Creating Sleep Routines In Newborns

The sleep habits of newborns are often the source of concern and frustration for many new parents. Just as babies grow and change in size, ability, and personality, so will their sleeping patterns. There are several things parents can do to encourage their babies to establish consistent sleep patterns that will eventuate into nights of peaceful slumber.

Sleep that lasts for longer than 2 hours in duration often eludes parents of newborns. Newborns need to eat often and long periods of sleep during the first weeks do not accommodate this need. Often pediatricians will advise that newborns be encouraged to eat every 4 hours or so. Regular nutrition from either their mother or by bottle is required for healthy development.

Once the nutritional needs have been addressed, parents also need to remember that newborns typically do not recognize differences between day and night, and sleep and wake patterns can seem very erratic. It might take several weeks for newborns to adjust their deep sleep time to the nighttime hours. Even when this is occurring, many newborns will still wake 2 to 4 times per night to eat.

As part of the process of helping newborns adjust their sleeping habits, parents should begin to provide bedtime routines. These can include bathing, even those early sponge baths, quietly reading books, rocking, and singing softly. The crib or cradle should be in a place used only for sleep, free of any toys or unsafe, loose materials. During the day time hours, parents can use a portable crib or mat on the floor for a play zone and tummy time. Establishing early on where sleeping occurs will help promote healthier sleep habits.

Besides hunger, newborns sometimes wake because they are uncomfortable, either because they have a wet or dirty diaper or perhaps because they have an upset stomach. When newborn babies wake at night, parents need to interact quietly with their babies in as dark of a room as possible. Night lights are good, inexpensive ways to provide enough light by which to change a diaper, but not so much as to resemble day time. When a newborn awakes in the middle of the night, parents can change diapers, and then either breast or bottle feed. It is important to always burp the baby, even if the baby falls asleep during the feeding. Doing so will help to alleviate upset stomachs later in the night.

Some parents fear that cuddling their newborns at night will cause them to have poor sleep habits. Often it is in these first weeks, however, that babies simply need physical contact as much as they need food. Some babies will wake at night to seek out that comfort of close physical contact, and it can be effective to spend some extra time snuggling after a changing or feeding. They developed for nine months with the sounds and experiences of their mothers and are often comforted by that shared closeness. Providing newborns with physical comfort and security will usually result in calmer babies.

Parents shouldn’t feel discouraged if they hear from other parents about infants who are sleeping soundly at 2 weeks of age. These are the exceptions to the rules, and typically these scenarios do not last long for any one baby. As infants go through various stages of growth and nutritional needs, emotional needs, and issues such as teething and illnesses, the sleep habits can be easily affected. Maintaining quiet nighttime routines is the best way to help newborns develop sleeping habits that will eventually include long periods of rest at night, for both baby and family.

Baby Sleep Issues Seeking to discover ways to get your newborn to sleep through the night? Then check out www.BabySleepAtNight.com for more info and download loads of FREE parenting resources. Ferber Baby Sleep