Newborn Sleep Patterns and How They Change

It is important for parents to know the sleep patterns of their newborn and how these patterns change gradually as your baby grows older.  Knowing what to expect will help you adjust and adapt to your baby’s needs.

Newborns not over 3 months

Newborns have little tummies and faster digestion which means they need to feed more often than older babies do.  This is why infants less than three months old have short-cycled sleep hours. During daytime, they have irregular number of naps totaling about 8-9 hours usually every after feeding.

Babies – 3 to 6 months

Baby sleep hours during the day lessen as they grow. They start to recognize that it is playtime during the day and sleep time at night. At this point, you will see improvements in the length of sleep they have at night.  This is no guarantee that it’s a good night’s sleep for you. Babies this age may be fussy during the night.  This is the stage when your baby’s physician will recommend sleep training.

Keep him in a habit of regular naptimes in the midmornings, mid-afternoons and early evenings.  This will help him sleep better at night

Babies – 6 months over

Babies over 6 months old normally sleep just for 12 to 14 hours day.  They become more active during the day when it is play time. You should still make sure that he has 1-2 naps during the day to give him a better sleep at night. There are even some doctors who advise mothers that they should not let their babies sleep after 3pm just enough to tire him for a good sleep at night.

There are still babies who don’t sleep through the night at this stage. Mothers may start discovering what causes these wakes to encourage a good night sleep. Some mothers who discover that their presence has a big role in the baby’s sleep used their own clothes or a piece of an article that babies can sleep with. This simple method of association helped a lot of mothers stay in their bedroom through the whole night.

Parenting is not simple but it sure is exciting, especially the process of discovering the uniqueness of your baby.

Freelance Contributor: Hazel Zanoria