a year. By the time your child is four months old, they should be sleeping about12-16 hours a day including their daytime naps.
Shortly after birth, many infants have their days and nights confused so they may sleep more during the day and less at night. Luckily for the tired parents out there, there are some easy ways to help your little one learn when it is time to sleep and when it is time to play.
Many parents will notice that if they put their baby down in their bassinet or crib asleep they will automatically wake back up. This is because they are only in the early stages of sleep and any sudden movements will wake them.
Infant sleep stages begin forming during the last month of pregnancy. Babies, like adults have variousstages of sleep and may lie completely still or be actively moving while dreaming.
So now that you have learned the signs of sleep, it is also important to learn the states of alertness.
An overtired baby is hard to feed, put to bed and deal with in general. Babies who miss a nap are harder, not easier, to put to bed at night.
Just like there are different sleep states, babies also have different states of alertness.
Quiet awake: This is the typical state after your baby wakes up. You will notice that your baby is very still, but taking in everything around them.
Active alert: Baby is attentive to sounds and motion and is actively moving.
Crying phase: Baby’s body moves erratically and they may cry loudly. They can easily become overstimulated in this phase. Swaddling baby can help to calm them.
While new babies need a lot of sleep, they will likely need your help to learn to fall asleep. One of the best ways to help your baby is to recognize the signs of sleep so your baby does not become overtired.
A typical newborn will only stay awake for about an hour or two at a time. By keeping track of the time your baby has spent awake and looking for the signs of sleep you can start to establish a sleep schedule with your baby.
Signs that baby isready for sleep include:
Once your baby starts showing signs they are ready to sleep, you can start learning which ways work best for soothing your baby to sleep.
Many parents find that rocking, singing a soothing song or breastfeeding their baby helps to get them ready for bed.
Try to put your baby in bed when they are drowsy (first stage of sleep) rather than when they are already asleep. This will help them slowly learn how to move from the first stage of sleep on their own.
Parenting is a huge learning curve and is also one you are expected to figure out while sleep deprived. It will take a few weeks to learn the basics of taking care of your new baby. Once you have settled into a routine it is time to tackle bedtime
Starting a simple routine and continuing it as your child grows will encourage good sleep habits and can make it easier for your child to settle into sleep.
While many new parents may think that an evening bath is the best way to calm baby down for sleep, it is not always true. While some babies love water, others feel the exact opposite. Some babies calm down after a warm bath and others become energized. It won’t take long for you to learn how your baby reacts to the water and whether bathtime is better to be part of the morning or bedtime routine.
Newborn babies also do not require a daily bath. Many parents stick to sponge baths for the first couple of days. As baby grows many parents choose to bathe their children in the sink or a small basin. It is recommended that your young baby be bathed about three times a week using a mild cleanseronly sparingly in order to not dry out their sensitive skin.
Both you and your baby can sleep sounder knowing that you are practicing safer sleep. Creating asafe sleep environment for baby can reduce the risk of injuries and sleep-related death, includingSudden Infant Death Syndrome.
A bedside bassinet can be a great option for newborns. ComfyBumpy has designed abedside bassinet that can be adjusted to your bed height. This keeps baby within reach, yet safer surrounded by breathable mesh.
The bassinet can be adjusted to incline to help reduce acid reflux. You can even put the bassinet into rocking mode for when baby needs some gentle motion to ease them back to sleep.
While teaching a newborn how to fall asleep can be exhausting, it is not the only sleep challenge for new parents. Check out our article on how to deal with the three month sleep regression for more tips on getting some much needed shut eye!