If your newborn sleeping has trouble, you can help the baby stay asleep by creating a soothing sleep environment:
- Ensure the baby is fed, has a clean diaper, and is dressed in a warm and dry.
- Keep the room temperature between 68 and 72 degrees.
- Dim the lights and turn off any distractions that may support your baby from sleeping.
- Try to limit your interactions with your newborn during the nighttime.
You’ll soon find that a newborn sleeps in a predictable pattern. It can take up to 12 weeks for your baby to become settled into a routine and establish a regular sleep pattern. It isn’t unusual, though. Newborns sleep because their bodies need a certain amount of rest and development. They have a physiologic clock called the circadian rhythm, which begins to develop as soon as they’re born.
A newborn sleeps in four stages. First, the baby will be in light sleep and enter a phase called NREM. Stage two involves drowsiness and crying. Stages three and four will be deep sleep with the baby rarely moving. If the baby doesn’t get enough oxygen at night, it may have trouble waking up. If a newborn isn’t getting enough rest, it’s time to take steps to promote a peaceful sleep environment for the baby.
While sleeping on the side is safer than belly sleeping, the risks remain. Aside from the dangers of rolling on their stomach, babies should sleep on their backs. They should also sleep on their backs and sides and never rest on their bellies. Besides, side sleeping is associated with higher incidences of SIDS. As a result, parents must ensure that their babies are adequately rested and safe.
Newborns sleep for up to 18 hours during the day. These sleep times are given as a range because newborns have different sleeping patterns from adults. A newborn may stay awake for only thirty minutes in between nap times. Once they reach their second or third month, they can be awake for an hour or two. Then, they will wake up to be fed between naps. This pattern continues for another six months, but the rest of their time is spent sleeping.
Although your newborn spends more time sleeping than awake, monitoring their sleep patterns is essential. A newborn does not know how to follow a schedule and may not sleep at a predictable time. Therefore, a sleep diary is necessary for parents worried about the infant’s sleeping habits. You can then compare these patterns to their peers and adjust accordingly. The sleep pattern of your newborn will determine whether you need to intervene to get more sleep.
A baby may become overtired and fussy if it is overtired. Learning to recognize the signs of sleepiness in your newborn will allow you to adjust the schedule. Even if your baby is a regular sleeper, they may have underlying conditions that prevent them from getting enough sleep. If your newborn does not respond to your sleep cues, it may be time for you to see a paediatrician.
