The sleep of a newborn baby is a question that poses many doubts for moms, especially first-time moms. Because babies usually wake up numerous times in the early morning hours in need of diaper changes and feedings, these first few weeks of life can be very stressful, specially for first time parents.
The newborn has some sleep characteristics of its own, which should be known by the parents so that they can observe their child and look for ways to ensure that they have quality sleep. In the near future, this will also be reflected in benefits for the couple's sleep.
Read today's post to find out how to help your baby sleep better.
How does a newborn sleep? Understand that both an adult person and a baby have the same sleep phases. They are as follows :
Drowsiness: wakefulness ceases, the body begins to produce melatonin (a substance that induces sleep);
Light sleep: breathing and heart rate lowering, muscles relaxing, profound slumber occurring;
REM sleep (rapid eye movement): the stage during which dreams occur.
The difference is that the newborn needs to sleep more hours a day and in shorter periods. At birth, the baby sleeps between 16 and 18 hours a day, divided into periods of approximately 3 hours, with no difference in distribution between day and night.
In the newborn, the sleep cycle is regulated, above all, by the sensations of hunger and satiety. Therefore, the baby usually wakes up when he is hungry or when he needs to be changed. Babies who exclusively breastfeed tend to wake up at shorter intervals of 2 hours, because this milk is more rapidly digested than formula milk.
How important is quality sleep?
Having quality sleep is important from birth to adulthood. This is most evident for newborns, because it is during sleep that various body functions are regulated and strengthened.
Sleep is important for the infant because:
✔️ During deep sleep, the growth hormone is released, as well as cortisol and other essential substances;
✔️ It's important because the child memorizes the events of the day;
✔️ Quality sleep ensures that the baby is calm when awake, making it easier for him to interact with his parents.
How to improve your baby's sleep? Check out these tips
Although it often seems like a challenge, there are some strategies to improve your baby's sleep and stimulate increased periods of continuous sleep in the future.
Change the lighting throughout the day
It is important to show the difference between day and night from the baby's first weeks. This will help him get used to sleeping more at night and staying awake during the day.
In the morning and afternoon, let plenty of natural light into the house and take your child for walks outdoors. It is also necessary to keep sounds at their normal volume. When evening comes, turn down the lighting in the rooms of the house and the volume of conversations. If the baby wakes up in the middle of the night, turn on only a dim light.
2. Create a Sleep Routine
Mother and baby together should create a sleep routine. The elements used on a daily basis are at the mother's discretion, realizing what works best for her baby. The important thing is to associate sleep with relaxing activities, such as
Warm bath;
Relaxing massage with oils;
Lullabies;
Calm conversations with the baby.
Regular sleep rituals help the baby understand bedtime and consequently fall asleep more easily.
4. Use night-time diapers
The tendency is that, with time, the baby will sleep for more hours at night. During this transition phase, it is interesting to use night-time diapers that can handle more pee and require fewer changes. This way, you won’t be needing to interfere with your baby’s sleep and he can sleep for a longer time.
5. Wait a while before picking up the baby
Most parents nowadays use baby monitors with cameras and microphones to track their children from a distance, i use it myself and i gotta tell you, its life saving!
One important tip is ,when you notice that the baby has started to move and is waking up
(opened his eyes), wait a little while before picking him up. Wait a few minutes; this gives your baby the opportunity to go back to sleep on his own, which might not happen if he is picked up.
6. Be patient
Thank you Mommylu. This post has been so helpful , i used your sleeping schedule on my girl and it helped a lot.❤️ I can finally sleep.