Is there anything more precious than a sleeping baby? I think not.
But that is as long as they are sleeping. Babies are notorious for being
wide awake and ready to go at night time and ready to rest and sleep
during the day. This would be fine if the rest of the world operated
like this. But it doesn’t. So what exactly does a baby sleep pattern
look like?
How is a Baby’s Sleep Pattern Different than an Adult’s?
Yes, babies sleep a lot, especially newborns. Your new baby will
sleep about 16 to 18 hours a day. Unfortunately, this is not during the
typical hours of 6pm and 8am. A baby’s sleep pattern is much shorter
than an adult’s and this is why babies continually wake. When an adult
wakes from sleep they roll over and go back to sleep, this is not so
easy for a baby. A baby has not yet learned how to go back to sleep. It
seems odd that this is a learned behavior, but it’s true. Until your new
baby learns how to fall back to sleep, he or she will rely on you to
help them get back to sleep.
A baby sleep pattern also has double the amount of light sleep cycles
than an adult’s. For the sleep deprived adult desperately trying
everything to lull their precious bundle to sleep, this can be
excruciating. Because of the many light sleep cycles, babies wake up
very easily. You’ve rocked, cuddled and finally little Jr. nods off. You
slip off to the nursery and just as Jr. touches the mattress he wakes
up! Back to the rocking chair! Understanding this aspect of a baby sleep
pattern will at least help you keep your patience, if not anything
else.
How Can I Help my Baby Sleep Better?
Naturally, as a newborn matures, so will the baby’s sleep pattern.
Ideally, by the time baby reaches 7-12 weeks, a regular sleep pattern
will have been established. And hopefully, this will be between the
hours of 10 pm – 7 am. New parents can hang onto the hope that by the
time baby is 6 months old, your baby’s sleep pattern will include up to 7
hours of uninterrupted sleep.
If baby is fussy, make sure that the diaper is clean, that he or she
is well fed and just the right temperature. Since crying is the only
means of communication, a fussy baby could have one of many things
wrong. A comfortable baby is more likely to fall asleep. If his or her
face is red or if the hair is damp, baby is too warm. No one is
comfortable when he or she is too warm and this includes babies. Just
remove a blanket or turn down the heat and watch as your baby’s sleep
pattern comes naturally.
Solve your baby's sleeping problems, visit The Baby Sleep Solution
