as a new parent, you may wonder whether your baby is getting enough sleep. since babies are developing faster, both physically and mentally, they also require more sleep than adults. but remember that every baby is different, and your baby may need more or less sleep compared to what is suggested below.
you may notice that your baby wakes up more often and is more anxious than usual. the cause may be developmental leaps. the first developmental leap usually occurs within the first week of baby’s life and then in the third and sixth week, after which it occurs in the third, sixth, and ninth month.
later on, developmental leaps occur every six months. developmental leaps occur when a baby starts developing faster. this does not mean that all babies are anxious, irritable, and have a poorer quality of sleep during this period. some babies can even increase the time they need to rest during this period.
however, some research indicates that a lot of babies have similar sleeping habits.
0-4 months
in the first month, a baby can sleep between 16-17 hours, and in the initial period even up to 18 hours a day whilst waking up briefly, only to be fed and changed.
your baby will probably not sleep for longer than 1-3 hours in a row, initially. because new-borns do not have a circadian rhythm, their sleep patterns are not related to the day and night cycles. around the sixth week, babies adopt a certain type of schedule and the periods between waking up are longer.
also, babies who have cramps in these first months will sleep on an average less than the babies who do not have them.
4-6 months
a baby now needs less sleep, between 14-15 hours a day. increase baby’s night-time sleep to 11 hours and reduce daytime sleep to 3-4 hours.
during this period, a baby is very active during the day. between the third and fifth month, the first regression of sleep occurs, when babies begin to process sleep with more frequent shifts of the rem and non-rem sleeping phases. sleep regression implies a noticeable change in the baby’s sleeping rhythm, which is characterized by the fact that the baby wakes up much easier, and more often than usual, sometimes because of the developmental leaps.
a baby can wake up every 20-30 minutes and can have a hard time going back to sleep, which is usually very tiring for the parent.
6-12 months
a baby needs about 14 hours of sleep, and during the night – between 11-12 hours. the remaining 2-3 hours should be split in two naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
during the period between 6 and 9 months, the second regression of sleep occurs, but it is usually easier to tolerate than the first one.
additional tips for baby’s better sleeping:
the room in which the baby is sleeping during the night needs to be at 18-20 °c, ventilated, with humid air. when talking about sleeping attire, chose quality materials only. it is very important that the baby’s wardrobe is made of cotton, soft and gentle, so that the baby’s sensitive skin can breathe.
to help your baby sleep well, it is very helpful to manage a bedtime routine. a bedtime routine can include a bath, favourite stories, a hug, a lullaby, a gentle massage. if the baby knows that it is time for sleeping after a certain routine, it will adopt a habit or a certain ritual before going to bed. before you start the bedtime routine, try to spend some time in silence with the baby, which means turning off the tv, music, phone, and dim the lights in the room.
graduate nurse,
Brankov Zeljana
