Daytime Sleep For Newborns: How Much Is Too Much?

Newborns sleep a lot—anywhere from 11 to 19 hours a day in their first year. However, this sleep is spread out into smaller chunks throughout the day and night, especially during the first few months. Newborns don't have a sense of day and night yet, so they sleep around the clock and wake up every few hours to feed.

Most newborns sleep a total of about 8 to 9 hours in the daytime and a total of about 8 hours at night. However, there is no set schedule, and many newborns confuse day and night, thinking they should be awake at night and sleep during the day.

Newborns sleep a lot during the day and night, waking every few hours to feed

Newborns sleep a lot—this is normal and necessary as they are quickly growing and developing. They need sleep to support all aspects of their physical and mental health. In their first year, babies sleep 11 to 17 hours a day, with newborns sleeping up to 18 or 19 hours a day. However, this sleep is spread out into smaller chunks throughout the day and night, especially during a baby's first few months.

Newborns don't yet have a sense of day and night. They sleep around the clock and, because their tiny stomachs don't hold enough breast milk or formula to keep them satisfied for long, they wake every few hours to feed. Most babies don't start sleeping through the night (6 to 8 hours) until at least 3 months of age, but this can vary a lot. Some babies don't sleep through the night until closer to 1 year. In most cases, your baby will wake up and be ready to feed at least every 3 hours.

If you're breastfeeding, you should feed your baby every 2 to 3 hours. If you're bottle-feeding, your baby can go a bit longer between feedings, typically 3 to 4 hours. Some experts recommend waking your baby to feed within two weeks of birth if they need to gain some weight. In this case, you'd wake your baby every 3 to 4 hours for a feeding.

If your newborn seems to be waking every hour or two throughout the night to feed, you may need to correct their reverse cycling and target full feedings during the day. If your newborn always seems to be drifting off during those important daytime feedings, you can try to keep them awake and active during the day. This might include holding your baby, rocking them, or singing to them. Swaddling (wrapping the baby in a light blanket) can also help to soothe a crying baby.

It's important to note that you shouldn't try to keep your baby awake during the day in the hopes that they will sleep better at night. Overly tired infants often have more trouble sleeping at night than those who have had enough sleep during the day.

It's normal for newborns to get their days and nights confused

It's completely normal for newborns to get their days and nights confused. They have just spent nine months in the womb, a dark, noisy, cushiony environment where their mother's movements rocked them to sleep during the day, and they kicked more at night when their mother was still and quiet.

Newborns don't yet have a sense of day and night. They are still developing an internal clock that tells them when it's time to sleep, and those sleepy hormones are not yet regulated. This is why newborns sleep all day and are up all night.

It takes time for newborns to develop a circadian rhythm, or an internal 24-hour rhythm that tells them when they should be awake and when they should be asleep. This usually starts to become regulated around 3 to 5 months.

There are some things you can do to help your baby develop a sense of day and night:

• Start your day no later than 7:00 or 8:00 a.m.
• Offer full feedings during the day. Newborns who have been up all night may prefer to snack, eating just enough to take the edge off their hunger. Instead, encourage full feedings to keep your baby content between feedings and help them sleep for longer stretches at night.
• Be intentional with your baby's wake windows during the day. Understanding these natural cycles can help ensure your baby is awake long enough between naps to be tired when the sun goes down.
• Use light and darkness to your advantage. Light and darkness are perfect visual cues for your newborn that day is for playing and night is for sleeping.
• Expose your baby to sunlight when they're awake. Position their swing or playmat near a window or take them for a walk outside.
• Encourage a longer stretch of sleep at night. Limit sleep during the day to two hours at a time, or 90 to 105-minute naps. This will encourage your baby to sleep longer stretches at night.

Newborns should get 14-17 hours of sleep over 24 hours, according to the National Sleep Foundation

Newborns typically sleep a lot during the day and night, waking only to be fed every few hours. They don't yet have a sense of day and night, so they sleep around the clock. It can be hard for new parents to know how long and how often a newborn should sleep, as there is no set schedule at first. Many newborns confuse night and day, thinking they are supposed to be awake at night and sleep during the day.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, newborns should get 14-17 hours of sleep over 24 hours. Some newborns may sleep up to 18-19 hours a day. They wake every couple of hours to eat. Breastfed babies feed more frequently, about every 2-3 hours, while bottle-fed babies tend to feed less often, about every 3-4 hours.

Newborns who sleep for longer stretches should be awakened to feed. It is recommended to wake your baby every 3-4 hours to eat until they show good weight gain, which usually happens within the first couple of weeks. After that, it's okay to let your baby sleep for longer periods at night.

Each baby has a unique sleep pattern. Some start to sleep "through the night" (for 5-6 hours at a time) by 2-3 months of age, but this can vary, and some babies don't sleep through the night until closer to one year.

It's important to note that baby sleep patterns aren't an exact science, and every baby is different. As a new parent, it's essential to be patient with your baby and yourself during this time.

Rocking, cuddling, and singing can help soothe a newborn baby

Newborns don't have a sense of day and night and tend to sleep around the clock, waking up every couple of hours to eat. They should get 14–17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, with some newborns sleeping up to 18–19 hours a day. During the first few weeks of a baby's life, some parents choose to room-share, which is when you place the crib in your own bedroom, making it easier to feed, comfort, and monitor the baby at night.

There are different methods of rocking a baby to sleep. Manual techniques include gently swaying your baby in your arms while standing, seated, or in a rocking chair. Using a carrier while lightly rocking or bouncing your baby can also be effective. Automatic devices, such as swings, bassinets, and bouncers, can simulate manual rocking, bringing about the internal sleep rhythms needed for your baby to fall asleep.

However, some parents may not want their baby to become dependent on rocking. For many babies, their dependency on rocking will naturally scale down as they grow older, with longer sleep cycles and more deep sleep. For the night-time sleep, your little one will eventually need to be able to fall asleep on their own. To promote self-sufficiency, you can rock your baby until they are drowsy and then transfer them to a crib to fall asleep independently.

Cuddling your baby to sleep is also perfectly fine. Your baby associates sleep with feelings of being supported, attended to, and comforted. Many babies need a lot of support to go to sleep peacefully, and there is nothing wrong with your baby if they can only settle with your help.

Singing is another way to soothe a newborn baby. Singing can be soothing and signal an end to the day. It can be part of a bedtime routine that will be familiar and relaxing for your baby.

Swaddling can help a newborn fall asleep, but shouldn't be done if the baby is 2 months or older, or can roll over

Newborns don't have a sense of day and night, so they sleep around the clock, waking every couple of hours to eat. They need 14-17 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, with some sleeping up to 18-19 hours a day.

Swaddling is a technique to make your baby feel safe and comfortable by wrapping them snugly in a blanket. It is helpful when babies are fussy and fidgety, especially when trying to get them to sleep. It is important to ensure that the swaddle is not too tight, so that the baby can still breathe and move their hips, and that no loose fabric can cover their mouth or nose.

However, swaddling should be discontinued once a baby can roll over, as this will increase the risk of suffocation. The standard recommendation is to stop swaddling at two months of age, but if your baby is showing signs of early development, you should stop even sooner. Once your baby can roll, it is also no longer developmentally appropriate, as they need free movement.

If you choose to swaddle your baby, it is important to always place them on their back to sleep, not on their stomach or side, as this increases the risk of SIDS.

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