Baby Sleep Patterns
by courtkneeYour baby’s sleep patterns will change during the first year. These changes are due to infant brain development and also a result of the baby learning to fit into the family’s routines. Knowing when and why these changes occur and what you can do to help both you and your baby gain control over sleep and wake periods will make the first year with your baby a more satisfying one.
Many new parents do not realize that:
-Babies sleep a total of 11-14 hours a day
-Babies gradually sleep more at night than in the daytime
-Even a newborn has waking periods of up to 2 hours. This increases to at least 5 hours by 12 months
-Bottle fed babies usually sleep through the night at a younger age than breast fed babies
-Day and night sleep periods become more predictable and regular as your baby grows.
As a newborn, your baby will sleep an average of 14 hours out of every 24 and feed 7 times. By the time they are 3 to 5 months old, their sleep will decrease to 13 hours per day, and 6 feedings. This average remains the same through 6 to 12 months of age.
To help your baby regulate his or her sleep patterns it is important to develop routines when they are going to bed. Before trying to put them to sleep provide a satisfying feeding. Place your baby on his or her back to sleep and make the room temperature comfortable. Reduce the noise and lower the lights. When babies are 1 to 2 months old, put them to bed when they are asleep. However, starting in the 3 month put them to bed when they are awake so they can practice self-soothing activities and learn how to quiet themselves.
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