Helping your
BABY SLEEP
FOR NEWBORN
The NHS recommandations, but made simple. From a former NICU nurse in France and Sleep Consultant today, who likes flash cards.
These recommandations focus on:
- babies born full term
- during their first 30 days (0 - 1 month)
- with additional notes for when a condition makes the guidelines slightly different (in case of breastfeeding for example)
Disclaimer: The guidelines for premature and or little weight newborn can differ from a baby born full term. If your child is born prematurely or you wonder if you might need to follow premature's guidelines too, I recommend you to ask your health carer or even drop me a question, I will clarify it for you.
⎯⎯⎯⎯ THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NEWBORN SLEEP
Some babies sleep much more than others. The spectrum of expected amount of sleep for new born is wide, so
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If baby is sleeping long stretch (up to 4 to even 6 hours somedays), you don't need to wake them up for a feed, they are gonna be ok. *except if you breastfeed
if you want to build and maintain your breastmilk lactation, investigate another approach with your health carer -
If your baby is doing short bursts (and they don't feel uncomfortable), it is as biologically normal as other patterns!
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If your baby feeding - sleeping pattern feels chaotic to you and keep changing, it's not you, it's biology taking place and evolving at a rapid pace * if you still wonder if something is wrong.
It's okay. Give it 3 or 4 days to see how it goes. You can always write it down and mention it during your next health visit - you have a lot planned for you and baby during the first month, nothing will be left un-noticed) -
If your baby's feeding - sleeping needs seems unbearable to you, it is so okay : It not you. Babies patterns are still radically different than ours, and is really likely to not fit your own need for sleep as an adult. So it's okay to implement shifts between multiple carers, and/or discharge your self from energy-taking activities (like push to later social events *here is a loving auntie masterclass, for the relatives that really want to be present for you and your baby, cleaning the house, etc)
DAY AND NIGHT CONFUSION? ⎯⎯⎯⎯
After few days getting use to your baby's pattern you might notice that he sleeps a lot during the day and wakes up multiple times at night.
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It is not a confusion, that requiers your to fix anything
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It is only the biological body experiencing lights for the first time (compared to 9 month in dark womb)
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It's called the circadian rhythm, the internal body clock that coordinates all human-being to sleep at night and be active during the day.
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It's massively influenced by the alternance between light and dark
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and takes overall 3-4 months to fully settled after birth (whether you sleep train or teach your baby that night is for sleeping)
What you can do though is to expose at home your baby to the same pattern of outside world, meaning.
What's can be great boosters :
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Have a morning walk
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Awake (day)time and naps exposed to natural light (Nope, no need for nap to be in the dark)
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Do not focus on having a silent house during the day, do your life as usual
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Keep the lights down low, when sun has gone
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Keep the intervention to minimum at night (as nurturing as needed but not playful)
Do not focus too much on building "wrong or good" sleep association. Neuronal associations can be re-wired within 3 to 5 days, while biology takes weeks to adjusts.Biology first, play with sleep association then.
The place where your baby sleep doesn't change the quality of sleep your baby is gonna get (in the arm or in the crib, its the same quality of sleep), but once place compare to another can more of less likely to disturb the course of your baby sleep:
From the easiest to the most challenging for your baby:
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In your arms standing (or in the baby sling)
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In your arms
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Bed-sharing (baby shares the bed with you)
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Room sharing (same room but different sleeping space)
For a matter of safety, baby can sleep well in... but:
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The car seat but, his neck being curled like that can obstruct the air-way
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The swaddle but, they can easily overheat
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With you asleep in the sofa but, the risk of falling is really high
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Bed-sharing but, only if you made the sleep space low risk
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It's own room but, sleeping in the same room is highly recommended because it can reduce the risk of SIDS during the first month
⎯⎯⎯⎯ WHERE SHOULD BY BABY SLEEP
ABOUT BEDTIME ROUTINE
Many parents are told that a bedtime routine is key to good sleep. But here’s the thing—newborns won't be influenced by the predictability of a structured sequence of activities leading to sleep, like an older child might. It is too early for your baby to think “Oh, it’s bath time, so that means bedtime is coming.” What they can do, however, is be sensory-wired for sleep. And that’s where your focus should be.
It’s not about what you do in a specific order, or building sleep association either but rather about which sensory experiences are soothing enough to help your baby settle and let sleep unfold?
Between birth and 3 to 4 months, here are things wise investing:
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Changing into a fresh (not wet, not heavy) nappy
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Night clothes (more confortable)
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Dimming the lights in the room
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Switch to create a soothing atmosphere (silence or white noise depending on babies)
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Cuddle and balancing in gentle rhythm pattern
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Singing a lullaby or humming a song
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Talking to (not with), reading a story
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Having a spa-like bath or simple massage
"It’s not about getting your baby into a bedtime routine, but about getting yourself into the routine of giving them time for bed."
It is now well accepted, welcomed among common knowledge that every baby has their very own rhythm, one baby can have a very different need than another.
But yet it's still more than overlook that it nears that the goal isn't to fit your baby into a perfect schedule but to observe, understand, and adapt.
With that in mind, here are a few key numbers to help you get started, guide you through the first months, and show you when to worry—and when to allow yourself some flexibility.
1 month newborn:
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total sleep ( nap +night) ⏤ 11h to 19h
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sleep stretch at night ⏤ rarely up to 5 hours
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wake window⏤ 30 - 60 min
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window to play ⏤ 10 min
by 3 month:
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total sleep ⏤ 10h to 18h
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sleep stretch at night ⏤ up to 8 hours
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wake window⏤ 60-90 min
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window to play ⏤ 10 - 20min
The amount of sleep is rarely what makes us concerned about your baby, but your baby's ability to rest will help us notice underlying challenge your baby might have :
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Often inconsolable cries
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Will start but not finish a feed
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Body really and often tense
If you see the following seek immediate medical attention:
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struggling to breathe,
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high-pitched noises,
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or will miss (multiple) feed because of exhaustion
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not alert or responding well even while awake
⎯⎯⎯⎯ HOW MUCH SLEEP IS ENOUGH FOR A BABY?
