Can A Newborn Sleep Too Much
If a baby is sleeping more than normal but is thriving, then extra sleep is necessary due to any number of reasons. According to MedicalNewsToday, those reasons include:
- Growth spurts that occur every few weeks up to the three-month-old mark
- Vaccinations causing an immune response requiring extra sleep
- Common cold that requires extra sleep to fight it off
Extra sleep can be caused by an issue that is not allowing the newborn to physically and emotionally grows. According to SleepyBaby.org, those things include:
- Jaundice: If the baby has a yellow tint to his skin or whites of his eyes, then it is likely he has jaundice. Jaundice is caused by the bilirubin in the bloodstream not being removed due to the baby’s liver being too immature, according to the Mayo Clinic. While it is common for most newborns to be able to fight off jaundice with proper feeding and a bit of sun exposure, if the little one becomes lethargic and refuses to eat, medical intervention is necessary.
- Not eating enough: A baby is eating enough if he is putting on consistent weight. However, if he wakes just to feed for a few minutes after several hours, he is not getting enough in his stomach. This can lead not only to hunger but to dehydration. As such, if the baby becomes lethargic, is not calm after eating, or is losing weight, according to SleepBaby.org, a doctor should be seen immediately.
Week 4 The Of Newborn Sleep Schedule
Now that both you and baby are good and used to one another, its time to find a mutually beneficial routine and get your newborn on a schedule.
A routine that serves the needs of your infant for nourishment, sleep, and lots of mommy bonding.
As well as a routine that allows mom to take care of herself, meet the needs of other children, and maintain a working and functioning home without compartmentalizing your life.
Newborn Sleep Cycles: Why Newborns Are Light Sleepers
When adults first fall asleep, we pass through a couple of light sleep stages, and then plunge into a bout of deep sleep.
Afterwards, we switch into REM, or rapid eye movement sleep, a sleep stage famous for its association with dreaming, and the loss of muscle tone. We dont move much during REM.
When REM is over, we either awaken, or return to light sleep and begin the cycle again. For the average adult, a single sleep cycle lasts about 90-100 minutes. We may partially awaken many times during the night. But were more likely to wake up all the way during transitions between stages, during light sleep, and during REM.
Newborn sleep is also characterized by sleep stages and cycles, but there are crucial differences.
First, babies typically begin their sleep bouts in the newborn equivalent of REM .
Second, newborns in REM dont usually experience muscle atonia.
Unlike us, they may thrash around, stretch, twitch, and even vocalize. The results can fool parents into thinking their babies are waking up, when they are actually experiencing normal REM sleep.
Third, newborn sleep cycles are shorter around 50-55 minutes for the average infant and REM makes up a much bigger proportion of sleep.
Its not unusual for newborns to spend more than half their total sleep time in REM . Indeed, several studies suggest that, over the course of a 24 hour day, some newborns spent may spend as much as 75% of their sleep time in active sleep .
You May Like: What To Pack For Newborn Hospital Bag
How Long Do Newborns Sleep At A Time
Now that we know how much newborns sleep in a day, we should discuss how long newborns sleep at a time. Some newborns will take long, luxurious naps for 2-3 hours at a time. Just be careful your baby doesnt have day/night confusion. If thats the case, you will want to limit naps to two hours maximum to help them sort this out. Otherwise, we will usually let newborns take long naps. Dont worry, they will wake up soon enough!
On the other hand, some naps are short, lasting just 30-45 minutes sometimes. Dont expect all naps to be long but you should expect at least 1-2 long ones and then the remainder are often shorter.
At night, newborns should be awakened to feed every two hours until their doctor tells you that your baby can sleep a longer stretch. Breastfed babies tend to wake every 2-3 hours to eat until at least 2-3 months old while formula-fed babies often go 3-4 hours.
You May Also Be Interested In
Newborn Growth: What To Expect
After an initial post-birth drop in weight, expect your newborn to settle into a feeding routine. Theyll gain back the weight, and most babies grow steadily from then onward.
You can monitor your babys growth progress by keeping track of their feedings and dirty diapers. Your pediatrician will also weigh them at each checkup.
Over 24 hours, most babies need approximately 25 ounces of breast milk. That volume will stay fairly constant for the first six months of life, except during growth spurts. You should see your babys weight increase, while the number of feedings per day will decrease. Theyll get stronger, and their stomach will get bigger.
Formula-fed babies have a slower rate of feeding than breast-fed babies. They stay full longer, so theyll feed less often.
Also Check: How To Keep Newborn Baby Sleep At Night
How To Help Newborns Get In Sync With The Natural 24
1. Make your baby a part of your daily routine.
When parents include their newborns in their daily activities, newborn may adapt more rapidly to the 24-hour day .
One study took continuous measurements of mother-infant activity patterns for four months after birth. Newborns who were active at the same time of day as their mothers were quicker to develop mature circadian rhythms .
2. Reduce stimulation at night.
When your baby wakes for night time feedings, keep activity to a minimum. Make as little noise as possible, and avoid moving your baby around. Ideally, you want to avoid waking her all the way up. But if that isnt possible, at least try to minimize the hustle and bustle. You want the baby to learn that nighttime is for sleep and quiet.
3. Expose your newborn to natural lighting patterns.
Light cues might not instantly synchronize newborn sleep patterns, but they help.
For example, in one study, newborns slept longer at night if their parents observed a regular policy of turning out the lights by 9pm .
In another study, young babies tended to sleep longer at night if they had been exposed to lots of early afternoon light .
And time spent outdoors might make an important difference. Babies who go outside experience much higher daytime light levels than those kept indoors all day, and may develop stronger circadian rhythms as a result .
4. Try infant massage.
The takeaway? More research is needed on this topic , but meanwhile, this seems worth a try.
What Sleeping Through The Night Means
As much as they long for it to happen, many parents aren’t even sure what it means for a baby to sleep through the night. According to sleep experts, sleeping through the night means different things depending on your baby’s age. “Sleeping through the night” for a 3-month-old is different from that of a 10-month-old.
Generally speaking, your baby will start sleeping through the night when the natural wake-sleep cycle begins to stabilize. Instead of waking every two to four hours at night to eat, your baby may sleep for five hours at night, wake to eat, and then sleep another two or three hours. Additionally, time spent awake during the day may grow longer.
Sleep experts find that by 6 months of age, consolidated nighttime sleep patterns, which include at least six consecutive hours, are seen in over half of the infant population in studies. And by 9 to 12 months of age, 72% of infants sleep at least six consolidated hours at night.
Keep in mind that to be physiologically able to sleep for longer durations, your baby needs an ability to store enough calories to fuel nighttime growth processes.
This increased calorie consumption occurs when your baby can not only handle larger feedings but also store fat and carbohydrates. But resist the urge to rush this process and overfeed your baby. If your baby is uncomfortable or experiences reflux, this will interfere with sleep, too.
You May Like: How Do I Get My Newborn To Sleep
Normal Sleep Cycle Pattern
Understanding the sleep cycle also helps explain how certain sleep disorders, . It is normal for sleep cycles to change as you progress through your nightly sleep. The first sleep cycle is often the shortest, ranging from 70-100 minutes, while later cycles tend to fall between 90 and 120 minutes. . While there is a typical pattern for sleep .
Can Newborns Sleep Too Much
Many parents wonder whether their baby is sleeping too little or too much. This is an understandable concern, as you want your baby to be sleeping just the right amount.In your newbornâs first weeks, sheâll need to be fed about every three to four hours. If your newborn sleeps longer than four hours, you may need to wake her up for a feeding. Check in with your baby’s healthcare provider on this matter. Depending on your baby’s weight, age, and general state of health, your provider may recommend waking her up or letting her sleep. If your baby’s afternoon naps are longer than three or four hours, itâs a good idea to wake her up for a feeding and some playtime. Naps that are too long or too close to bedtime can make falling asleep in the evening harder.
You May Like: How Long A Newborn Should Sleep
Week 3 Of The Newborn Sleep Schedule
Now that your baby is about 3 weeks old and is getting the hang of full feeds and has their days and nights mostly fixed, its time to start thinking about teaching your baby to fall asleep on their own.
Why worry about this so early?
Heres why because they are probably already doing it at this point and their drive to sleep is still strong.
2 and 3 week old babies often go to sleep on their own without much fuss, and if you want that to continue then now is the time to start good habits.
As babies get bigger theyll stop this and thats when you get in a pickle.
Having to jump through hoops and use newfangled vibrating equipment, washing machines, and cars to get baby to sleep.
Around 3 Months: What To Expect From Baby Sleep
Babies keep developing night and day sleep patterns.
Their sleep cycles consist of:
- light sleep, when baby wakes easily
- deep sleep, when baby is sound asleep and very still
- dream sleep, when baby is dreaming.
Sleep cycles also get longer, which might mean less waking and resettling during sleep. At this age, some babies might regularly be having longer sleeps at night for example, 4-5 hours.
Most babies still sleep for 14-17 hours in every 24 hours.
Read Also: How Often To Bathe Your Newborn
Is It Normal For Babies To Take Naps
It is very common for babies to nap and obtain a meaningful portion of their total sleep during the day. Newborns often nap for at least 3-4 hours during the day, and though total nap time decreases as they get older, its typically for infants to continue to nap for 2-3 hours or more each day.
This napping is not just normal but also beneficial. Research has found that frequent naps allow infants to consolidate specific memories. In addition, naps enable a more generalized memory that is important for learning and brain development.
What About You Tips For Improving Your Own Sleep
Newborn sleep patterns take their toll on parents. In a study tracking the sleep patterns of mothers from pregnancy through the postpartum period, maternal sleep worsened after childbirth and continued to deteriorate until about 12 weeks postpartum -the time when newborn sleep patterns begin to show marked circadian rhythms .
Twelve weeks isnt forever, but it can seem like it when you are severely sleep restricted. As you struggle to cope with newborn sleep patterns, dont forget to look after yourself. Here are some tips to help you cope.
Read Also: How Can You Tell If Your Newborn Is Lactose Intolerant
When To Wake A Baby For Feeding
Newborns often cluster-feed, which means that they may eat several times over the course of 12 hours or nurse for an extended period. Most newborns should eat every 23 hours or more if a pediatrician recommends so or if the baby is not gaining enough weight.
Feeding a newborn whenever they show hunger cues such as rooting, sucking, or sticking out their tongue is the best way to ensure that they get enough food.
It is not necessary to wake most older newborns up to eat. However, those younger than 1 month old or so may not wake up when they feel hungry. Babies younger than 4 weeks old should not go longer than 45 hours without food.
To wake a baby up to eat, try brushing the side of their cheek. This can trigger the rooting reflex. Most babies dislike having their feet stroked. So, if stroking the cheek does not work, try gently wiggling the babys toes or gently stroking the bottoms of their feet.
Food needs vary from baby to baby. Parents and caregivers should consult a pediatrician or nursing expert, who can offer individual advice based on the needs and development of the baby.
How Long Do Newborn Babies Sleep For
Babies sleep a lot. In fact, for the first few weeks, babies sleep for most of the day and night. Theyll sleep for around 16 to 18 hours in every 24 .
“Babies need so much sleep because they have so much new information to process. They are also growing and developing at a fast rate.”
Unfortunately, it might not feel like theyre sleeping for quite that long. Thats because they’re likely to doze off in short bursts of a couple of hours and there’s not yet a pattern to their sleep .
You May Like: How Many Wet And Dirty Diapers Should A Newborn Have
Can Infants Sleep Too Much
Yes, its possible for babies to sleep too much and its definitely not recommended early in infancy. Remember, at 1 month of age your baby should feed at least eight to 12 times in the span of 24 hours, so letting a newborn sleep all day or more than the upper limit of 17 hours can mean shell miss out on the nutrition she needs.
Keep in mind that youll need to gently rouse your baby if she sleeps longer than four hours during those early weeks. And if she isnt awake enough to eat at least eight times a day, call your pediatrician for advice.