Ashwin Lewis
Newborns sleep a lot, but only for short periods of time. They need to be fed every few hours, so they will wake up frequently throughout the night. Newborns should get 14–19 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period. To keep your baby safe while they sleep, it's important to follow guidelines to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), choking, and suffocation. This includes putting your baby to sleep on their back, using a firm and flat sleeping surface, and avoiding loose items in the crib. Swaddling can help soothe a crying baby, but it's important to stop once they start trying to roll over.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of sleep hours | 14-17 hours over a 24-hour period. Some newborns may sleep up to 18-19 hours a day. |
| Feeding | Newborns wake up every 2-4 hours to eat. |
| Sleep surface | A firm, flat, and tightly-fitting mattress that meets the latest safety standards. |
| Sleeping position | On their back until their first birthday. |
| Room temperature | Between 68° and 72°F (20°C - 22°C). |
| Clothing | No more than one extra layer than the adult in the same environment. |
| Swaddling | Can be used to calm the baby and help them sleep, but not when they start trying to roll over. |
| Pacifiers | Can help reduce the risk of SIDS. |
| Co-sleeping | Not recommended if the baby was born premature or had a low birthweight. |
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What You'll Learn
Safe sleep guidelines: avoid soft objects, loose items, and overheating
Newborns sleep around the clock, waking every few hours to eat. They do not yet have a sense of day and night, and each baby has a different sleep pattern. It is recommended that newborns who sleep for longer stretches should be awakened to feed every 3–4 hours until they show good weight gain.
To ensure your newborn is safe while sleeping, it is important to follow safe sleep guidelines. Firstly, avoid soft objects and loose items in the sleep area. This includes soft bedding, comforters, pillows, loose sheets, blankets, sheepskins, toys, positioners, and bumpers. These items can pose a risk of suffocation, strangulation, and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome (SUIDS). Instead of loose blankets, consider using a sleep sack or wearable blanket to keep your baby warm. It is also important to ensure that your baby sleeps on a firm mattress in their own sleep space, rather than in adult beds, couches, or armchairs.
Additionally, avoid overheating your newborn. Assess whether your baby is too warm by feeling their cheeks or core body; if they are sweaty or flushed, they may be too warm. Adjust the layers of clothing or the TOG rating of their sleep sack/swaddle accordingly. Remember, a baby's fingers and toes are not a good indicator of warmth. It is generally recommended to dress your baby for sleep similarly to how you are dressed. For example, if you are wearing flannel pyjamas under a heavy comforter, your baby might need fleece-footed pyjamas and a sleep sack or swaddle.
Swaddling, or wrapping a baby in a light blanket, can also be a safe option for newborns. However, it is important to consider both the benefits and risks of swaddling and to stop swaddling if your baby starts trying to roll over, as it can become risky once they can roll onto their face. Overall, by following these safe sleep guidelines and creating a safe sleep environment, you can help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths and keep your newborn safe and comfortable while they sleep.
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Swaddling: a thin blanket to wrap your baby
Swaddling is a technique that involves wrapping a baby in a thin, lightweight blanket to help them feel safe and secure, mimicking the environment of the womb. It is important to use a thin blanket to prevent the baby from overheating. Cotton, muslin, linen, or other natural fabrics are good options as they promote breathability. The blanket should be laid on a flat surface, forming a diamond shape with one corner folded down. The baby is then placed face-up on the blanket with their head above the folded corner. Their right arm is kept straight by their side, and the right corner of the blanket is wrapped over them and tucked under their body. The same is done on the left side, ensuring that only the head and neck are exposed and that the blanket is snug but not too tight.
Swaddling can be a soothing and comforting practice for newborns, helping them feel warm and secure during sleep. It is important to note that swaddling should be discontinued once a baby starts trying to roll over, as it can be risky if the baby ends up face-down and is unable to turn back. Additionally, nothing should cover the baby's head or face, as this can cause overheating or reduce their ability to breathe properly.
When deciding whether to swaddle your baby, it is important to consider both the benefits and risks. While swaddling can calm some babies and aid in sleep, there is no evidence that it is safer than dressing a baby in layered sleepwear. It is also worth noting that most babies may initially resist swaddling due to their resting position in the womb, with their arms up by their faces. However, this does not necessarily mean they do not like being swaddled.
If you are unsure about swaddling, it is recommended to seek guidance from a nurse or pediatrician, or consider taking a newborn-care class to receive hands-on instruction. It is also important to assess your baby's temperature and adjust their layers accordingly. If your baby is sweaty, flushed, or breathing rapidly, they may be too warm and require fewer layers.
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Dressing your baby: one extra layer than you
When it comes to dressing your baby for sleep, it's important to remember that they should have one extra layer of clothing than you. This is because babies cannot regulate their body temperature as effectively as adults. By dressing them in layers, you can easily adjust their clothing to match their needs. For example, if you are wearing a t-shirt, pants, and a puffer jacket, your baby could wear a singlet, a growsuit, and a cardigan or coat. Additionally, it's important to keep the room temperature comfortable for your baby, with recommended temperatures between 68°F and 72°F (20°C - 22°C).
When dressing your baby, it's important to be quick and calm to minimise stress for both you and your baby. It's also crucial to avoid letting the clothes touch your baby's face, as this can upset them. If your baby is dressed too warmly, simply remove some layers or opt for clothing with a lower TOG rating. Remember to avoid covering your baby's head with hats or other head coverings, as this can cause overheating or reduce their ability to breathe properly. Instead, focus on keeping their core warm with clothing like singlets or vests.
Swaddling, or wrapping your baby in a light blanket, can be a great way to soothe them and help them sleep. However, it is important to stop swaddling once your baby starts trying to roll over, as it can become risky. Instead, you can transition to a sleep sack or wearable blanket, ensuring that it does not restrict your baby's movement. Just like with swaddling, it's important to stop using a sleep sack once your baby becomes more mobile.
When it comes to dressing your baby for the outdoors, layering is key. Add extra layers when going outside and remove them when you come inside. Young babies should always wear a hat or beanie to prevent heat loss through their head, and their hands and feet should be covered with mittens and booties. Remember to dress your baby according to the current temperature and use your judgment to determine how many layers they need. Always keep an eye on your baby's temperature and adjust their clothing accordingly.
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Sleeping surface: firm, flat, and with a tight-fitting sheet
The sleeping surface for a newborn baby should be firm, flat, and covered with a tight-fitting sheet. This is one of the most important rules for safe sleep for babies. A firm mattress won't create small pockets of softness that your baby could accidentally turn their face into, and a tight-fitting mattress means no gaps on the sides. A tight-fitting sheet that doesn't bunch up or come loose should be the only thing on the mattress.
The mattress should be flat and firm, and it should be new or second-hand, stored somewhere clean, dry, and smoke-free. It should be covered with a waterproof sheet. You can check if the mattress is firm enough by making sure your baby's head does not sink into it by more than a few millimetres. If the mattress is too soft, it can make it difficult for the baby to lose heat, and they can become too warm. Sleeping pods or nests are not recommended as they have raised or cushioned areas.
The ideal room temperature for a newborn baby should be between 68° and 72°F (20°C to 22°C). If the room temperature is cooler or warmer, you can adjust by adding or removing a layer of clothing. It's better to have your baby slightly underdressed than heavily overdressed. If your baby is dressed too warmly, you can reduce the layers under their sleep sack or swaddle, or opt for a sleep sack with a lower TOG rating. If your baby is too cold at night, their core (chest, neck, back, and tummy) will feel cool to the touch.
Swaddling is an option for newborns, but parents should consider the benefits and risks. Swaddling can calm some babies and help them sleep, but it can be risky once a baby starts rolling over on their own, as it is difficult for a swaddled baby to turn over if they wind up face-down. If you choose to swaddle your baby, you should only use a diaper under the swaddle, and stop swaddling if they start trying to roll over.
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Sleeping bag or sleep sack: with the right tog rating
When it comes to newborn sleep, safety is the top priority. To prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), soft items like pillows, blankets, bumpers, and stuffed animals should be kept out of the baby's sleep area. Instead, parents often opt for swaddling, which involves wrapping the baby in a thin blanket. However, swaddling should be discontinued once the baby starts trying to roll over.
Another option to keep your newborn safe and warm while sleeping is to use a sleeping bag or sleep sack with the appropriate TOG rating. TOG stands for Thermal Overall Grade and indicates how much heat a fabric retains. Baby sleepwear typically has TOG ratings ranging from 0.5 to 3.5 or higher.
- Warm weather or hot room (24°C/75°F and above): Use sleepwear with a low TOG rating (0.2-1.0) and no additional layers.
- Average room temperature (20-24°C/68-75°F): Opt for sleepwear with a TOG rating of 1.0 to 2.5, which provides lightweight insulation.
- Cooler room temperature (16-20°C/61-68°F): Choose sleepwear with a TOG rating of 2.5 to 3.5 for more insulation.
- Cold weather or cold room (below 16°C/61°F): Select sleepwear with a higher TOG rating to ensure better insulation.
It's important to regularly monitor your baby's comfort and adjust their sleepwear or bedding as needed. You can feel their body temperature by touching their chest, back, or tummy, as their hands and feet may feel cool even if they are dressed appropriately. Additionally, consider using multiple thin layers instead of one thick layer for easier adjustment of their comfort level.
By choosing the right TOG rating for your newborn's sleeping bag or sleep sack, you can help maintain a safe and comfortable sleep environment.
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Frequently asked questions
The safest place for a newborn to sleep is in a cot or Moses basket with a firm, flat, and waterproof mattress. The mattress should be covered with a tightly fitted sheet with no other bedding.
Newborns should be dressed in no more than one extra layer than an adult would wear in the same environment. If your baby is sweating or feels warm to the touch, they are probably too warm. If your baby is too cold, their core (chest, neck, back, and tummy) will feel cool to the touch.
Swaddling involves wrapping a baby in a thin blanket. It can help calm some babies and may help them sleep, but it can be risky once a baby starts to roll over on their own.
The ideal room temperature for a newborn to sleep in is between 68° and 72°F (20°C and 22°C).
Newborns should be fed every 2-4 hours, even if it means waking them from sleep. Once they show good weight gain, usually within the first couple of weeks, it's okay to let them sleep for longer periods at night.
