Miya Pearson
Sleep is a precious commodity for new parents, and it can be challenging to get enough shuteye when you have a newborn. While it's normal for newborns to wake up several times a night for feeds and diaper changes, there are strategies you can use to maximise your sleep during this exhausting time. From creating a soothing bedtime routine to asking for help from your partner or loved ones, you can improve your sleep quality and duration. Additionally, good sleep hygiene practices, such as avoiding caffeine and electronics before bed, can make a significant difference in your overall sleep.
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What You'll Learn
- Establish a bedtime routine, including a pattern like 'feed-play-sleep'
- Help your baby learn to self-soothe and fall asleep on their own
- Keep things quiet and calm during nighttime feeds and changes
- Ask for help from your partner, friends, or family to share feeds and changes
- Prioritize your own sleep by avoiding caffeine and electronics before bed
Establish a bedtime routine, including a pattern like 'feed-play-sleep'
Establishing a bedtime routine for your newborn is important for their development and wellbeing. A simple routine of feed-play-sleep can be a great way to bond with your baby and help them settle into a healthy sleep pattern. Here are some tips to maximise your newborn's sleep using this routine:
Feed
Feeding your newborn is an important part of the routine. Newborns need to feed every 2-4 hours, and they will sleep a lot during the first few weeks of their life. It can be difficult to establish a newborn feeding schedule initially, so it's important to allow your baby to eat as much as they want during these early weeks. Feeding your baby when they first wake from a nap will ensure they are well-rested and awake during the feed. This will also ensure they have a full tummy before their next nap.
Play
Playtime with your newborn can be as simple as a quiet cuddle or some time stretching out and kicking on a blanket. Some newborns may be happy to play for longer, but 10-20 minutes of play is usually enough. During the day, open the curtains and play games. Don't worry about keeping the house silent while your baby sleeps; it's good to get them used to sleeping through a certain amount of noise.
Sleep
Newborns sleep a lot during the day, and their total daily sleep can be around 14-18 hours. Their sleep patterns are in 45-minute cycles on average, and they will sleep in short bursts of 2-4 hours between feeds. It's important to remember that each baby has a different sleep pattern, and there is a wide range of what is considered normal. Some babies may start sleeping through the night (5-6 hours at a time) by 2-3 months, while others may take longer.
Additional Tips:
- Keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feeds and diaper changes. Try to keep the lights low and avoid playing or talking too much with your baby. This will help reinforce that nighttime is for sleeping.
- If possible, let your baby fall asleep in their crib at night so they associate it with sleep time.
- Swaddling your baby (wrapping them in a light blanket) can help soothe them and make them feel secure, especially during their early weeks.
- Expose your baby to natural sunlight during the day to help regulate their body clock and develop their internal sleep-wake cycle.
- Be flexible and follow your baby's lead. Watch for their sleep cues, such as eye-rubbing, yawning, or crankiness, and adjust the routine as needed.
- Remember, the first few months are a time to bond with your baby and learn about their unique needs.
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Help your baby learn to self-soothe and fall asleep on their own
Helping your baby learn to self-soothe and fall asleep on their own is an important step in establishing healthy sleep habits. Here are some strategies to achieve this:
Firstly, understand that it takes time for a baby's brain to distinguish between night and day. During the night, keep things quiet, calm, and with low lighting. Avoid playing or talking with your baby, as this can reinforce the idea that night-time is for interaction rather than sleep. Instead, during the day, engage in activities like talking, playing, and opening the curtains to signify that daytime is for stimulation.
Establishing a bedtime routine is crucial. A simple and soothing routine might include a bath, a story, and a cuddle. This helps signal to your baby that it's time to wind down and prepare for sleep. It's also beneficial to put your baby to bed when they're drowsy but still awake. This teaches them to fall asleep independently in their bed, rather than being rocked or held, which can become a habit.
Another important aspect is managing your baby's sleep environment. Place the crib or bassinet next to your bed for easy access, but avoid co-sleeping in the same bed due to safety concerns. Ensure the room is safe, with no hanging items or blind cords within the baby's reach. Use sleep surfaces and products that are approved by relevant safety commissions and meet federal safety standards.
Lastly, while it's natural to want to respond immediately to your baby's every sound, give them a chance to self-soothe. They might settle back to sleep on their own, and this helps establish good sleeping habits. However, if they start crying, they need your comfort and presence to help them fall back asleep.
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Keep things quiet and calm during nighttime feeds and changes
It's important to keep things quiet and calm during nighttime feeds and changes. Keep the lights low and avoid playing with or talking to your baby. This will help them understand that nighttime is for sleeping. You can rock, cuddle, and sing to your baby to soothe them as they settle down. Swaddling, or wrapping your baby in a light blanket, can also be calming for a crying baby.
To keep things calm and quiet during nighttime feeds and changes, try to keep the lighting subtle and the noise to a minimum. You can play some soothing sounds or white noise to help settle your baby back to sleep after a feed. Maintaining a calm environment will help signal to your baby that it's time for sleep.
To make nighttime feeds and changes easier, gather everything you need in one convenient place. This way, you won't have to search for items in the dark. Keep your diaper-changing area well-stocked, and change your baby's diaper before feeding to avoid waking them up too much afterward. Remember, you only need to change a wet diaper if it's very wet or uncomfortable.
If you're breastfeeding, your baby may doze off during feeds in the early weeks. Continue feeding until they finish or fall asleep, and take this opportunity to rest yourself. Don't worry about keeping the house silent—it's good for your baby to get used to sleeping with some background noise.
Remember, there's no rush to phase out nighttime feeds. Take it at your own pace and do what feels comfortable for you and your baby. Talk to your family doctor for professional advice on night feed weaning. Gradually reduce the amount of milk and the number of feeds when you're ready to transition away from nighttime feeds.
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Ask for help from your partner, friends, or family to share feeds and changes
Getting enough sleep is a challenge for new parents, especially when newborns wake up several times a night for feeds and diaper changes. Asking for help from your partner, friends, or family can be a great way to share the load and maximize your sleep opportunities.
If you're formula feeding, encourage your partner to share the feeds. If you're breastfeeding, your partner can still help by taking over early morning diaper changes and dressing, allowing you to go back to sleep. Once you have established a good breastfeeding routine, your partner can occasionally give a bottle of expressed breast milk during the night.
If your partner is not available or you are a single parent, consider asking a friend or relative to stay for a few days to help with feeds and changes. They can also assist with other household tasks like grocery shopping, cleaning, or holding the baby while you nap. If you are both able to take time off work, you can juggle baby care together, giving each other breaks to rest and recover.
Remember, it's important to be flexible as your baby's sleep patterns will change over time. Growth spurts, teething, and illnesses can all disrupt their sleep, so be prepared to adapt your routine as they grow and enter different stages. By asking for and accepting help, you can maximize your sleep opportunities and better manage the challenges of newborn care.
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Prioritize your own sleep by avoiding caffeine and electronics before bed
Sleep is a precious commodity when you have a newborn, and it can be tempting to reach for caffeine to help you get through the day. However, caffeine can interfere with your sleep cycle, so it's best to avoid it if you can. Instead, prioritize getting enough sleep by maintaining good sleep hygiene practices.
One way to do this is to avoid using electronic devices before bed. The light emitted by phones, tablets, computers, and TVs can confuse your body clock and interfere with your total sleep time. This is because the light from these devices contains blue and green light waves, which signal to your brain that it is daytime. As a result, your body produces cortisol, a stimulating hormone that makes it challenging to fall and stay asleep.
Instead of using electronic devices before bed, try incorporating relaxation into your day. This could be something as simple as taking a walk, having a bath, or calling a friend. By keeping your stress hormones in check, you'll promote better sleep. If you're breastfeeding, you could also ask your partner to take over the early morning changing and dressing so that you can get some more sleep.
It's also a good idea to try and sleep when your baby sleeps. Newborns take frequent naps lasting anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, for a total of 16 to 18 hours of sleep each day. While it can be challenging to sleep at the same time as your baby, especially if you have other children or a different internal body clock, it's worth trying to catch some extra sleep when you can.
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Frequently asked questions
It's important to remember that every baby has a different sleep pattern, and newborns invariably wake up repeatedly at night for the first few months. However, there are some strategies you can try to maximise your sleep:
- Try to sleep when your baby sleeps.
- If you're breastfeeding, carry on feeding until your baby has finished or is fully asleep, and then try to get some rest yourself.
- If you're formula feeding, encourage your partner to share the feeds.
- If you're breastfeeding, ask your partner to take over the early morning changing and dressing so you can go back to sleep.
- Place your baby's crib or bassinet next to your bed to make it easier to tend to your baby and then go back to sleep.
- Avoid caffeine and electronics before bed.
- Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule.
It may take a few weeks for your baby's brain to know the difference between night and day. To help them learn this, keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feeds and nappy changes. Keep the lights low and don't play with or talk to your baby. Let your baby fall asleep in their crib at night so they learn that it's the place for sleep. You can also try to get your baby into a simple, soothing bedtime routine, which may help them settle.
Make sure that all sleep surfaces and products you use to help your baby sleep have been approved by the relevant safety authorities. Don't let your baby fall asleep on a product that isn't specifically designed for sleeping babies, such as a car seat, feeding pillow or infant lounger. Don't use products or devices that claim to lower the risk of SIDS, such as sleep positioners or monitors that can detect a baby's heart rate and breathing pattern. For at least the first six months, your baby should be in the same room as you when they're asleep, both day and night.
