Sleep Needs in Newborn Babies

Newborns sleep in three-to-four-hour routines predominantly in the early part of their life. A baby's sleep time gets longer as the baby grows. Safe sleep is very important to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The baby should sleep alone in the crib with only the mattress and sheets. The baby should be laid on his back. This is the safest way for your baby to sleep in their first year.

How Long Should Newborn Babies Sleep?

During the first year of life, your baby will sleep and take naps from 12 to 18 hours a day. A baby's sleep time is generally closely related to his hunger level. Newborns will wake up and initially want to be fed every three to four hours on average. Don't let your newborn sleep more than five hours at a time for the first five to six weeks.

Where Newborn Babies Should Sleep?

Your newborn baby can sleep in a bassinet. This can be in the parents' room, in the sibling's room, or in the baby's own room. It is important that you put him to sleep in an ideal and safe place. Your baby should not sleep in your bed with you. Because this situation is extremely dangerous due to sudden infant death syndrome and the risk of suffocation.

You can carry the baby to your bed to feed. But as soon as feeding is finished, you should put the baby back in his crib. Many experts recommend feeding your child in a chair to prevent possible injury while sleeping in bed with the baby. Room sharing with your baby is recommended, but bed sharing is not.

Suggestions for Improving Sleep Quality of Newborn Babies

There are several ways to help your baby sleep better:

• Changing your baby's sleep cycle. Once your baby is over his first month, you can encourage him to sleep more at night.
• Understanding your baby's signs. Many babies will show certain signs that they are tired. These can include things like moodiness, crying, tugging on body parts, yawning, and rubbing eyes. Laying your baby down while he's showing these signs will usually help him fall asleep faster.
• Establish a bedtime routine. Bathing, rocking, reading, talking quietly, singing, playing soft music, cuddling, and gentle massage can all be part of your routine. While your baby may not yet understand these signals, setting these pre-bedtime exercises now can help you establish a regular bedtime routine in the future.
• Sometimes it may seem like your child is awake, but he is actually still asleep. You may notice smiling, sucking, twitching, shaking, and all kinds of movements. Essentially, these are all normal aspects of sleep. However, if she cries for a few minutes, it's time to check her out.