Congratulations! on your newborn baby. You might be busy greeting all the people who are coming to see you and your baby. But you might notice that your newborn keeps on sleeping most time of the day. So, now you are wondering how much newborns sleep? Is your baby sleeping too much? But there’s nothing like that. Newborns sleep a lot, it’s like they just know one thing to do, that is to sleep.
Babies especially when they are in newborn age need to sleep a lot. But you will be surprised to know that their sleep pattern is short and erratic, there’s no particular time for them to sleep. They sleep whenever they like be it night or day.
So, let’s understand a little more about newborn sleep. Check out the blog-
How much Sleep Does a Newborn Need?
Just like the mother is adjusting to motherhood, the baby is adjusting to the outside world. Their tiny body needs ample of sleep to grow and be strong. Most newborns sleep for 8-9 hours a day and 8 hours at the night. They can also sleep less or more depending on their health condition.
As the newborn grows into toddlers, their sleep schedule changes, and also it starts to develop. They start sleeping more at night and less in the daytime. Many babies are not able to form a proper routine until they turn 6 months old.
When to wake-up your baby
So, now we know that babies sleep a lot. But whenever you are feeding them i.e. every 2-2.5 hours it is necessary that you wake them up. Breastfed babies eat 8-12 times per day and Bottle-fed babies eat 5-8 times per day (formula takes a longer time to digest). Your doctor will keep a close watch on your baby’s weight and whether they are getting enough food.
Baby’s Sleep Schedule
Here is a rough guide to how much a baby should sleep-
- Newborn (0-3 months)- Doctor’s recommend 14-17 hours per day, sleeping for 11-19 hours is also good enough.
- 4 Months old baby- Doctor’s recommend 12-15 hours per day, sleeping for 10-18 hours is also good.
- 1-Year-old baby- 11-14 hours per day is recommended, 9-16 hours is also found appropriate.
How to Help Your Newborn Sleep?
It is very necessary to make your baby sleep. A long gap between naps can make them fussy and irritated. And when they become over-exhausted, they stay awake even at night. You can try the following methods to make your newborn sleep-
Teach them the difference between night and day-
Many babies do not understand the difference between night and day. If your baby is sleeping a lot during the day, that means your baby does not really understand the difference. So, during night time try to make the environment dark and similarly during day time, make the room dark but do it for a shorter period of time.
Make environment soothing-
Keep the room comfortable at room temperature. Add white noise and light-blocking curtains too to make your baby sleep better.
Have a consistent bedtime routine-
A proper bedtime routine includes feeding, swaddling, swaying and shushing.
Develop good sleeping habits-
Always put down your baby to sleep when they are drowsy but awake. This way they learn a good sleeping habit from 4 months of age, which gets continued.
Swaddling your baby is necessary, it helps them sleep better and also calms the overtired baby.
Bonus Mom’s Tips
- Babies do not know the difference between day and night. This is the reason they are awake at night and sleep through the day.
- Before tucking your baby to sleep, always make sure you have fed and changed your baby’s diaper.
- Most of the time of newborn is spent on your back. So, whenever they are awake try to have them in an upright position.
- Choose a good diaper, this will save your lot of time of getting up unnecessarily.
- It is necessary that newborn eats every 2 hours, this will help them gain proper weight.
So, above are some of the tips and tricks on how to make newborn babies sleep and how much newborn sleep.
How was your experience in making your baby sleep?
FAQ
1. My baby isn’t sleeping much. Should I be worried?
It is possible that your baby isn’t sleeping much or is sleeping too little. If you feel that your baby is showing sleep logs during her daytime and even at nighttime, that means your baby is overly tired and is uncomfortable sleeping. You should consult your doctor.
2. How to know that my baby wants to sleep?
Following are the signs which tell that your baby wants to sleep-
- Rubbing eyes
- Looking away
- Yawning
- Fussing
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