Gina Johnson
Holding a newborn baby in your arms is one of the most rewarding experiences for new parents. It is only natural for newborns to crave the comfort and security of being held, as they have spent the last nine months in the warmth and snugness of the womb. While it is perfectly normal for parents to hold their newborns to sleep, it is important to recognize that doing so excessively can hinder the development of their independent sleep skills. This is because they may start relying on being held to fall asleep, leading to more overnight wakings and shorter naps. Therefore, it is recommended to gradually transition newborns to sleeping independently in their cribs or bassinets, while still providing the necessary love, attention, and comfort.
Characteristics of holding a sleeping newborn
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to hold | Biologically, the fourth trimester is a huge developmental time frame for newborns as they adjust to life outside the womb. Holding your baby and providing skin-to-skin contact helps them relax and feel secure. For newborns, being held against your body and hearing your heartbeat feels familiar. |
| When to stop holding | After the newborn period, some soothing techniques can work against your baby building independent sleep skills. Sometime between 6-8 weeks, your baby's brain can make associations and reinforce them. You can help them associate their crib with sleep by placing them down in their crib when they are tired or already asleep. |
| Sleep patterns | Newborns don't have a sense of day and night and sleep around the clock. They wake often to eat and get 14-17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period. Some newborns may sleep up to 18-19 hours a day. |
| Sleep environment | The sleep environment should be quiet and calm with low lighting. It is recommended that the safest place for your baby to sleep is in their own cot next to your bed for the first 6-12 months of life. |
| Sleep concerns | Babies aged 0-6 months have not yet learned to settle by themselves, so it's common for them to be unsettled. They need a cue to tell them it's time to sleep, such as swaddling or a room with dim lighting. |
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What You'll Learn
- Holding a newborn while they sleep is normal and beneficial for the baby
- Babies should be transitioned to independent sleep after the newborn period
- A baby's sleep needs change over time, and so should your response to them
- Babies need a cue to tell them it is time to sleep
- Safe sleep practices should be followed to prevent sleep-related accidents and SIDS
Holding a newborn while they sleep is normal and beneficial for the baby
While it is beneficial to hold a newborn while they sleep, it is important to gradually transition them to sleeping in their crib or bassinet. This is because, over time, they could develop a sleep association, relying on being held to fall asleep. Additionally, holding your baby while they sleep can interfere with your sleep, as it is unsafe to do so while you are also asleep. It is recommended to place your baby in their crib or bassinet on their back to sleep, as co-sleeping increases the risk of sleep-related accidents and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
To help your baby adjust to sleeping in their crib or bassinet, you can offer naps in this space and ensure it is comfortable and familiar. Some parents have success by wearing the crib sheet for a day so that it takes on their scent. You can also swaddle your baby before putting them in the crib to provide extra coziness and a sense of security. It is important to follow safe sleep practices and ensure that all sleep surfaces and products have been approved by the relevant safety organizations.
While your baby is still young, it is understandable and beneficial to hold them while they sleep. However, as they grow and develop, you can gradually transition them to sleeping independently in their crib or bassinet, ensuring a smooth adjustment to the outside world.
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Babies should be transitioned to independent sleep after the newborn period
Holding a newborn baby in your arms is a heart-warming experience for any parent. It is also a necessity for newborns, who crave the closeness and security that being held provides. However, as your baby grows and develops, it is important to transition them to independent sleep. This will help them learn the skills required to fall asleep on their own and prevent them from becoming overly reliant on you during nighttime wake-ups.
The first step in transitioning to independent sleep is to create a separate, soothing, and safe environment for your baby. Set up a quiet and comfortable room that provides a relaxing and secure space for them. Familiarize your baby with their new room during waking hours by spending quality time together, playing, reading, or cuddling. This helps to create a positive association with the room, making the transition smoother.
Next, start by introducing daytime naps in your baby's new room. Once they are comfortable with this change, you can begin to include nighttime sleep in the new space. This gradual approach allows your baby to adjust slowly and reduces the stress of the transition. It is important to tailor your approach to match your child's developmental stage, needs, and personality.
For babies under one, the transition from co-sleeping to independent sleeping requires a thoughtful and gradual process. It is recommended to begin by creating a separate and soothing environment for your baby, as previously mentioned. Additionally, you can use a 'bedtime buddy', such as a soft toy or blanket, to provide a sense of comfort and familiarity when they sleep alone.
As your child grows into their preschool years, storytelling can be an effective tool. Create an engaging story around the transition, featuring a favourite character who sleeps independently. This taps into their imagination and makes the concept more relatable and fun. Remember, all sleep training methods aim to teach your baby that they are capable of falling asleep independently and self-soothing when they wake up in the middle of the night.
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A baby's sleep needs change over time, and so should your response to them
A baby's sleep needs do change over time, and so should your response to them
Newborns sleep around the clock and wake up every couple of hours to eat. They don't have a sense of day and night, and their tiny stomachs don't hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for long. They will sleep for around 14 to 19 hours a day, but this will mostly be in short bursts.
During this time, it is a necessity to hold your baby for at least some of their sleep to give them the closeness and security they need. However, holding your baby for all their sleep may mean they become reliant on this to fall asleep, so it is important to also let them sleep in their crib. Swaddling your baby (wrapping them in a light blanket) can also help to soothe them to sleep.
After the first three months, your baby will start to settle into a routine and will begin to learn the difference between night and day. You can help them with this by keeping things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feeds and nappy changes, and keeping the lights low.
From six months onwards, your baby's sleep patterns will become more like your own. They will sleep for longer stretches at night, and will need fewer feeds during the night. They will also sleep for fewer hours overall, with toddlers aged one to three years old sleeping for around nine to 15 hours a day.
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Babies need a cue to tell them it is time to sleep
Newborns don't have a sense of day and night and will sleep around the clock, waking every couple of hours to eat. They need 14–17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Some newborns may sleep up to 18–19 hours a day.
Sleep cues are the signs your baby uses to communicate that they're tired, ready for a nap, or overtired. They are the baby's way of saying they need to get some rest. Sleepy cues can be helpful in determining when your child is ready to sleep, but those signals can sometimes be hard to decipher. They are physical and behavioural signs that can help us to understand the baby's needs.
Some common sleep cues include yawning, fussiness, staring, and crying. As your baby grows and you play more with them, you may start to notice even the slightest slowing in their activity and energy levels. This is an early indicator that they would benefit from some rest.
It's important to react to these early signs of tiredness to help settle your baby for their nap or bedtime without them getting overtired. This can help make sleep times easier and lead to more restful sleep. If your baby becomes overtired, they may fight the nap they need or even skip it. To prevent this, it's recommended to keep an eye on their wake windows, which is the amount of time they are awake between one nap and the next. A typical wake window for a newborn is 60-90 minutes.
As your baby gets older, you'll need to balance sleepy cues with age-appropriate wake windows. This will help ensure your baby is tired enough to sleep well without becoming overtired. Sleepy cues tend to become less reliable as babies get older and may not show that they are tired, even when they are.
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Safe sleep practices should be followed to prevent sleep-related accidents and SIDS
Holding a newborn baby in your arms is a rewarding experience for new parents. Babies feel most at ease in their parents' arms, as they adjust to life outside the womb. However, it is essential to follow safe sleep practices to prevent sleep-related accidents and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Here are some essential guidelines:
Create a Safe Sleep Environment:
- Ensure that all sleep surfaces and products meet the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This includes cribs, bassinets, mattresses, and other sleep-related items.
- Avoid soft surfaces such as couches, sofas, waterbeds, memory foam, air mattresses, thick blankets, and sheepskins. These surfaces may cause entrapment, wedging, suffocation, or strangulation hazards.
- Inclined or tilted sleep surfaces are not recommended, as the baby's body may slide down, causing their head to slump forward and obstructing their airway.
- Keep the sleep area close to your bed, making it convenient to check on, feed, and comfort your baby.
- Remove all soft items and bedding from your bed if you bring the baby into your bed for feeding or comforting. Put the baby back in their separate sleep space as soon as you finish or wake up.
Follow Safe Sleeping Positions and Practices:
- Always place your baby on their back to sleep, reducing the risk of SIDS and promoting a safer sleep environment.
- Avoid bed-sharing with your baby. Instead, practice room-sharing by placing the baby's sleep space near your bed.
- Ensure your baby's head remains uncovered during sleep to prevent overheating, a known risk factor for SIDS.
- Avoid overbundling your baby with too many layers of clothing or bedding, as it can lead to overheating. Dress them in clothing suitable for the room temperature.
- Offer your baby a pacifier at nap time and bedtime, which can help reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Breastfeed your baby, as it is associated with a reduced risk of SIDS.
Establish Healthy Sleep Habits:
- Newborns should get 14-18 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period.
- Teach your baby the difference between night and day by keeping things quiet and calm during nighttime feedings and diaper changes.
- Encourage your baby to fall asleep in their crib or designated sleep space, helping them associate it with sleep.
- Avoid rocking, bouncing, or shushing your baby to sleep too often, as they may become dependent on these actions and struggle to fall asleep independently.
- Be mindful of ideal wake windows, ensuring your baby gets enough sleep during the day to prevent overtiredness, which can lead to more overnight wakings.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, newborns sleep a lot—anywhere from 14 to 19 hours a day. They wake up every couple of hours to eat, no matter the time of day.
Newborns spent nine months in the womb, so it's natural for them to crave the creature comforts they became accustomed to. Holding your baby and providing skin-to-skin contact helps them relax and feel secure. For newborns, being held against your body and hearing your heartbeat feels familiar. However, if you allow your baby to sleep in your arms too much, they may become reliant on being held to fall asleep.
You can help your baby associate their crib with sleep by repeatedly placing them in their crib when they are tired or already asleep. You can also try wearing the crib sheet for a day so that it takes on your scent.
