The ultimate guide to newborn sleeping patterns
Babies are truly a blessing but often times moms tend to get frustrated due to the irregular sleep patterns of the newborns. There are hundreds of new moms out there that find it hard to understand and adapt to the sleeping patterns of their newborns.
So, the first thing you need to understand is that you are not alone. Secondly, we are here to help you get a better understanding of the sleeping pattern of your newborn and provide you with some tips and you’ll definitely get the hang of it in no time.
What are the sleep patterns of a newborn?
First things first, before we move on to the tips let us first understand what the sleep patterns of a newborn are. An average newborn sleeps throughout the day and night and only wakes up after several hours for feeding only. There is nothing much for a newborn to do which is why they spend most of their time sleeping. New parents often find it hard to figure out whether their baby is sleeping or awake. The best way to figure out the sleep pattern of your child is to record the number of hours that he or she sleeps during the day and during the night, separately. This will help you figure out how much sleep he needs and also allow you to spend time with your baby when he is awake.
It is observed that a baby’s sleep pattern changes after 3 months so that means that your child will probably be sleeping throughout the day and night in the first few months. It is always better to watch for the changes in your baby’s sleep because doing this will help you know whether the baby is suffering from any illness or not.
How much do newborns sleep?
You need to understand that every baby is different. If your friend’s baby slept for 10 hours during the day, that doesn’t mean that your baby is also going to do the same. Babies respond to the environment differently thus each of them is going to have a different sleep pattern. You can’t expect a month’s old baby to follow your sleeping routine.
Generally, newborns sleep for about 8 to 9 hours during the daytime and the same number of hours at night. Babies tend to sleep more during the day and less during the night. You can never expect a baby less than one year old to sleep throughout the night without waking up.
The reason behind the fact that your baby can’t sleep throughout the night is that unlike adults, babies have small stomachs thus they get hungry quite often compared to adults. Your baby will be ready for feeding after every three hours and once your baby is awake it is very hard to get him back to sleep because we all know that babies are way more active than adults.
How to get a baby to sleep?
Newborns mostly sleep during the day and then keep you awake at night. This can be quite a problem for working moms. Getting your newborn to sleep can be hard at times but there are some tips and tricks which you can use to help put him or her to sleep. Some of the major tricks that you can use are;
1. Cuddling
Cuddling is the best way to put your baby back to sleep. A parents touch makes the baby feel secure and warm, and both these things help them go back to sleep.
2. Play white noise
Playing a white noise in the background while you are trying to put your baby to sleep helps calm him or her down and allows them to go to sleep feeling safe and comfortable.
3. Turn off the lights
Babies tend to sleep more comfortably in the dark which is why it is always better to turn the lights off while you are trying to put your baby to sleep.
4. Warm them up
Don’t put your baby to sleep on a chilly crib sheet. Warm the sheets and add an extra blanket to cover your baby to make him or she feels more cozy and comfortable.
Basic sleep strategies for babies
Babies are unable to differentiate between day and night thus they sleep whenever they feel like it which can be hard for you to adapt. So, when your child is a few weeks old you can start teaching him the difference between day and night with the help of some sleeping strategies. Pulling a sleeping strategy on your newborn might feel a bit wrong but that is the only way you are going to be able to develop a healthy sleeping pattern for your baby, one that works for you as well. Some of the best sleeping strategies are;1. The light Strategy
The amount of light that your baby is exposed to impacts a lot of your baby’s sleep patterns. Our brains are designed in a way that, in the dark our brain releases ‘Melatonin’, a sleep hormone that helps us sleep. Keep your baby’s days brighter and nights darker so that he or she develops a routine where they sleep more at night and less during the daytime.