Infant Sleep Patterns: A Guide for Parents

Newborns are a source of great joy for their parents, but they can also wreak havoc on their sleeping habits. When a baby is born, their sleep is irregular and not the same as that of the adults in the home. A newborn can sleep up to 18 hours in a 24-hour period, and unfortunately, they often sleep more during the day than they do at night.

One reason for this is that their body’s or circadian clock hasn’t matured and hasn’t set itself for day and night outside of the womb. As a result, a newborn’s circadian rhythms, which tell them to go to sleep at night and wake in the morning, haven’t yet developed.

Hunger also affects an infant’s sleep cycle. Depending on the newborn and whether they are being fed by breast or bottle, they often need to eat every two to three hours.

It’s important that parents understand how newborns sleep and how it differs from older babies and adults. They should also learn to recognize what is normal for their baby, as not every newborn will have the same sleeping patterns. It is just as important to contact one’s health-care provider if there are any changes or concerns about how their baby sleeps or wakes up.

Newborn Alert Phases

When newborns are awake, they go through phases of alertness. The first phase, known as the quiet alert phase, starts when the baby first awakens. During this time, the just-awakened newborn lies still and observant of the faces and environment within sight.

Even though they are still and quiet, they will respond to the movement and noise that happens around them and become increasingly responsive. This turns into an active alert state where they move their arms and legs more often, look around, make noise, and maybe even fuss a bit.

The crying phase typically comes after the active alert phase. During this time, a baby becomes fussier, moves around more, and is susceptible to over-stimulation. When possible, one should feed a baby before this phase, as crying is often due to hunger.

Feeding a baby that is in the crying phase can be difficult, as they may resist eating despite being hungry. Parents can attempt to soothe the baby by holding them in their arms or rocking.

Sleep Readiness Signs

Because newborn babies tire quickly and sleep is crucial for their health, it’s important to recognize when a baby is ready to go to sleep. Fortunately, infants often have tells that signal when they are getting tired. The ability to recognize these cues can make it easier to help a baby go to sleep, even when the baby is difficult to put to bed.

Although fussing is one of the most common signals of tiredness, there are additional signs to watch out for. These may include yawning, pulling on their ears, sucking on their fingers, eye rubbing, looking away, or difficulty focusing.

Swaddling

One of the most common ways to soothe a sleepy baby is to swaddle them. Swaddling is the act of wrapping a baby’s arms and legs snugly within a thin blanket or one made specifically for swaddling. This mimics the warmth and security of being in the womb and can help them more easily fall asleep.

This is a practice that has been around for a long time, but parents should use caution and understand how to swaddle their baby properly. If done too tightly around the hips, it can cause the joints to form abnormally or lead to other hip-related problems.

A swaddled infant may also be difficult to rouse from sleep. An infant who sleeps too deeply and is difficult to wake up can be at greater risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Parents should also stop swaddling their baby when they can roll over or are 2 months old, as this may increase the risk of SIDS. Using multiple or thick blankets also presents a dangerous risk of causing the baby to overheat. Newborns should always be put to sleep in an empty crib, on a firm mattress, and on their back.

Helping Your Baby Fall Asleep

Although the sleeping habits of newborn babies rarely align with those of their parents, there are ways to help them fall asleep more easily. Parents can both help their baby to sleep more easily and begin shaping sleep habits for the future.

To start, parents can create a comfortable and soothing sleep-time routine, such as giving the baby a bath and a gentle massage before putting them to bed. Other ways to help a baby fall asleep are to cuddle and rock them or to read or sing to them in a quiet voice.

The environment should also be calm, with dim lights and soft music or a white noise machine. This routine should begin before the baby is tired, yet not at a point where they are falling asleep.

It can also be beneficial, for both sleeping and safety, to keep a newborn in the same bedroom. But one should always put the baby in a bassinet or a crib and not in the bed, as adult beds are not safe for a baby to sleep on.

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About Derek Hales

Derek Hales is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of NapLab. His insights and work has been featured on ABC's Tamron Hall Show, Freakonomics, CBS News, ESPN, Reader's Digest, Homes & Gardens, New York Post, CNET, & More. Derek has personally tested 440+ mattresses and began testing mattresses in 2014.