| Sleep time for newborns | 447.000000000000 | Sleep time for newborns | Sleep time for newborns | S | English | Neonatology | Newborn (0-28 days) | Body | NA | NA | Adult (19+) | NA | | 2009-09-22T04:00:00Z | | | | | | 7.50000000000000 | 70.7000000000000 | 831.000000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>Learn about making sleep time easier for your newborn baby. In-depth Information regarding sleep position and sudden infant death syndrome also provided.</p> | <p>Newborn babies do a lot of sleeping, about 18 hours each day. However, a newborn baby’s sleeping pattern is different from that of adults. Newborn babies spend only 20% of their sleeping time in a deep, sound sleep. The rest of the time they drift in and out of sleep, which means that by the time you put your newborn baby down and try to take a nap, they will be awake and crying again. </p> | | <h2>Key points</h2><ul><li>Make sleep time easier by using a cradle or bassinet, keeping a comfortable temperature, rocking or patting them and playing soft background music.</li><li>Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby less than one year old.</li>
<li>Ways to avoid SIDS include putting your baby to sleep on their back, avoiding soft mattresses and pillows, and keeping your baby in the same room as you but not in the same bed.</li></ul> | <p>Some newborn babies have their days and nights mixed up: they sleep during the day and want to play at night. This is a carry-over from their days in the womb. During pregnancy, the unborn baby is most active when the mother is at rest, usually at night; they slow down when their mother is up and moving around, usually during the day. A mother’s active motions soothe the unborn baby and help them to rest. After birth, some newborn babies continue this pattern, much to the dismay of their overtired parents. </p><p>Try to understand your newborn baby’s perspective on the sleep issue. Newborn babies have shorter sleep cycles and more frequent periods of light sleep than older babies. They are prone to waking up every hour or so, and once awake, they sometimes have trouble going back to sleep. Also, newborn babies have needs for feeding, burping, diaper changing, and playing that must be met 24 hours a day; it doesn’t make sense for them to sleep for long periods of time yet. </p><h2>Tips for making sleep time easier</h2><p>Here are a few tips for making sleep time easier:</p><ul><li>Keep things cozy: Many newborn babies do not like the large, vast space of a crib. Try using a cradle or bassinet for those early weeks, to make your newborn baby feel cozier. Just make sure that the mattress is firm and there are no pillows or loose blankets that could smother your baby. You might also want to try swaddling your baby by wrapping them snugly. </li><li>Control the temperature: Newborn babies do not like a room that is too warm or too cold. Also, overheating is dangerous for your newborn baby. </li><li>Keep them moving: Movement tends to soothe newborn babies and help them to sleep. Try rocking, patting, or swaying them to music. </li><li>Try some background noise: Background noise can be quite comforting to newborn babies. Soft music or white noise from a fan can be very soothing. </li><li>Don’t deny the daytime naps: You may be tempted to keep your newborn baby awake during the day, even when they want to sleep, so that they will sleep "better" at night. This approach will not work, because it will make your newborn baby overtired. An overtired baby has more problems sleeping than a well-rested one. Still, if your newborn baby is mixing up their days and nights, you can try limiting the length of their naps and keeping them active when they are awake. </li><li>When your newborn baby wakes at night for a feeding, try feeding them in a darkened room, and throughout the feeding, burping, and diaper changing, keep your talking and stimulation to a minimum. When your baby wakes for a day feeding, increase the light, conversation, and stimulation. This will help your newborn baby learn that nighttime is a sleepy time and daytime is fun time. </li></ul><h2>Sleep and sudden infant death syndrome</h2><p>Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby less than one year old, which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation and autopsy. Babies who succumb to SIDS do so in their sleep. To help prevent SIDS, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and many other medical associations have made the following recommendations: </p>
<figure>
<span class="asset-image-title">Infant Sleeping Position</span>
<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Sleeping_baby_back_EQUIP_ILL_EN.jpg" alt="Baby sleeping on back in a crib" />
<figcaption class="asset-image-caption">It is best for babies to sleep on their backs for the first 6 months of life.</figcaption></figure>
<ul><li>Put your baby to sleep on their back, not their side or tummy. </li><li>Avoid soft mattresses, bedding, and pillows. </li><li>Do not smoke during pregnancy, and do not expose your baby to second-hand smoke after they are born. </li><li>Avoid overheating your baby. </li><li>Keep your baby in your room, but not in the same bed. The safest place for a baby to sleep is alone in a crib.</li><li>Do not allow your baby to sleep in a stroller, swing, bouncer, or car seat for extended periods of time.<br></li></ul> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/sleep_time_for_newborns.jpg | | | | | | | Sleep time for newborns | | False | | | | | | | | |
