Newborn Sleep 101: Your Top Baby Sleep Questions Answered
7 minute read
If you’re expecting a baby in the near future… Getting your baby to SLEEP is one of the biggest sources of stress when it comes to anticipating your baby’s arrival.
You want to set a healthy sleep foundation for your baby, but you have so many questions about how to get there. If you’re feeling insecure or unprepared to help your baby sleep in those early weeks, don’t worry you’re in the right place!
Here are the basics of what to expect during the newborn stage (0-3 months) along with some tips for how to create healthy sleep habits.
Newborns Sleep…a lot!
Did you know that your baby will sleep more than half of their first year of life (National Institute of Health)? It may not seem like it, but that ends up being about 75% of your baby’s entire day! That’s a lot of time spent sleeping!
Good, quality sleep during their first year of life allows your baby’s brain and nervous system to go through a crazy amount of development. They begin to develop active thinking, learning, and the formation of behavior which will prepare them for the years to come (National Institute of Health).
Proper sleep and good nutrition also help your baby to develop physically. Your baby’s body makes HGH (Human Growth Hormone) while they sleep, which not only helps their body grow but also repairs muscles, tissue, and bone. This helps your baby to grow bigger and gain better motor skills.
So don’t worry if your newborn is sleeping a lot throughout the day. They are busy growing and need their beauty sleep!
Do Newborns Sleep All Day?
During the first few weeks and months of your baby’s life, it may seem like your newborn sleeps all day! Most newborns sleep in bursts of 30–45 minutes to as long as 3–4 hours. And they’ll spend the time in-between these periods eating.
Your newborn will start off sleeping around the clock. This is because newborns don’t yet have a sense of day and night — often called day/night confusion.
And because their tiny stomachs don’t hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for long, they wake often to eat — no matter what time of day or night it is.
In the first couple of weeks, it’s totally normal for your newborn baby to wake up to feed and then go right back to sleep. They may even be so sleepy during those first 1-2 weeks, that they have a hard time staying up long enough to get a full feeding!
And as your newborn gets a bit older — typically around 3-4 weeks old — they’ll start to be able to stay awake for longer periods of time. You’ll notice that they’ll finish eating and still have energy for more snuggles, tummy time, or activities.
How Many Hours a Day Does a Newborn Sleep?
The short answer? A LOT! In a 24-hour period, newborn babies sleep between 14 and 17 hours a day (The National Sleep Foundation). Some newborns sleep even longer — up to 18-19 hours a day.
But your baby’s sleep patterns will change over the course of their first year of life. The total number of hours they sleep will shift and the number of sleep periods throughout the day/night will change.
These times are listed as ranges because every baby is different! As your newborn gets older they’ll gradually need less and less sleep. And they’ll have longer wake-times for you to fill with learning activities — so savor those early months because they won’t sleep that long forever!
How Often Does a Newborn Sleep?
Newborns follow their own schedule. But over the first few weeks to months, you and your baby will begin to settle into a routine.
Chest/breastfed newborns will need to eat 8 to 12 times per day and bottle-fed babies will eat 5 to 8 times per day (American Academy of Pediatrics). A good rule of thumb is to schedule feedings every 2-3 hours. This means your baby will have around 9 feed-wake-sleep cycles throughout a 24-hour period.
As your baby gets older, they’ll be able to start eating more during their feedings and sleeping for longer periods of time. This will help your baby to start sleeping for longer lengths of time at night and staying awake more of the day.
How to Put a Newborn to Sleep
Here are three easy steps that you can follow to help your newborn sleep:
- Know the signs of sleep readiness
- Teach them to fall asleep on their own
- Provide the right environment for comfortable and safe sleep.
Baby Sleepy Signs:
Your baby will usually let you know they’re ready to sleep by:
- Fussing
- Crying
- Yawning
- Rubbing their eyes.
Keep an eye out for these sleepy cues and don’t try to keep your baby up during the day in the hopes that he or she will sleep better at night.
Overly tired infants often have more trouble sleeping at night than those who’ve had enough sleep during the day.
Teaching Your Baby to Fall Asleep on their own:
An important milestone for your baby is teaching them to fall asleep on their own (National Institute of Health).
Many babies find it soothing to be rocked, cuddled, or sung to before bed. But it’s best to put your baby in their crib/bassinet drowsy, but not actually asleep. This way they’ll be less anxious if they wake up during the night and you are not there. And they’ll be more likely to fall back asleep without needing your help.
Create a Calm & Comfortable Environment:
It’s also helpful to create a consistent routine that will help let your baby know it’s time for sleep. And using some of these night-time rituals will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping:
- Taking a bath
- Changing into pajamas and a fresh diaper
- Reading a book
- Singing a lullaby
- Having a night-time feed
- Giving a goodnight kiss
- Dimming the lights
- Turning down the thermostat
- Creating a quiet environment
This will help your baby’s brain to begin knowing the difference between night and day.
Can a Newborn Sleep Too Much?
Many newborns will wake on their own because they’re hungry, but if not, then you may need to wake them up yourself. This may be the case during the first couple of weeks after birth.
Wake your baby every 2-3 hours to eat until your little one shows good weight gain, which usually happens within the first couple of weeks (KidsHealth.org). After that, it’s ok to let your baby sleep for longer periods of time at night.
Newborns will occasionally sleep longer than usual. A healthy baby may sleep longer due to:
- A growth spurt or developmental leap
- A minor illness, such as a cold
- Receiving immunizations
- Not getting enough quality sleep because of a respiratory infection that makes breathing difficult
This shouldn’t cause any concern unless there are other symptoms.
Some newborns may sleep too much if they are jaundiced or they aren’t getting enough food.
Signs of severe jaundice to be on the lookout for are:
- Being lethargic
- Having trouble eating
- Being fussy or irritable
And your baby may not be getting enough to eat if:
- They seem very lethargic and unresponsive
- They are older than 4 weeks old and are consistently gaining less than 6 ounces per week
- They are producing fewer than five very wet diapers per day
- They do not seem calmer after eating
Be sure to consult your pediatrician if you have any concerns about if your baby is gaining enough weight, getting enough food, or getting enough sleep. They’ll be able to provide specific recommendations based on your baby’s needs.
Newborn Sleep Safety Tips
For new parents, one of the biggest causes of concern is the possibility of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). SIDS most often happens while a baby is sleeping. The good news is there are proactive steps you can take to protect the safety of your newborn while they sleep.
Here are some helpful tips (American Academy of Pediatrics):
Do’s:
- Place your baby to sleep on their back.The back sleeping position is the safest for all babies until their first birthday. Side sleeping is not advised.
- Always use a firm sleep surface. Use a safety-approved crib or bassinet with a firm mattress covered by a fitted sheet with no other bedding or soft objects.
- Room-share without bed-sharing. Your baby can sleep in your room, but in their own bed, ideally until their first birthday. Bed-sharing actually increases the risk of SIDS.
Don’ts:
- Avoid letting your baby sleep in the car seat, stroller, or swing. If your baby falls asleep, take them out and place them in their crib.
- Don’t keep crib bumpers, loose bedding, toys or other soft objects in your baby’s crib.
- Don’t use anti-roll pillows or sleep positioners.
- Avoid overheating. Dress your infant for the room temperature, and don’t overbundle. Watch for signs of overheating, such as sweating or feeling hot to the touch.
You can read more about the AAP’s recommendations here.
Can a Newborn Sleep with a Pacifier?
The short answer? Yes! Putting your baby to sleep with a pacifier is actually recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as a way to decrease the risk of SIDS.
If you’re chest/breastfeeding, you may want to wait until your newborn’s feeding routine is firmly established. But once your little one is eating well, try putting your baby to sleep with a pacifier.
If your baby rejects the pacifier, don’t force it. It may take some time for them to get used to it. And some newborns can be pretty particular. You may have to try out a few different types of pacifiers before you find one your baby likes.
Gentle Sleep Coaching
Are you finding it difficult to get your child to sleep through the night?
Are you suffering from sleep deprivation yourself because of it?
Do you dream of setting a regular sleep schedule for your little one, but you feel like you’ve tried everything?
Attend one of Babies in Bloom’s favorite gentle sleep coach’s FREE online sleep classes to learn the secret to sleep coaching success! You’ll walk away with peace of mind — knowing the foundations of sleep success. And you’ll gain confidence — having the tools you need to solve your baby’s sleep problems.
And check out the Babies in Bloom Boutique for all your baby’s sleep needs. From swaddles and sleep sacks, to pacifiers and crib sheets. We have all the sleep essentials!
