Sleeping routine for Newborns

It might be a surprise to know that newborns sleep for more than 18 hours. You might feel this is not true as babies keep waking up after short intervals but even while taking small naps, they complete their sleeping hours, needed for their development.

Expecting a newborn to sleep through the night is not practical, babies can sleep for 2 to 4 hours in a row and must be awakened for feeds. As their tummy is small, they require frequent feeds. Babies sleep through the night when they turn 3 months or older, but every child is different and some may take time till 6 to 9 months to sleep through the night.

Safe sleeping

• Place babies on their back to sleep, to decrease the risk of SIDS
• Avoid using heavy blankets, quilts, stuffed animals and large pillow in baby’s cot/crib or bassinet, as this can suffocate the baby
• If you are co-sleeping with your baby try not to share a bed, use an extendable baby bed or crib. Avoid giving your blanket on the baby.
• Make sure to keep checking your baby’s temperature and position at night and keep changing the baby’s head position to avoid the development of a flat spot on one side of the baby’s head. 

Tips to set baby night time sleeping routine:

When your baby turns 6 weeks and above you can plan on how to set a routine, you won’t be completely successful but putting the foundation can help you and your baby follow a certain nighttime routine. In the morning let your baby sleep when he/she wants to, with time you will know when your baby is more interested in sleeping. Here are few of the tips for you (the time used is for example and everyone can follow their routine):

• Keep your expectations practical, if you sleep at 10 PM, let your baby sleep at 9 PM, for this do not let your baby sleep after 6 or 7 PM, engage your baby in playing or play while changing a diaper, take help from other family members.
• Start with feeding your baby at 8 PM, followed by an oil massage, then a warm sponge/tub bath (It is not necessary to bath your baby every day)
• Change baby’s diaper
• Feed your baby, if your baby is exclusively breastfed, make sure you have enough supply take a glass of water or something to eat before feeding. If the baby is on combination feed, you can give bottle feed before sleeping this can help baby sleep longer. If a baby is completely on bottle feed make sure to give your baby enough ounces to fill the tummy as required, this doesn’t mean to overfeed the baby. Do not forget to burp the baby.
• Baby’s day and night are mixed up, so it is important to let your room lighted up with usual morning voices at day time but keep the lights dim, low to no voice, and regulate the temperature of the room according to the season.
• Breastfeeding babies sleep while feeding while others may sleep while taking their bottle but after burping, in both cases keep your baby close on your chest with a soothing lullaby. You can even rock the baby in the crib or take a walk with your baby in your arms and close to you.
• Make sure to avoid loud voices and if your baby wakes up due to any reason, keep the lights dim and do not look in the baby’s eyes instead keep your gaze on their tummy. Pick them up and soothe them by holding them close to your chest or shoulder and keep rocking or walking. Breastfeeding babies may want to feed again after an hour or so, do not hesitate and feed again until baby sleeps.
• Remember that babies will wake up at night for feed or diaper change, if there is no need, no leak or poo, avoid changing the diaper, as this may wake up your baby. For feed, offer them feed and repeat the process of burping and singing lullaby with rocking, keeping voices and lights low. Baby will sleep again.

Follow the routine for a week but do so slowly and consistently  and your baby will adjust accordingly. Make sure to keep your baby awake 2 to 3 hours before the sleep time. A simple routine at the start will go a long way.

Consistency is the key in setting any of the baby’s routine as babies love routines. If you did not put any effort in the first 6 weeks why do you think your baby will follow a certain routine all of a sudden? So it’s important to start your efforts during the first 6 weeks for setting baby’s sleep routine.