In the early days, newborn sleep habits vary greatly, but many new parents want to know when they may start putting their baby on a schedule and what to expect. There are many things that parents are unaware of. That is why I have created this blog to assist them. Let’s have a look at it!
Table of Contents
Sleep Routines for Newborns
Newborns do not sleep for lengthy periods of time
Newborns sleep for brief periods of time, usually between 30 minutes and 4 hours, at seemingly random times during the day and night.
Newborns are readily awakened
This is due in part to the fact that they spend so much of their sleep duration in “sleep cycles,” a light sleep stage marked by fluttering eyelids, fast, erratic respiration, intermittent body movements, and vocalizations.
The amount of time a newborn sleep varies greatly
The average infant sleeps 16-18 hours each day in the first few days. By four weeks, newborns are sleeping for roughly 14 hours on average. However, there is a wide variety. Some four-week-old newborns sleep for just nine hours out of a 24-hour period. Others sleep for a total of 19 hours every day.
How can we assist infants adjust to the natural 24-hour day?
Make your infant a regular part of your day
When parents immerse their babies in daily activities, the baby may adjust to the 24-hour day more quickly.
At night, turn down the stimulation
Keep activities to a minimal when your baby wakes up for night feedings. Make as little noise as possible and keep your kid as still as possible. You should try to avoid awakening her “completely.” If it isn’t possible, at the very least attempt to reduce the amount of noise. You want your child to understand that evening is for sleeping and calm.
Allow your baby to be exposed to natural lighting patterns.
Although light signals may not immediately synchronise baby sleep patterns, they do aid. In one research, for example, babies slept longer at night if their parents followed a consistent strategy of turning out the lights by 9 p.m. And spending time outside might make a significant impact. Babies who are exposed to significantly more daylight during the day than those who are confined indoors all day may have stronger circadian rhythms as just a consequence.
Try massaging your baby
Moms who massaged their babies with lotion before bedtime had better newborn sleep outcomes than mothers who massaged without lotion or mothers who didn’t massage at all.
The Sleep Cycles of Newborns: Why Do They Sleep So Little?
When we initially fall asleep as adults, we go through a few of light sleep stages before entering a profound sleep state. Following that, we enter REM sleep, often known as “rapid eye movement” sleep, which is associated with dreaming and a decrease of muscular tone. During REM, we don’t move much. Hence, when REM is over, we either wake up or go back to light sleep, and the cycle begins again. You know a single sleep cycle lasts roughly 90-100 minutes for the average adult. Many times during the night, we may be partially awakened. During transitions between phases, light sleep, and REM, though, we’re more likely to wake up “all the way.”
How to prevent your light sleeper from waking up in the middle of the night?
1. Do not rush in if you believe your baby has awoke
2. Fill up the baby’s tank before you go to bed
3. If you’re giving your infant formula, look for one that has DHA
