Helping Your Newborn Sleep
Newborns follow their own schedule. Over the next couple of weeks to months, you and your baby will begin to settle into a routine.
It may take a few weeks for your baby’s brain to know the difference between night and day. Unfortunately, there are no tricks to speed this up, but it helps to keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes. Try to keep the lights low and resist the urge to play with or talk to your baby. This will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping. If possible, let your baby fall asleep in the crib at night so your little one learns that it’s the place for sleep.
Don’t try to keep your baby up during the day in the hopes that your little one will sleep better at night. Overly tired infants often have more trouble sleeping at night than those who’ve had enough sleep during the day.
If your newborn is fussy it’s OK to rock, cuddle, and sing as your baby settles down. Swaddling can also help to soothe a crying baby. If you swaddle your baby and they start trying to roll over, that is a sign that you can stop swaddling. For the first months of your baby’s life, “spoiling” is definitely not a problem. In fact, newborns who are held or carried during the day tend to have less colic and fussiness.
Establishing Good Naptime Routines
Just like nighttime sleep, a good naptime routine stems from a combination of consistency and flexibility.
You can signal to your child that nap time is approaching through consistent behaviors before each nap.
Nap time signals often include:
- Rocking in a cool room without direct light
Besides ensuring your babys comfort, the order of these events can help them predict what happens next.
Many parents add white noise to their babys naptime routine by using a sound machine or even a free smartphone app. The white noise mimics the sounds that babies experience in the womb of the mothers blood pumping and the digestive system moving. It also buffers loud, unexpected sounds that might startle a baby like a doorbell or a dog bark.
For the best naps possible, a parent might need to employ some flexibility. For example, you can expect naptime to take place earlier than usual if youre driving in a car or later if theres unusual activity in your house.
Should I Swaddle My Newborn At Night
Swaddling your newborn at night can help your baby sleep longer stretches at night. The purpose of swaddling is to help reduce the âstartle or Moroâ reflex. Yes, you should swaddle your newborn at night.
The startle reflex is a primitive reflex that is present and birth and is a protective mechanism. With any sudden noise or movement, your baby is âstartledâ and her arms will extend away from her body, sheâll arch her back and neck. It slowly starts to disappear around 12 weeks and in most babies is completely gone by 6 months of age. References 1,2,3.
Sometimes this startle reflex can be confused with some muscle twitches that happen during REM sleep. Rapid Eye Movement sleep is also known as âdreamâ sleep. In newborns they have less âdeepâ sleep than babies 6 months and older. Typically newborns transition from light or into REM sleep. When falling asleep they typically drop into REM sleep. Reference 4. Newborn REM sleep is different from REM sleep in older babies and adults. In adults, in REM sleep a person is dreaming but their voluntary muscles are paralyzed. You will NOT see any arm or limb movement. In newborns, it is different. In newborn REM sleep you WILL see vocalizations, smiles, grimaces and twitches or jerks. They are not awake when you see these things. Remember when your baby was sleeping and she started smiling. You thought maybe she was passing gas? She was likely in REM sleep. All good. All normal.
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Myth: Giving Babies Lots Of Solids At Dinner Will Help Them Sleep Through The Night
FACT: The balance of milk vs solids is really important. Giving your baby lots of solids at dinner isnt the solution to night waking. In fact, it could even make your baby’s night sleep worse. If a baby younger than 10 months has too much protein at dinner, it can cause wakefulness in the night as their body struggles to digest the protein.
We recommend offering solids at the lunch meal first, then once that is established, offer dinner, then lastly introduce breakfast. Lunch is the most important meal of the day because protein at this meal is stored by the babys liver in a way that will help them feel full through the night.
Mittens To Prevent Scratching
One thing that continues to surprise me is how fast baby fingernails grow. It probably has something to do with their diet of 100% milk plus vitamins. Clipping your babys fingernails is an exercise in courage and takes nerves of steel. When your little one gets a little older and can grab at things, youll know their nails are long because theyll scratch you.
In the meantime, if you start finding scratches on your babys face or head, it was probably self-inflicted while he or she was sleeping. Until you have the time and bravery to trim them, a set of soft little sleep mittens will prevent any more scratches. These are inexpensive and often come in packs of four, which is good because theyre easily lost .
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Limit Caffeine If Breastfeeding
Caffeine passes through your breastmilk and will stimulate your baby just as it stimulates you, which is not what you want to do if you want our baby to sleep well.To determine if caffeine is part of the problem,, try cutting it out of your diet for a few days. If you see an improvement in your babys sleep, you can gradually reintroduce caffeine, but be sure to keep an eye on timing. Morning caffeine may be fine, however after 4:00 p.m. may cause sleep issues.
Helping Your Baby Fall Asleep
Babies may not be able to create their own sleeping and waking patterns. Surprisingly, not all babies know how to put themselves to sleep. And not all babies can go back to sleep if they are awakened in the night. When it is time for bed, many parents want to rock or breastfeed a baby to help him or her fall asleep. Creating a bedtime routine is a good idea. But dont let your baby fall asleep in your arms. This may become a pattern. And your baby may begin to expect to be in your arms in order to fall asleep. When your baby briefly wakes up during a sleep cycle, they may not be able to go back to sleep on their own.
Babies who feel secure are better able to handle separations, especially at night. Cuddling and comforting your baby during the day can help him or her feel more secure. Other ways to help your baby learn to sleep include:
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Check Your Baby’s Room Temperature
The temperature of your babys room is the biggest indicator as to what your little one should be dressed in when its time for bed. According to The Lullaby Trust, your baby’s room should be kept between 16-20°C. At this temperature, your baby should wear a vest, sleep suit and have a lightweight sleeping bag.
The best way of checking your baby’s room temperature is using a baby room thermometer in your babys room. This will help you determine what they should wear at night. We’re huge fans of the Tommee Tippee GroEgg2, a nightlight and thermometer in one, which glows different colours according to the temperature of your baby’s bedroom.
Baby Refuses To Sleep On Her Back
Some newborns don’t enjoy sleeping on their backs from the beginning, which can seem tricky to solve, as everyone’s got personal preference. However, babies who sleep in other positions are correlated with a higher rates of SIDS. If this is the case, there are a few ways to mitigate this issue without compromising their health.
You can try rocking them before setting them down, placing your hand on their chest, and rocking them back and forth to comfort them. Additionally, swaddling tykes can help enormously in creating a secure, cozy environment for your little one, reminiscent of the womb.
If they still don’t like sleeping on their back, it’s wise to consult a pediatrician to rule out any physical or medical conditions. Keep in mind, research has shown that sleeping on the back is still the safest positionâeven with acid refluxâand does not cause choking in newborns.
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Can A Bedtime Routine Help Your Baby Sleep
Yes. Your babys sleep schedule changes over time, but sticking to a routine can make bedtime easier for the both of you. Start setting a bedtime routine when your babys around 4 to 6 months old.
Heres how to get your baby ready for bedtime:
- Wind down any playtime fun.
- Turn off the phone, television, etc.
- Give your baby a warm bath.
- Softly stroke your babys back.
- Give your baby a pacifier.
- Sing to your baby or play soft music.
- Read your baby a bedtime story.
Stick to your babys sleep routine as much as you can. Plan ahead if your babys routine may need a temporary change, like if youre going out of town travel or attending family parties. Change his bed time the best you can but try to get back to his schedule and routine as soon as possible.
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 .
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Sleeping Problems Whats Not Normal
Babies can be snuffly or noisy sleepers. Its common for babies to have irregular breathing patterns when they sleep they might breathe quickly, and then have short pauses, for example. This is normal.
If youre worried about your babys sleep because:
- you cant settle them
- they sleep for long periods
- theyre too tired to feed
- they dont wake for feeds
- theyre not feeding well, or not having many feeds
- theyre breathing more quickly than usual
- theyre wheezing or grunting
then contact PlunketLine on , or talk to your midwife, doctor, or your Well Child nurse.
How Can I Get My Baby To Sleep Longer
It is perfectly normal for newborns to only sleep for short periods of time however, if you are struggling with their current routine, there are a few methods that may help them to sleep for longer. Keep in mind that all babies are different so these methods may not work for every child. If your newborn is struggling to sleep for longer periods of time you could try:
- Blackout curtains
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When Should I Stop Swaddling My Newborn
You want to stop swaddling when your child shows that she might be able to roll. Rolling in a swaddle could pose a risk as your child could get stuck in a position that might compromise her airway. In addition you would want to stop swaddling when you are working on sleep teaching and having your baby become an independent sleeper. Independent sleepers can be put in the crib completely awake without feeding, rocking or being drowsy and put themselves to sleep. Sheâll need her hands available to be able to do that so they should not be swaddled in that phase. Until then you will absolutely want to swaddle your newborn at night.
References cited in this post:
1. Parmelee AH., Jr. A critical evaluation of the Moro reflex. Pediatrics. 1964 33:773â788.
2. Prechtl HFR. Problems of behavioral studies in the newborn infants. In: Lehrman DS, Hinde RA, Shaw E, editors. Advances in the Study of Behavior. London, UK: Elsevier/Academic Press 1965. pp. 75â98.
3. Rönnqvist L. A critical examination of the Moro response in newborn infantsâsymmetry, state relation, underlying mechanisms. Neuropsychologia. 1995 33:713â726.
4. Sheldon SH. Sleep in infants and children. In: Lee-Chiong TL, Sateia MJ, Carskadon MA, editors. Sleep Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Hanley and Belfus Inc 2002.
When Your Baby Wakes At Night Take Care Of You
While there are strategies you can incorporate into your days and nights to help your baby ease into nighttime sleep cycles, many babies will grow out of this stage as their bodies mature and develop. In fact, it may be more beneficial to find coping strategies for a sleep-deprived parent in these early weeks rather than fighting against your newborns internal clock .
Its not you
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How Should Babies Sleep
During the first weeks of a baby’s life, some parents choose to room-share. Room-sharing is when you place your baby’s crib, portable crib, play yard, or bassinet in your own bedroom instead of in a separate nursery. This keeps baby nearby and helps with feeding, comforting, and monitoring at night. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing.
While room-sharing is safe, putting your infant to sleep in bed with you is not.Bed-sharing increases the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.
Follow these recommendations for a safe sleep environment for your little one:
How To Set Up A Bedtime Routine
The idea behind a bedtime routine is to settle and relax your baby before putting her down in her crib for sleep, including for naps.Because babies tend to love routine, having a simple ritual that you always follow helps your baby anticipate and learn that the time for sleep is coming, and helps her wind down.A bedtime routine can include a bath, a song or story, or a baby massage. Avoid any stimulating activities in the period just before sleep.Make sure your baby is still awake when you place him in his crib. This helps create a positive sleep association with the crib.
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Dont Let Your Baby Overheat
How should you dress baby for sleep? Simple is safest. Put your baby in a base layer like a one-piece sleeper, and skip the socks, hats or other accessories. Instead of a blanket, use a sleep sack or swaddle. Shell be warm enough but not too warm. Never use weighted swaddles, sleep sacks or blankets for your baby.
A room temperature of 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit is best. To tell whether your baby is too warm, feel the nape of her neck. If she’s sweating, shes too hot.
Get Sunlight And Avoid Artificial Lighting At Night
Make sure you expose yourself and your baby to bright light during the day. And keep lights outor at least dimmedafter sunset.
As noted above, natural lighting helps influence newborn sleep patterns. But it also helps you keep your own circadian rhythms from drifting, which is important if you are going avoid insomnia and be a source of daytime cues for your newborn.
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Where Should Your Baby Sleep
The safest place for your baby to sleep is by herself in a bassinet or crib. If you have multiples , put each baby in his own bassinet or crib. Here are some dos and donts about making your babys sleep space safe:
Dos
Donts
- Dont use sleep positioners. These sometimes are called nests or anti-roll pillows. They often are mats or wedges with pillows on either side to help keep your baby in place. The Food and Drug Administration warns that sleep positioners can cause babies to die because of suffocation.
- Dont let your baby sleep in a carrier, sling, car seat or stroller. Babies who sleep in these items can suffocate. If your baby falls asleep in one, take her out and put her in her crib as soon as you can.
- Dont put your baby to sleep on soft surfaces, like a waterbed, sofa, soft mattress or cushion.
- Dont keep crib bumpers, loose bedding, toys or other soft objects in your babys crib. They put your baby in danger of being trapped, strangled or suffocated.
- Dont use cribs with drop-side rails. Dont put portable bed rails on a regular bed. Babies can get stuck in rails and choke. Dont try to fix a crib that has broken or missing parts.
My Baby Was Born Prematurely And Slept On Her Front In Hospital Is It Okay To Sleep Her On Her Front At Home As Well
Some babies who were born very prematurely and spent some time in a neonatal unit may have been slept on their fronts for medical reasons. Remember that babies in neonatal units are under constant supervision. By the time your baby comes home they should be sleeping on their back.
Babies may find it hard to adjust from a sleeping position they have been used to, so persevere and do speak to your paediatrician if you are concerned. Front-sleeping should only be continued for on-going medical reasons on the advice of your paediatrician.
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