Babies sleep a lot, though it may not seem like it when they are awake in the middle of the night wanting to play with you rather than go back to sleep. Babies do all of their growing while they are asleep and without good sleep, they can fall behind in development. Fortunately, most babies sleep as much as they are supposed to and how much sleep they are getting is not a concern. Your concern may be how to survive until they start sleeping more than a few hours at a time. Here are some things to look out for when thinking about how your baby sleeps and newborn sleep patterns.
Most newborns will only sleep a few hours at a time when they are first born and up to the first month of life, though some babies start sleeping longer soon after birth. At first, however, be prepared to get up often to feed your baby. This is typical of newborn sleep patterns for all babies. They may get up only long enough to eat and have a diaper change before they fall back asleep. You will not be so lucky. Once you are up you may have trouble falling back asleep, even when you have not had much. Take this time to do a chore or two if you can not sleep, but don't do things to get yourself too worked up and even more awake. Sleep when you can, even if it is mid afternoon.
Once baby starts to sleep for three or even four hours a time, you may think that you are finally going to get your sleep too and that they are leaving newborn sleep patterns behind. You could be very wrong. They may do this for a day or two and then go back to getting up every two hours. What you want to do is try to encourage more sleep at night and less during the day. Keep them in a quieter and darker environment at night and near people and noise while napping during the day. This helps them learn when they are to sleep more and when being awake is more welcome. It may take a while, but they will get the hang of it. Be playful during the day and business-like at night.
Soon enough, you will have the first night when you wake up and realize your baby has slept for about six hours. This will be when you baby is no longer in newborn sleep patterns. They may not do it every night after that, but you may soon find that this is the rule rather than the exception. Enjoy getting more sleep, and also look forward to more awake, alert time during the day. Once these days are upon you, you will soon forget how tired you were dealing with newborn sleep patterns. You will have all new reasons to be tired.
When you are tired, grumpy, and up for the third time in one night, remember that your baby has newborn sleep patterns for a reason. They are growing faster now than they ever will any other time in life, and they need fuel to keep up with that growth. If you have a preemie, they are going to sleep longer, but you have to wake them up to eat so they do not fall behind. Sleep means growth and maturity and eating is the reason they can keep going. The cute smiles, coos, and gurgles will make it all worthwhile. Hang in there, those days are right around the corner.
Most newborns will only sleep a few hours at a time when they are first born and up to the first month of life, though some babies start sleeping longer soon after birth. At first, however, be prepared to get up often to feed your baby. This is typical of newborn sleep patterns for all babies. They may get up only long enough to eat and have a diaper change before they fall back asleep. You will not be so lucky. Once you are up you may have trouble falling back asleep, even when you have not had much. Take this time to do a chore or two if you can not sleep, but don't do things to get yourself too worked up and even more awake. Sleep when you can, even if it is mid afternoon.
Once baby starts to sleep for three or even four hours a time, you may think that you are finally going to get your sleep too and that they are leaving newborn sleep patterns behind. You could be very wrong. They may do this for a day or two and then go back to getting up every two hours. What you want to do is try to encourage more sleep at night and less during the day. Keep them in a quieter and darker environment at night and near people and noise while napping during the day. This helps them learn when they are to sleep more and when being awake is more welcome. It may take a while, but they will get the hang of it. Be playful during the day and business-like at night.
Soon enough, you will have the first night when you wake up and realize your baby has slept for about six hours. This will be when you baby is no longer in newborn sleep patterns. They may not do it every night after that, but you may soon find that this is the rule rather than the exception. Enjoy getting more sleep, and also look forward to more awake, alert time during the day. Once these days are upon you, you will soon forget how tired you were dealing with newborn sleep patterns. You will have all new reasons to be tired.
When you are tired, grumpy, and up for the third time in one night, remember that your baby has newborn sleep patterns for a reason. They are growing faster now than they ever will any other time in life, and they need fuel to keep up with that growth. If you have a preemie, they are going to sleep longer, but you have to wake them up to eat so they do not fall behind. Sleep means growth and maturity and eating is the reason they can keep going. The cute smiles, coos, and gurgles will make it all worthwhile. Hang in there, those days are right around the corner.
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