Newborn Sleep Patterns

For almost every new parent, newborn sleep is the top discussion topic. Naturally. Newborn sleep patterns are very different from adult ones and it takes some time for new parents to get used to it. Read more about how newborns sleep — to understand what your baby needs.

Baby Sleep in General

The first thing that needs to be mentioned before we start talking about newborn sleep patterns: Every baby is different. All we can do in this article (all anyone can do, really) is to give you generic info about baby sleep. But you probably don’t have a generic baby! What works for someone, might not be usable for someone else. All rules have exceptions.

Newborn sleep cycles differ from adult ones. Very much. Newborns sleep in much shorter cycles and need time to start sleeping tight — which may require you holding them in your arms because that’s where they feel the safest.

Newborn Sleep

Newborns sleep approx. 16 hours a day — not in one stretch of course. Most newborns are able to stay awake for 2 hours at max. They get tired quickly — both physically and mentally. Too much action, too many new faces and new things — all this can lead to overstimulation. That makes it hard for your newborn to fall asleep. If that’s the case, hold your baby in your arms, take them to a quiet place and help them calm down a little.

We recommend focusing on the signals your baby is giving you when they’re tired (yawning, rubbing their eyes) and react to them accordingly. Try not to let your baby get too tired — falling asleep might get even harder then.

Rituals to Help Your Baby Sleep Better

Make sure the room where your baby sleeps is warm enough but not too hot. If not in a room (eg. outside), check the level of your baby’s warmth comfort. A dry diaper is also a must — most newborns don’t like it when they’re wet. Choose a diaper with a Stay Dry layer and thick enough that it keeps your baby dry for up to 12 hours. If you’re a cloth diaper user, go for night fitted diapers.

Many parents (and babies) find that having a pre-sleep ritual helps — could be a gentle baby massage, a walk (either with a pram or with your baby in a carrier), some background white noise or nursing your baby just before you put them to sleep. Having a cuddly baby blanket also helps. When your baby relaxes their arms and hands, that’s when you know for sure they’ve fallen deeply asleep.

How to Help Your Baby Fall Asleep

Most babies won’t have a regular day/ night regime until they’re 4-5 months old. Newborns need help falling asleep, they have yet to learn this ability. Accept that and the newborn stage will be a lot less stressful for you.

Restless Newborn Sleep

It happens to anyone once in a while — your baby that normally sleeps like an angel suddenly gets awaken by even the slightest noise, starts crying out of the blue and needs you around all the time. There are various reasons for restless newborn sleep:

• infant colic,
• your baby was way too tired when they fell asleep, they were overstimulated,
• your baby is going through a growth spurt,
• your baby is about to get ill,
• your baby has a wet diaper.

The best way to calm down your restlessly sleeping baby is to be there for them. Parents represent a safe harbour for any baby and just you being around makes them feel better in an instant. We wrote about this topic in our article on Why Babies Cry.