A research about children, says that for first few days a newborn generally sleeps for about 16-18 hours a day. A 4-week old sleeps for about 14 hours a day on an average. However, the range of average sleep in a 4-week old varies. Some 4-week-old babies sleep for 19 hours a day and some only for 9 hours. The sleep pattern of newborns is different from that of adults. Adults sleep in one stretch for 6 to 8 hours and if you are parenting a newborn, you feel blessed if you can squeeze four-hour sleep without disturbance. Now, the point to note here is that these numbers are, well, just numbers. Your baby might not be catching as many z’s as your friends, and that, is not a cause for worry.
Newborns are not adapted to the day and night pattern of sleep. They do sleep a lot, but for a short bout of 30 to 50 minutes. Their sleep state compromises of two stages, the active sleep stage and the quiet sleep stage. In active sleep, the baby can wake up to any sort of disturbance within minutes. Newborn naps are 75% of this active sleep, which is why parents do not see their babies sleeping for longer duration. The sleeping pattern of a baby is governed by the length of time it takes him to feed, digest and become hungry again. As the internal clock for sleeping is yet being shaped, the sleep episodes of your baby will be brief and in regular intervals around the clock. Parents often have problems with babies who sleep all day and wake up at night. You can manage this by helping your child adapt to night and day rhythms. Having said that, longer stretches of sleep are also not healthy for newborn babies who need to feed often to develop and grow. Newborn babies have small tummies, and they cannot fill them for longer durations. As your baby grows up, she will be able to eat better and subsequently sleep better.
As you have read above, newborns are yet to develop the internal clock, which helps to maintain sleep patterns. They are oblivious to identify day and night and sleep when they feel sleepy and tired. A baby with an empty stomach will not go to sleep. A baby who is exhausted also resists sleep. The need for diaper change also wakes up your baby. Some babies would be so stimulated that even when they are tired, they detest sleep. Besides these normal reasons, change in environment and some medical conditions are also responsible for your baby’s restless sleep. Medical reasons that make your baby restless and sleepless are snoring and breathing irregularities, allergy to certain substances, acid reflux, fever, infections, teething, upset stomach etc. Take advice from your childcare specialist in such situations.
When it comes to babies, remember that fussiness is a general way to learn to self soothe. Some babies sleep peacefully during the day and then wish to spend all their energy in the night. Well. The first thing to do in such a case is to experiment with the sleep schedules. What you should know that adults and their sleep cycles are guided by the exposure to light, and your baby will take some time to adapt to the concept of day and night. See if it helps to cut a nap during the day, or making it a quick one in the day. Try to sensitize your baby towards days and nights – do not dim the lights with heavy curtains in the day, and make her realize that day is for play, night for rest. Though it will take time, it will gradually be observed that the baby associates dark and dim with sleep and rest.
Some babies just cannot get enough of their mothers! Make sure the baby burps after a feed and is not uncomfortable or colicky. Playing around with your diet also help, for example a cup of coffee just before a feed can make your baby alert and active! You should also consider that breastfed babies have a physical need to nurse, about every two to three hours during the newborn phase whereas formula-fed babies about four to five hours. Let your baby settle down on her own, if she again roots for your breast, it may just be the comfort factor. Unless the cries last more than 5 minutes or sound high pitched or urgent, you can try and see if your baby can sleep by herself. Also, once your baby has arrived on a sleep schedule, be prepared to see it disturbed during the times of teething, travel, illness etc.
Pregnancy can be a roller-coaster ride, sure enough. But the baby is not going to sleep through the night in the first few months of his life! Hold your expectations and strike a pact with reality. Your newborn is going to need feeds every few hours, will toss, turn, cry, and even wet his diapers all night through. You will need to work through these early challenges by looping in your spouse or some other family member. A newborn’s sleep can be erratic, and unpredictable, As your baby’s systems mature and he is able to sleep better and longer during the nights.
Parents should try to take naps when their baby sleeps. It is at least better than no sleep at all. Take turns with your partner to attend your baby when he or she sleeps at night. This period will not last long, gradually your baby will learn to adjust with day and night rhythms and develop a sleep pattern. However, the fussiness, the crying and all the sleep troubles will crop up again when the baby is teething, sick or going through some other developmental phase.
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