3 week old baby sleeping patterns

Newborn sleep patterns: A survival guide

As every parent knows, the world of newborn sleep is exotic and strange. Babies rack up lots of sleep overall, averaging 16-18 hours a day during the first two weeks. Yet they awaken frequently, and rarely sleep more than 4 hours at a stretch, even at night. Their internal clocks aren’t yet synchronized with the external, 24-hour day.

It’s a recipe for exhaustion, but understanding the science of sleep can help you cope, and avoid mistakes that can delay your child’s development of more mature sleep rhythms. 

In this article, you’ll learn about

• fundamental differences between newborn sleep and adult sleep;
• circadian rhythms, and how you can help your baby get in sync with the natural day;
• sleep cycles in the newborn, and how to work around them;
• tips for preventing newborns from waking up; and
• advice for improving your own sleep.

Throughout, I focus on babies under four weeks of age. For information about older infants, see my article on baby sleep patterns.

If you are looking for information about newborn sleep safety, see these science-based tips for reducing the risk of SIDS.

Newborn sleep patterns: Are there any?

To the sleepless parent, newborn sleep might seem totally disorganized. For example, consider these points.

1. Newborns never sleep for long. 

Newborns sleep in short bouts — typically ranging from 30 minutes to 4 hours — at seemingly random times throughout the day and night.

2. Newborns awaken easily.

In part, this is because they spend a large portion of their sleep time in “active sleep,” a light sleep state characterized by fluttering eyelids; rapid, irregular breathing; occasional body movements; and vocalizations (grunts or brief cries).

3. Newborn sleep times can vary widely.

In the first few days, the average newborn sleeps between 16-18 hours a day (Iglowstein et al 2002). By four weeks, newborn sleep averages about 14 hours. But the range is considerable. Some four-week-old babies sleep as little as 9 out of 24 hours. Others sleep for 19 hours a day (Iglowstein et al 2002).

If your baby doesn’t fit the typical profile, does that mean something is wrong?

Not necessarily. Some babies suffer from medical conditions that influence the way they sleep, so if you have concerns you should discuss them with your medical provider. But it appears that many healthy, normal newborns deviate several hours from the average duration of sleep.

Newborn sleep rhythms: Why newborns seem to sleep—and wake—around the clock

The timing of adult sleep is governed by circadian rhythms — physiological changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Many of these changes are influenced by your exposure to light.

For instance, when you expose yourself to sunlight during the day, you are helping your body calibrate it’s internal clock. Even if you are sleep-deprived, morning light helps ensure that you will be more alert during the day than you are at night.

Conversely, the absence of light at night helps your body wind down. When darkness falls, your brain interprets this as a signal to start producing melatonin, a hormone that triggers relaxation, paving the way for sleep.

You can easily disrupt this process by exposing yourself to artificial light sources in the evening — especially sources of blue light (Wahnschaffe et al 2013). But as long as you stick with the program — bright light during the day, and darkness at night — you will likely find yourself in sync with the natural, 24-hour day.

And of course most adults are in sync. But it’s different for newborns.

Newborn sleep is not governed by strong circadian rhythms.

Things don’t begin that way. Not when babies are still in the womb. During pregnancy, fetuses are tuned into their mothers’ physiological cues about day and night.

Fetal heart and respiratory rates speed up when a mother is active. They slow down when a mother  is sleeping (Mirmiran et al 2003). Such changes may be influenced by maternal hormones, particularly melatonin. Maternal melatonin passes through the placenta, and may direct the fetus’ internal clock (Torres-Farfan et al 2006).

But after birth, this intimate hormonal connection is broken. Newborns must develop their own circadian rhythms of hormone production.

Unfortunately for us, this takes time (Kennaway 1996), and the process is complicated by the fact that newborns need to feed every few hours. As a result, newborn sleep episodes tend to be brief, and spaced at fairly regular intervals around the clock.

So when do babies develop mature circadian rhythms?

It’s normal for babies to take 12 weeks, or even longer.

Most infants take about 12 weeks to show day-night rhythms in the production of melatonin (Rivkees 2003). Circadian changes in cortisol, a hormone that helps regulate alertness, may take even longer to emerge (Rivkees 2003). And, overall, babies may take 3-5 months before they “settle” at night–meaning that they sleep for more than 5 hours at a stretch (Jenni et al 2006; Pinilla and Birch 1993).

Nevertheless, newborn sleep isn’t completely divorced from the natural rhythms of the 24-hour day. Studies show that circadian rhythms begin developing in the first days after birth.

For example, German and Japanese studies have reported that newborns sleep more at night than they do during the day (Freudigman and Thoman 1998; Korte 2004; Matsuoka et al 1991).

And scientific evidence suggests that even newborns are receptive to environmental cues about time. You can take advantage of this fact to help shape newborn sleep patterns.

How to help newborns get in sync with the natural, 24-hour day

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 (Custodio et al 2007; Lorh et al 1999). 

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 (Wulff and Siegmund 2002).

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 isn’t 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 (Iwata et al 2017).

In another study, young babies tended to sleep longer at night if they had been exposed to lots of early afternoon light (Harrison 2004). 

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 (Tsai et al 2012).

4. Try infant massage.

A recent experiment found that mothers assigned to massage their newborns with lotion at bedtime experienced better newborn sleep outcomes than mothers who massaged without lotion and mothers in a control group who didn’t massage at all.

After one month, newborns massaged with lotion were falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer, and awakening at night less often. Mothers using lotion actually massaged their infants more frequently, which may explain the results (Field et al 2016). An earlier study found that infant massage helped newborns develop more mature patterns of melatonin secretion (Ferber 2002).

The takeaway? More research is needed on this topic (Bennett et al 2013), but meanwhile, this seems worth a try.

5. Do you pump and store breast milk? Consider keeping a record of what time of day you express.

Breast milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is used by the body to manufacture melatonin. Tryptophan levels rise and fall according to maternal circadian rhythms, and when infants consume tryptophan before bedtime, they fall asleep faster (Steinberg et al 1992).

It’s therefore possible that breastfeeding helps newborn sleep patterns synchronize with the 24-hour day (Cubero et al 2005). This hypothesis was tested by feeding infants formula fortified with varying concentrations of tryptophan. When infants were given low levels of tryptophan during the day and high concentrations at night (mimicking the natural fluctuations of breast milk), infants fell asleep faster at night and got more sleep overall (Cubero et al 2007).

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 don’t 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 we’re 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 (sometimes called “active sleep”).  

Second, newborns in REM aren’t as physically inactive as we are. 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.

It’s not unusual for newborns to spend more than half their total sleep time in REM (Grigg-Damberger 2016). 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 (e.g., Poblano et al 2007; Sadeh et al 1996). 

Fourth, while newborns do experience something roughly analogous to deep sleep, this stage, called “quiet sleep,” is potentially dangerous.

Characterized by slower, more rhythmic breathing, quiet sleep appears more restful (Grigg-Damberger 2016). But it’s harder for babies to awaken from quiet sleep, which can cause trouble if the baby isn’t getting enough oxygen.

This may explain why newborns don’t oblige exhausted parents by lapsing into long periods of deep sleep. It’s too risky. Instead, the typical 50-55 minute newborn sleep cycle includes only about 20 minutes of quiet sleep. The rest of the time, babies are either in REM or in “transitional sleep,” a rather restless state that looks like a mash-up of active and quiet sleep, and which scientists don’t yet understand (Grigg-Damberget 2016).  

Put this all together, and you can see why parents feel their babies are such light (and erratic) sleepers. Like adults, newborns are more likely to awaken during REM, and during transitions between sleep stages. But unlike adults, newborns spend a lot more time in REM, and they transition between cycles more frequently. 

And parents may sometimes mistake REM restlessness for waking — and attempt to interact with or soothe a baby at the wrong time. In short, there are lots of opportunities for babies to wake up — or get awakened unnecessarily.

This sounds like a raw deal for parents. But newborns probably benefit from being light sleepers. Having a low threshold of arousal may protect babies from SIDS, and active sleep might be crucial for a newborn’s brain development (Heraghty et al 2008; Seigel 2005).

And if we understand the peculiar nature of newborn REM, we can learn to avoid jumping in too soon when we think a baby is awakening or signalling for us.

A baby who seems to be waking up may, if left alone, go back to sleep very rapidly.

How to keep your light sleeper from waking up all the way

1. Don’t rush in the moment you think your baby has awakened.

As noted above, babies experience frequent arousals, but that doesn’t mean they are doomed to wake up “all the way” every few minutes. Babies often jerk, sigh, or vocalize during partial arousals. If you avoid stimulating them during these moments, they may go back to sleep on their own.

2. Tank up the baby before you go to sleep. 

Whether you breastfeed or bottle-fed, try to give the baby an especially large meal before your own bedtime. This will encourage your baby to sleep longer. To learn more about this approach, see this Parenting Science guide to “Dream feeding.”

3. If you feed your baby formula, try to find one that includes DHA.

DHA is a fatty acid found in fish oil and other dietary sources. It’s important for brain development, and may play a role in shaping sleep patterns as well.

In one study, children who consumed low levels of DHA had reduced amount of slow-wave (deep) sleep (Faglioli et al 1989). In another study, pregnant women with higher blood levels of DHA gave birth to babies who spent more time in quiet sleep (Cheruku et al 2002).

DHA is found in breast milk, so it’s plausible (though unproven) that boosting a nursing mother’s DHA intake could improve a newborn’s sleep patterns. If you use formula, it seems like a good idea to find a baby formula that contains DHA.

4. Check out my article on baby sleep aids. 

There you’ll find tips for improving newborn sleep, and avoiding practices that are either unhelpful or potentially hazardous.

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 (Kang et al 2002)—-the time when newborn sleep patterns begin to show marked circadian rhythms (Nishihara et al 2000).

Twelve weeks isn’t forever, but it can seem like it when you are severely sleep restricted. As you struggle to cope with newborn sleep patterns, don’t forget to look after yourself. Here are some tips to help you cope.

1. Appreciate the power of a 30-minute nap

When you’re running up an enormous sleep debt, you might think a 30-minute nap will make little difference to your health.

But recent research confirms that all naps are not the same. When you’re sleep deprived, the brain compensates by rendering naps more restorative than usual.

In one study, volunteers permitted to sleep only 2 hours at night showed the typical abnormalities in their stress hormone and immune factor chemistry. But after just two 30-minute naps, those irregularities were entirely normalized (Faraut et al 2015b).

In another study, volunteers coping with a 2-hour nightly regimen experienced heightened pain sensitivity — a common symptom of sleep deprivation. But once again, the effect was reversed after just two 30-minute naps (Faraut et al 2015a).  

2. Don’t assume that it’s pointless to lie down if you don’t fall asleep. You might pass into a state of drowsy, semi-conscious sleep — and reap some benefits.

Too wired to “sleep when the baby sleeps”? If so, keep in mind that quiet resting is better than nothing. In fact, if you are lying down with your eyes closed, you might be asleep without realizing it.

In numerous lab studies, subjects who were awakened from the first stage of sleep often denied that they were asleep at all (Dement and Vaughan 1999). A nap that consists only of stage 1 sleep might not help you improve your reaction times, but it will probably make you feel less tired. And if you manage to slip into the second stage of sleep — even for just 3 minutes — your nap may have recuperative effects (Hayashi et al 2005).

3. Don’t play the blame game.

Brooding about the situation will make it harder for you to fall asleep when you are given the opportunity. And it’s wrong-headed, too: You might be doing everything you can to get more sleep, and still be stuck with a baby who sleeps less than average.

Research suggests that the amount of sleep we get at night is strongly influenced by genetics (Touchette et al 2013), and, as mentioned above, there is a lot of individual variation among newborns.

4. Don’t assume that breastfeeding will make you more sleepless than formula feeding.

One study reported that the parents of breastfed babies averaged 40-45 minutes more sleep time than did the parents of formula-fed babies (Doan et al 2007).

5. If you are breastfeeding, you are likely to get more sleep if you keep your baby nearby.

The World Health Organization recommends that babies share a bedroom with their parents, and it’s a recommendation that makes breastfeeding less disruptive. A recent study found that breastfeeding women got more sleep when they co-slept with baby (Quillin and Glenn 2004). In fact, mothers who co-slept and breastfed got more sleep than did mothers who bottle-fed their babies (Quillin and Glenn 2004).

6. If your baby is asleep, don’t worry about changing diapers.

If your baby can’t sleep because she needs a diaper change, she’ll let you know. And a little urine is unlikely to awaken her anyway. In a recent experiment, researchers injected water into the diapers of sleeping infants to see if this would wake them up (Zotter et al 2007). It didn’t.

7. 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 out–or at least dimmed–after 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. 

8. Let a friend or family member watch your baby while you take a nap, even if this means your breastfed baby will take some meals from a bottle.

Lactation experts often discourage breastfeeding mothers from bottle feeding babies for the first 3-4 weeks. The worry is that supplemental feeds will lead to a decreased milk supply and endanger successful breastfeeding in the long-term.

But you need to balance this against the negative effects of severe sleep restriction. Lack of sleep puts parents at increased risk of illness and postpartum depression, which is bad for parents and babies. If you are at the end of your rope, get help.

9. Trust your instincts, and get help when you feel stressed

If something feels wrong with you or the baby, talk to your physician. And remember that your own mental health is crucial.

Coping with sleep deprivation is very stressful, especially if your infant seems to be especially fussy or prone to crying. Watch for signs of postpartum stress and postpartum depression, and reach out to others for support.

10. Remember that things will get better

Newborns have special sleep patterns and special needs. But things will start to get better around 12 weeks postpartum.

More reading relevant to newborn sleep

For more information about babies and sleep, see these fully-referenced Parenting Science articles.

References: What scientific studies say about newborn sleep

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Cheruku SR, Montgomery-Downs HE, Farkas SL, Thoman EB, and Lammi-Keefe CJ. 2002. Higher maternal plasma docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy is associated with more mature neonatal sleep-state patterning. Am J Clin Nutr 76:608-13.

Cubero J, Valero V, Sánchez J, Rivero M, Parvez H, Rodríguez AB, Barriga C. 2005. The circadian rhythm of tryptophan in breast milk affects the rhythms of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin and sleep in newborn. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 26(6):657-61.

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Faraut B, Léger D, Medkour T, Dubois A, Bayon V, Chennaoui M, Perrot S. 2015a. Napping reverses increased pain sensitivity due to sleep restriction. PLoS One. 10(2):e0117425.

Faraut B, Nakib S, Drogou C, Elbaz M, Sauvet F, De Bandt JP, Léger D. 2015b. Napping reverses the salivary interleukin-6 and urinary norepinephrine changes induced by sleep restriction. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 100(3):E416-26.

Ferber SG, Laudon M, Kuint J, Weller A, Zisapel N. 2002. Massage therapy by mothers enhances the adjustment of circadian rhythms to the nocturnal period in full-term infants. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 23(6):410-5.

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Horne RSC, Parslow PM, Ferens D, Watts AM, and Adamson TM. 2004. Comparison of evoked arousability in breast and formula fed infants. Arch Dis Child 89: 22-25.

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Jenni OG, DeBoer T, and Acherman P. 2006. Development of the 24h rest-activity pattern in human infants. Infant behavior and development 29: 143-152.

Kang MJ, Matsumoto K, Shinkoda H, Mishima M, Yeo YJ. 2002. Longitudinal study for sleep-wake behaviours of mothers from pre-partum to post-partum using actigraph and sleep logs. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 56(3):251-2.

Kato I, Franco P, Grosswasser J, Scaillet S, et al. 2003. Incomplete arousal processes in infants who were victims of sudden death. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 168: 1298-1303.

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Content of “Newborn sleep patterns” last modified 9/17

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Newborn Sleep Schedules + Patterns– Nested Bean

With a baby on the way, or perhaps just arrived, you have probably been warned about the sleepless nights in your near future. Every parent knows that sleep deprivation is just part of the package – but don't worry, the priceless, magical moments you spend with your baby in their first few weeks make it all worth it. If you start to establish a newborn sleep schedule during the early stages of parenthood, you could save yourself a lot of stress in the long run.

We've broken down newborn sleep patterns to give you suggested newborn sleep routines all the way through your baby's first year. We'll also answer all your questions revolving around newborn sleep - like, how much sleep do they actually need? How can I make sure my baby becomes a “good sleeper” and more! Click the links below to skip to the sample newborn sleep schedule:

0-6 Weeks Newborn Sleep Schedule
2 to 3 Months Baby Sleep Schedule
4 to 6 Months Baby Sleep Schedule
6 to 10 Months Baby Sleep Schedule
10 to 12 Months Baby Sleep Schedule

First, let’s get the most important question answered and out of the way:

Will I ever sleep again?

The answer is...YES! Having a newborn baby is exhausting - we know! Infant sleep hours feel erratic and unpredictable at first. But there will be a light at the end of the tunnel! Our newborn sleep schedules will help you decode your baby's sleep and guide you along the way to “sleep success” (A.K.A. a peaceful ☺, full-night's sleep EVERY. NIGHT.). It will take patience, but our newborn sleep schedules will help you get there.

How do I make sure my baby gets the right amount of sleep?

Overstimulation during the day can cause your baby to either sleep too little or sleep when they should be eating, due to exhaustion. Newborn babies need to be fed frequently to ensure proper development.

If your newborn baby becomes overtired (meaning they've been awake too long between naps) they will become fussy, and harder to settle for sleep. We've given age-targeted tips to help avoid overstimulation and improve your baby's sleep in the sleep schedules below. For more information on how much sleep your baby needs and how long they should be sleeping at a time (as well as when you should consider waking your baby to feed) read How Much Do Newborns Sleep?

Learning your baby's sleep cycle

While your baby has your nose or eyes, the two of you couldn't be farther apart when it comes to sleep cycle! The main reason your newborn's sleep patterns are unpredictable is because of their evolving sleep cycle.

Adults can easily pass from one sleep cycle into the next without completely waking up. Newborns, however, don't stay in deep sleep (REM sleep) for long periods at a time, so they are more susceptible to frequent wake-ups. Our post, Your Baby's Sleep Cycle, explains more in-depth about how your baby's sleep cycle is linked to their sleep patterns.

Around 3 or so months, your baby's sleep cycle will change to look a little more like yours, which is why this is the same age you'll notice more stable and predictable sleeping patterns emerge. Unfortunately, shortly after 3 months into the 4th month, your baby also goes through many physiological changes, which may affect their sleep cycle and patterns; commonly called the 4 month sleep regression.

To learn more about the changes to your baby's sleep cycle and how to cope with sleep regression, read our post 10 Tips to Surviving the 4 Month Sleep Regression.

How much sleep does my baby need?

The short answer: A LOT. Your newborn will spend the majority of time sleeping, and the rest of their time eating - this is especially true for the first few weeks. As a 6-week-old baby, your newborn will sleep up to 18 hours for every 24 hour period - in their first few days of being alive, they'll sleep even more! Of course, as your baby grows they'll need less and less sleep each day. Our newborn sleep schedules break it down for you and apps can help you track naps and nighttime sleep.

Zen Sleepwear™ is gently weighted to help soothe babies to sleep, so they can start learning healthy sleep habits while getting the rest they need. 

Wondering if your newborn is sleeping too much? Want to learn more about how much your newborn should sleep and why? We've got answers in our article How Much Do Newborns Sleep?

Newborn sleep schedules

Your newborn baby's sleep patterns: look irregular and erratic. This is the true “newborn” stage. Like we mentioned, your baby will be spending most of their time snoozing, only waking to eat.

The biggest challenge: You'll feel like you're in a constant eat-snooze-poop cycle. This is usually the most exhausting stage for parents despite so many baby sleep hours, as you'll only ever get a few hours of sleep at a time. This is why we've named this the “sleep survival” stage. During this time, focus on making sure your baby gets all the rest, love, and care they need - that's what's most important. Avoid introducing sleep aids or associations if you can, but ultimately, just do what you need to do to make sure your baby AND YOU are getting enough rest.

Baby sleep schedule: 0-6 weeks 

Your day should start around...	7 AM
Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period)	15 to 18 hours
Naps	3 to 5 naps, each 15 minutes to 3 hours long
Time awake between sleeps	30 minutes to 1 hour
Longest stretch of nighttime sleep	2 to 4 hours
Bedtime should be around. ..	9:30 to 11 PM

When to feed: Whenever baby needs it - which will be often! Their tiny stomachs can only hold so much, so expect to feed any time they wake up!

Zen tip: Take time to help your newborn clear up any day/night confusion. At this age, it’s too early to have a super structured sleep schedule. While you can start implementing a simple bedtime routine, your baby is just going to sleep whenever they feel like it. Instead, teaching them the difference between day and night (that’s right - all babies need to LEARN the difference!) by keeping days bright and full of activity and nights dark, calm, and quiet, you’ll help them make an association that will help them sleep better as they grow.

2-3 Months: sleep learning

Your newborn's sleep pattern: is starting to emerge into a true pattern! She's probably able to stay awake a little longer between sleeps, and you're getting an idea of the times she starts to get sleepy. Still, your baby probably won't be awake for more than a couple hours at a time.

From the experts “Even at 3 months old, the total time that babies are able remain awake without becoming overstimulated or overtired is only 1.5 hours. Remember this is time spent awake from the end of one nap to the start of the next, and it should include a full feed! Though this is a big jump from the quick 45 minutes at 6 weeks old, it still can speed by for a lot of parents, especially if they are trying to fit in running errands or taking care of things around the house. In these cases, it can be helpful to set an alarm or timer when baby gets up from their nap to help remind parents when it is time to start the next one!” - Brittney Stefanic, Brittney Stefanic Sleep Consulting

 

The Biggest Challenge: You are EXHAUSTED from those first 6 weeks of constant ups and downs. You're ready to get your baby snoozing for longer stretches - especially at night! But it's not easy, and it won't happen overnight. During the “sleep survival” stage, you may have introduced some habits that aren't sustainable in the long run, like feeding or rocking to sleep. Starting to introduce good sleep habits at this point will help lay the foundation for healthy sleep patterns.

From the experts “Nighttime sleep can consolidate early, especially if newborns learn the skill of connecting sleep cycles without being fed to sleep from an early age. I have worked with many families that approach a solid 6 hour stretch of sleep after bedtime by 6 weeks old.” - Brittney Stefanic, Brittney Stefanic Sleep Consulting

Baby sleep schedule: 2-3 months 

Your day should start around...	6 to 6:30 AM
Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period)	14 to 16 hours
Naps	3 to 4 naps, each 30 minutes to 3 hours long
Time awake between sleeps	45 minutes to 2 hours
Longest stretch of nighttime sleep	3 to 6 hours
Bedtime should be around. ..	8 to 10 PM

When to Feed: Your baby's stomach is a little bigger now, so they'll stay full for longer, but babies at this age still typically need to be fed every few hours - including throughout the night.

Zen tip: Here's when you can start implementing a baby bedtime routine. You've probably already picked up on the things that seem to soothe your baby. Stories? Baths? Swaddling? Try some different calming activities out and develop a nighttime routine that helps relax your baby and prepare them for sleep. Having a consistent routine is SO important for healthy sleep.

Overstimulation in the evening can make it difficult for your baby to settle to sleep. Try bathing, cuddling, singing, playing quiet music or reading, with a clearly defined end point when you leave the room. Begin these activities before your baby is overtired in a quiet, softly lit room.   - Mayo Clinic

The Zen Swaddle makes a great addition to any bedtime routine. It's gently weighted center and sides help soothe babies more than a traditional swaddle blanket. The weight helps to mimic your touch, so they can feel your loving embrace, even once you put them down to sleep. Additionally, the Zen Swaddle is effective in combating Moro Reflex, which is prevalent in most babies until 5 to 6 months old.  

Sweeter Sleep Story “We love our Zen Swaddle! Emma Grace sleeps like a "baby" in her sweet pink swaddle. The weighted center works just like a hand gently resting on her chest. As soon as we finished swaddling her, she was ready to sleep. It works!" - Susan R., 3/19/2018 It's never too soon to start implementing healthy sleep habits. The Zen Swaddle is a great addition to a bedtime routine and, when used consistently like with Emma Grace, will become your baby's cue to sleep.

Add the Zen Swaddle to your bedtime routine for better sleep Try the Zen Swaddles

Additionally, take note of your baby’s sleepiness cues. You don’t want to let your baby get overtired. Knowing and noticing their sleepiness cues will help you put them to bed while they’re drowsy and awake (another tip for good sleep!) and avoid an overtired baby.

 

4-6 Months: establishing healthy sleep habits 

Your newborn’s sleep patterns: might appear to be changing. The 4 to 6 month mark is a time of transition for your baby - especially when it comes to their sleep! These transitions cause sleep to look very different depending on the baby. Some babies might be down to just 2 naps per day, others will still be fighting to get their baby to sleep during naptime (read our Naptime Guide for tips). Some babies will be experiencing a sleep regression due to changes in their sleep cycle (read more about the 4 month sleep regression) while others could potentially be sleeping through the night.

Regardless of what your baby's sleep looks like from 4-6 months, know that a full night's sleep is finally within your reach! In When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night, we explain when you can expect your baby to start staying asleep right through the night based on certain developmental milestones, most of which are passed around 4-6 months of age.

The Biggest Challenge: Transitions will be your biggest challenge during this time. Whether it's a visible transition, like transitioning out of swaddling or moving from the bassinet to the crib, or a transition you might not be able to see, like the changes to their sleep cycle, know that these transitions are temporary, therefore, so are the associated challenges. Luckily, we have many resources that can guide you through these transitions:

Learn When to Stop Swaddling and about our 4-Step Swaddle Transition Plan

Learn 10 Tips to Survive the 4 Month Sleep Regression

Some parents also seek out a sleep coach or start sleep training around this age. If you'd like to learn more about sleep training and what it is, check out our Sleep Training Guide.

Baby sleep schedule: 4 to 6-month-old sleep schedule

Your day should start around...	7 to 8 AM
Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period)	12 to 15 hours
Naps	Usually 3 naps, each 1 to 3 hours long
Time awake between sleeps	1. 5 to 2.5 hours
Longest stretch of nighttime sleep	4 to 8 hours
Bedtime should be around...	8:30 to 9:30 PM

When to Feed: 

Your babies feedings are probably consolidated by now, but that still means you're feeding 5 to 6 times throughout the day. Many babies also still have at least one nighttime feed at this age - but it might not be necessary. Check with your paediatrician to make sure it's safe to start weaning the nighttime feed(s) and then follow our Zen Tip to break the association.

Zen Tip: 

Now is the time to start breaking sleep associations. A sleep association could be anything that aids your baby in falling asleep. Some sleep associations, such as swaddling or white noise, are positive. Others, like rocking or nursing to sleep, are negative because they aren't sustainable. All babies need to learn to self-soothe at some point, and slowly breaking negative sleep associations is the first step. Once they no longer rely on any outside help to fall asleep, they'll be able to learn to fall asleep independently. If you're feeding your baby to sleep, start weaning from feedings by shortening them. If you're rocking her to sleep, rock her for shorter periods of time before putting her down.

The Zen Sack™ can be especially helpful in breaking sleep associations and overcoming transitions. The Zen Sack's gently weighted center offers a similar comfort and pressure to swaddling, making it the ideal swaddle transition product. Additionally, the weighted center mimics your touch, which can help babies relax and begin learning to self-soothe.

Sweeter Sleep Story “My 3 month old daughter would not sleep in her own bed. Her dad or I would have to stay up all night, holding her, and we were exhausted. Every time we laid her down she would wake up! Once we started with the Zen Sack, immediately things started changing for us. Not only is our little girl sleeping in her own bed, she will also fall asleep on her own! Thanks Nested Bean!" - Chelsey C., 4/15/2018

The Zen Sack™ helps break sleep associations and eases transitions Try the Zen Sack

6-10 Months: finding sleep success

Your baby’s sleep pattern: is completely unique! During this time, there's one thing we can't stress enough: EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT! Some babies progress faster than others - so while your baby might still only sleep 4 hour stretches at night, your friend's baby might have been sleeping through the night for a month now.

If you are just beginning to implement a consistent bedtime routine, learning your baby's sleepiness cues, and starting to break sleep associations, then it's going to take your baby a little longer to reach the sleeping through the night milestone - but that's okay! You should still see a distinct sleeping pattern at this age, and you can use that to start implementing all the Zen Tips you might have missed until now (look back at the other ages' sleep schedules to review them).

The Biggest Challenge: Sleeping Through the Night. Some parents might have gotten lucky and their baby is already sleeping through the night at this point! Other parents are still patiently waiting. If you're part of the second group, don't stress. Many babies don't sleep through the night until after 6 months old. First, review our article When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night to make sure your baby has passed the developmental milestones necessary to start sleeping through the night.

If they have, wonderful! Now you can move on to our 8 Solutions To Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night to help overcome this challenge. Also know that according to the National Sleep Foundation, 70-80% of babies are sleeping through the night by 9 months old - so chances are a good night's sleep is just around the corner!  

Baby sleep schedule: 6-10 months

Your day should start around...	7 AM
Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period)	11 to 15 hours
Naps	2 or 3 naps, each 1 to 3 hours long
Time awake between sleep	2 or 3 hours
Longest stretch of nighttime sleep	5 to 10 hours
Bedtime should be around. ..	8 to 9:30 PM

When to Feed: Some pediatricians recommend adding in solid foods at 6+ months old. You'll still be breast or bottle feeding up to 5 times per day, but also supplementing with solid foods. To learn more about what solid food servings should look like, consult your pediatrician.

Zen tip: Now that you’ve started breaking sleep associations, you’ll need to help teach your baby to self soothe. Here’s what you can do: Remember those sleepiness cues? Use those to make sure you are putting your baby to sleep drowsy, but awake. Putting her down while she’s still awake will help her practice falling asleep on her own.  If you are still trying to wean night time feedings, give a dream feed a try, or keep cutting back on feeding time.

You can also use the Zen Sack to teach your baby to self soothe. Start by putting them down drowsy but awake in their Zen Sack. Then gently pat or rub the weighted center of the Zen Sack with your hand to help them make the association between the weight and your touch. Let them drift off to sleep, and if they wake up and cry out for you, just pat the weighted center again to soothe them. Try to avoid picking them up, as that can sometimes just re-stimulate them. The gentle pressure from the weighted center helps calm babies and they can use it to soothe themselves back to sleep without your help. You may even notice that your baby starts patting the weighted center themself to soothe back to sleep!

Learn more about how to teach self-soothing with the Zen Sack here.

Some parents decide to try sleep training around this age. To learn more, check out our Sleep Training Guide.

Sweeter Sleep Story “My baby sleeps really well when she has her Zen Sack on. She likes to stroke the front of the sack while she falls asleep. I really like that it gives her the reassurance of a light when on her chest when I move her from lap to crib, which we all know is the most crucial part of getting the baby to sleep!" - Velda M., 3/14/2018

The gently weighted Zen Sack helps teach your baby to fall asleep independently Try the Zen Sack

10-12 Months: avoiding sleep setbacks 

Your baby’s sleep patterns: look a bit more like an adults - except for the naps ;) Most likely, your baby is starting to sleep through the night, taking a couple naps a day and is spending much more of their time playing and exploring instead of sleeping!

The Biggest Challenge: At this stage, your biggest challenge will be any potential setbacks. Sleep regressions commonly occur at 8, 9, or 10 months old, and some babies even experience sleep regressions at 12 months old (when they’re getting ready to drop the 2nd nap). Different milestones, changes to routine or environment, and separation anxiety are some of the causes of sleep regressions or setbacks at this age. Read more about each type of sleep regression in Surviving Sleep Regressions.

Baby sleep schedule: 10-12 months

Your day should start around...	6 to 7:30 AM
Total hrs of sleep (in a 24-hr period)	11 to 14 hours
Naps	1 or 2 naps, each 1 to 2 hours long
Time awake between sleeps	2.5 to 3.5+ hours
Longest stretch of nighttime sleep	7 to 12 hours
Bedtime should be around. ..	8 to 9 PM

When to Feed: Usually you’ll still nurse or bottle feed 3 to 4 times per day, and supplement with solid foods. You may notice an increase in appetite around 10 months old due to the increase in your baby’s activity levels. This might require extra snacks throughout the day. Most babies are able to sleep through the night without a feeding at this age.

Zen tip: If your baby does experience a sleep setback during this time, it can be especially frustrating, not to mention, discouraging. Just when you thought you had it all figured out, they suddenly stop sleeping through the night or they hate naps all of a sudden.

From the experts “Responding with consistency and holding your baby to their personal best is a great way to overcome sleep setbacks as quickly as possible. It is important to minimize the confusion that our children experience by staying consistent in the messages we send them, in sleep and beyond!” - Brittney Stefanic, Brittney Stefanic Sleep Consulting

For help with naptime, read How to Get My Baby to Nap. 

For help with sleep regressions, read Surviving Sleep Regressions.

For additional sleep tips, read 7 Tips and Tricks on How to Get My Baby to Sleep.

For information on sleep training, read our Sleep Training Guide.

Baby sleep safety

No matter what age or stage your baby is at, it’s important to make sure their sleeping safely. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), your baby should always be placed on their back to sleep and the sleep surface should be firm and clear of all loose objects, including bedding, blankets, toys, stuffed animals, etc.

To learn more about baby sleep safety, especially when your baby starts to roll over, read Safe Sleep: Baby Sleeping on Side or Stomach.

To learn more about the AAP’s guidelines, visit How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained.

Sleeping through the night

While we walked you through the baby sleep schedules above, we explained that sleeping through the night happens around 6 months or older for most babies. Most babies will start sleeping longer stretches around the 6 week mark, but for some babies, the 4 to 6 week mark is the onset of colic or disruptive sleep due to other reasons. But it won’t last forever- I promise. Stay consistent with the feeding and sleep schedule, adapt to your baby’s changes and most importantly institute that consistent bedtime routine of bathing, reading, feeding, rocking. Before you know it, your baby will be sleeping through the night.

At 3-4 months old, your baby will still wake up once or twice to be fed, but the sleep stretches in-between will increase to 4-6 hours. You’ll see their number of naps reduce during the day, but again, the stretches of sleep will be longer. Remember that trying to implement a later bedtime for your baby in the hopes that they will sleep later will not work. Your baby needs to be put down before they are overtired and will wake on their own schedule – whether that’s 4 a.m. or 7 a.m. Refer back to our newborn sleep schedules for a suggested bedtime, or check out our Age-by-Age Bedtime Chart.

In fact, don’t be surprised if around 12 to 15 weeks, you find yourself crawling out of bed at all hours of the night to go check on your little one, who (to your surprise) is sleeping soundly! This is an adjustment for you just as much as your baby. Once you get used to waking up to calm or feed your baby every few hours, it can feel really odd not to once it stops - sometimes even alarming.

From the founder "Once I finally got our first son sleeping for those longer stretches, I still found myself waking up to go check on him and make sure he was okay. I even called our pediatrician to make sure nothing was wrong! She congratulated and assured me that it meant ‘He is getting good nutrition during daytime. Good job mom! Go get some sleep!’” - Manasi Gangan, Founder & President, Nested Bean

Read When Do Babies Sleep Through the night to find out when you can expect your baby to sleep through the night based on the milestones he or she has reached.

Read 8 Solutions to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night for additional tips on getting your baby to finally sleep all the way through the night and tips for helping baby sleep alone to help your baby become an independent sleeper.

 

Ultimately, these baby sleep schedules are just suggestions. Every baby is different. We can’t stress that enough. So, don’t compare your baby’s sleeping habits to another baby’s because they WILL be different. Like we said, some babies start sleeping for longer stretches right at six weeks (even earlier in some cases!) while other babies will take much longer to reach this milestone.

From the founder "Our first son slept through the night by 12 weeks while our second son was such a poor sleeper that he inspired me to create the Zen Swaddle. Every baby is completely different!" - Manasi Gangan, Founder & President, Nested Bean

Ultimately, YOU know what’s best for your baby, and YOU know when there’s something wrong. Don’t be stressing out when at 7 weeks your baby is still sleeping for 3 or 4 hours at a time while your friend’s baby is already sleeping through the night. If your instincts are telling you something’s up, call your pediatrician. But otherwise, just keep implementing those healthy sleep habits, sticking to your routine, and using your Zen Swaddle!

Other Sleep Resources

Healthychildren.Org: How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe?

National Library of Medicine: Newborn Circadian Rhythm

Journals. plos.org: Development of sleep states in the first weeks

National Library of Medicine: Help me make it through the night

Healthychildren.Org: Preemie Sleep Patterns

 

Common questions about newborn sleep schedules and patterns

What is a normal sleep pattern for a newborn?

The best newborn sleep schedule is one that works well for your baby's natural sleeping pattern. Generally, newborns sleep for around 8 hours during the day and then a further 8 hours during the night. Their sleep will be broken up into smaller 'chunks' depending on their hunger levels.

How do you get a newborn sleep schedule?

The best way to determine a good sleep schedule for your baby is to work around their natural waking and sleeping patterns. You can then work other things, such as feeding and changing, around their sleeping patterns also until you have an established schedule.

How many hours in a row should a newborn sleep?

Most newborns will sleep in short bursts of around 2-3 hours through both the day and the night. They will wake up to feed and to have a diaper change. Some newborns may be able to get more hours of sleep in a row and others may sleep even less!

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
• Tools to block out noise
• Temperature adjustments
• Sleeping audio
• Teaching your baby to self-soothe
• Dream feeding

 

child development from 0 to 1 month

03/01/2019

20

The long-awaited day has come and we finally arrived home with the baby from the maternity hospital. And now, in place of the hospital calmness, where everything seemed so clear, a wave of emotions swept over me. When and how often should I put him to bed? How to combine sleep and feeding from the first days? Should a child have a regime or should not organize a clear schedule?

All the knowledge was in theory, but it was not easy to put it into practice. Therefore, I share recommendations that it is good for a young mother to know in order to survive such a difficult first month! nine0003

Baby's routine

Before we talk about baby's daily routine, it's useful to remember a few facts about sleep in babies this age: Yes, all children are different - some sleep more, others less. But in general, babies need to sleep about 16-18 hours a day.

• The baby's sleep in the first weeks of life is not organized in any order due to the physiological immaturity of the brain. nine0020
• Now it is more important for parents to create suitable conditions so that the baby will quickly get used to the new world and new environmental conditions. Therefore, all actions to organize the child's day regimen will be directed to this.
• Before the age of 4 months, the neurological maturation of the child takes place, which is necessary for setting up sleep processes in the future.
• Focus on the planned date of delivery (PDR), and not on the actual age, when you want to make an approximate regimen for the day of the baby. nine0020
• The baby will sleep in any conditions.
• Use different methods of soothing: swaddling, motion sickness, sleeping on the chest, in a stroller, a pacifier (when breastfeeding only after lactation is established).

Given these facts, we can say that it is difficult to create a clear day schedule of 1 month.

Daytime sleep

Daytime dreams will not differ from nighttime. During the day, a newborn baby can sleep both 3-4 hours and 20-40 minutes in one dream. nine0003

The longest sleep period can be in a day.

How do you know when a baby wants to sleep again? Focus on signs of fatigue in a child: if he rubs his eyes, looks at one point, sucks his thumb, then it's time for him to sleep. It is also recommended not to exceed the awake time for more than 50-60 minutes if the previous sleep was more than an hour. If the sleep was less than an hour, the period of activity of the crumbs will be the same amount of time. Overworking the child leads to long bedtimes, restless sleep at night and an incomprehensible daily routine. nine0003




Night sleep

Sleep can be about 7-10 hours at night. The baby will wake up for feeding. If in the evening your baby began to cry non-stop for several hours, it could be colic. The period of colic lasts up to 6-8 weeks. After feeding, hold the baby upright - this will help his digestion, do a light massage of the tummy.

If you suspect that crying is not related to colic, be sure to contact your doctor. If you are formula feeding, talk to your pediatrician - it is possible that changing infant formula will improve the baby's condition. nine0003

Confusion of day and night

Until 6-8 weeks of age, babies may confuse day and night due to an unformed biological clock.

Take your baby out to bright light during the day and dim the lights at home in the evening. Use a night light with a warm, low light at night during feedings and diaper changes.

How to make it clear to a child of 1 month of age that it is time to start the day or go to bed?

Rituals will come to the rescue - daily repeated actions after waking up or going to bed. In the morning it can be hygiene procedures, and in the evening - bathing, quiet games, swaddling and a lullaby. nine0003

Baby bed

For the prevention of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), certain rules are followed when organizing a baby bed.

1. Always place your newborn on their back. This is the safest position for a baby right now.

2. Avoid overheating the baby - it is more dangerous for him than the cold. Therefore, pay attention to the temperature in the room: it should not exceed 21-23 degrees in winter and 25 degrees in summer. nine0003

3. The child needs to sleep on a flat, firm surface, without blankets, pillows, bumpers, toys or other things.

4. A separate nursery is not needed for up to six months, and sometimes up to a year - a crib in the parents' room is an ideal option for a child to relax. You can remove one wall of the crib and attach it to the bed of the parents. So the baby will be as close as possible to mom at night, but at the same time on a separate surface.

   nine0020

Tips to help your newborn sleep

Feeding your newborn

Feeding on demand is considered to be the best way to manage your newborn's diet.

In the early days, breastfeed as often as possible. This stimulates milk production. We feed from 15 to 90 minutes. Prolonged feeding allows a newborn baby not only to satisfy hunger, but also to survive the stress after childbirth and get used to the new world. After the baby is likely to fall asleep. Night feedings are equally important for both the baby and the mother. They will mostly occur every 3-4 hours. nine0003

To improve lactation, also try to feed in the early hours of the night.

If a breastfed baby is eating well and gaining weight, he does not need additional food and fluids until 4-6 months of age.

Walking

An important part of the daily routine of a newborn this month. Walking outside helps set your baby's biological clock and improves sleep. You can walk with a healthy and full-term baby starting from the 10th day of life. Increase the time of outdoor walks gradually until the child is 1 year old, starting from 10 minutes in winter and 20 minutes in summer. nine0003

As you can see, in the first month the child's regimen is reduced to establishing a certain sequence of actions: sleep-wakefulness-feeding-games/walk, and there is no clear timetable yet.

Tell us, did you manage to organize sleep and feeding in the first weeks of your baby's life? What were the difficulties?




Like this article? Rate:

Votes: 293

How many times a newborn wakes up in a night

06/19/2015

190337

305

Knowledge Base

0-3 months

Article

Tatyana Chkhikvishvili

Tatyana Chkhikvishvili

Head of the Online Programs, Psychologist, Consultant for Snn and Hour

Mother of two children

Your life has changed - a baby has appeared in it. Along with an overflowing feeling of happiness, a mother often has many questions about caring for a baby. And this is quite natural, because the first month of a child's life is not only a great joy, but also a new responsibility. nine0003

Sleep plays a special role in the correct and harmonious development of a child, so every mother wants to learn as much as possible about this important process in a baby's life. How much should a newborn baby sleep per day? How many hours should a newborn sleep during the day and how many at night? How many hours does it cost him to stay awake during the day? When should a mother put her baby to bed at night? Should I keep the same sleep pattern day and night? How many times can a newborn baby wake up during the night? These questions often arise in front of parents in the first weeks after the birth of a child. nine0003

0–4 months. Improve sleep in 3 weeks

How much should a newborn sleep per day?

It may seem that a newborn baby in the first week sleeps almost all the time, day and night. So it is: the sleep of a baby up to a month is the same day and night. A newborn baby sleeps in short bursts and wakes up every 1 to 3 hours to eat before going back to sleep. This is a very important period in the life of the baby: in a dream, the child adapts to a new, not yet familiar way of life outside, not inside. nine0003

On average, a newborn baby under the age of one month sleeps 16-19 hours a day. But all children are very different, and deviations from the average values ​​up or down are possible.

Poll

What sleeping position was recommended for your baby in the hospital?

(you can choose one or more options)

• On the side
• On the back
• On the stomach
• Half-side
• Did not say anything

Voted: 94210003

How long a child is awake less than a month old

The periods of wakefulness of a child depend on how long he is able to stay in the active phase (not sleep) without fatigue. It is difficult for an excessively tired child to fall asleep, sleep can be restless and intermittent due to overwork, a newborn child may wake up more often. The result of such a dream can be excessive tearfulness of the baby and, as a result, anxiety of the mother and frequent rises at night.

The ease of falling asleep also depends on how long the child is awake. Usually a newborn at the age of 1-2 weeks can be awake during the day without overwork for 40-50 minutes. At 3–5 weeks, this time increases to 50–60 minutes. But it is increasing rather slowly. Even by 4 months, the waking time is only 2 hours. This time includes feeding, preparing for bed, and laying down. nine0003

If your baby cries at bedtime, has trouble falling asleep, sleeps poorly, wakes up crying every hour or more, you probably need to put him to bed a little earlier and reduce wakefulness periods.

A baby under 4-5 weeks of age should not be more than an hour awake!

Newborn sleep while breastfeeding

An infant who is breastfed wakes up every 1. 5-3 hours on average. If a newborn baby sleeps next to his mother, then when he wakes up, he quickly finds the breast, attaches to it and, having eaten, calmly falls asleep again. This way of co-sleeping is more often convenient for both mother and baby: mother does not have to wake up every time, especially at night, get up to the crib and shift the child to her. nine0003

Formula-fed newborn sleep

Formula-fed newborns have slightly different sleep and wake times than breastfed babies. One of the reasons is the rate of digestion of breast milk - it is higher than that of formula milk. The mixture allows you to prolong the feeling of satiety of the child, so for 2-3 hours a well-fed baby may never wake up.

The size of the portion also affects the duration of sleep: infants drink a different amount of breast milk at each meal and sometimes they may “not finish eating”, so their sleep time may be shorter than for formula-fed babies who receive milk formula in equal portions. nine0003

Remember that a child can wake up not only from hunger. He may be bothered by colic or a wet diaper. Also, the quality and duration of sleep is affected by the microclimate in the room. A humidifier will be a good helper, especially during the heating season. And don't forget to air out the nursery before getting ready for bed.

Remember to air out your child's room before going to bed.

Child development stage

Children are born with a range of reflexes. Some of them gradually fade away over several weeks and months, while others remain. The main reflexes of a newborn baby are the reflex of sucking, swallowing and regurgitation. While this is enough for the baby to begin to develop. Newborn babies do not control their movements and cannot hold their heads or roll over on their own. It is because of uncontrolled movements that a newborn can wake up. Therefore, sleep consultants advise swaddling in the first months. Each mother herself decides on the need for swaddling, based on personal preferences and characteristics of the baby. nine0003

In the first 2 weeks of life, a newborn is practically insensitive to signals from the outside world, especially when sleeping. He may not respond to loud and harsh sounds, bright lights and movements. The child goes through a difficult adaptation period in the first month of his life, and sleep is partly a protective function of the body. It helps to get used to the changes that happened to the baby immediately after birth, allowing you to gradually and gently adapt to a new, yet unfamiliar world. This is one of the reasons why a newborn sleeps so many hours every day. nine0003

Sleep this month is affected by:

• No body clock set. Newborn babies don't live in a 24-hour rhythm. Their sleep does not depend on the time of day. The need to feed every couple of hours in the first month of life causes fragmented sleep both at night and during the day.
• Absence of "day" and "night". The kid does not know that now the night has come and it's time to sleep, and the day is the time for walking and playing. The rhythm of sleep and wakefulness of the child still needs to be tuned in over the coming months. It is important from the first days of life to show the child the difference between day and night, in order to avoid the very common problem of "mixed up day and night." nine0020
• Neonatal rhinitis. Does the newborn cry during breastfeeding or bottle feeding, does not calm down during feeding, does not fall asleep at the end of it? Sensation as if he were disturbed by a stuffy nose. Why this happens, how to help the baby and when it is important to show the child to the doctor in a short video tells the sleep specialist Irina Zavalko.

The video was made with the support of Chicco, a favorite children's brand. nine0003

Daytime sleep

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