3 Things To Know About Sleeping Babies
If you have just given birth, it is important that you are well informed about the sleep of newborns. In fact, if they sleep very differently from adults and if they do not rest well or adequately, it is necessary to understand the reasons for this discomfort.
The first thing you need to keep in mind about babies sleep is that they sleep at intervals of two or three hours. Regardless of whether it is day or night, they only wake up when they are hungry and you will have to respond to their cries even if you are tired or sleepy. A newborn sleeps on average 16 hours a day, depending on the case, with more or less significant variations. There are children who sleep a lot less and are perfectly fine.
Over time, the internal clock will begin to set more normally, with increased sleep at night. But only after the first year of life will they usually be unlikely to sleep through the night. As parents, you will have to wait until then, when you will finally be able to rest a little more: sleeping six hours straight, out of the eight canonicals, will be your well-deserved reward.
Some couples will be able to sleep more than others, depending on their child’s needs and behaviors. But, in general, if you have just given birth, several sleepless nights await you. Tips, tricks and tricks may work with one baby but be completely useless with another. On the contrary, your child will often teach you how baby sleep works.
3 key elements of newborn sleep
1. The quality of sleep in newborns
A first aspect to consider is that rest is essential to allow the correct development of children. In fact, from the earliest times, you will understand that if your child sleeps badly, or not enough, it will greatly affect his mood. But also the physical state will suffer and will lack the energy necessary to face the day. A child who sleeps well and rests will be happier and less stressed.
This means that you will need to prioritize the baby’s sleep. It doesn’t matter if there are relatives who want to play with it or something else: when your child is asleep, he should never be disturbed. In this sense, it will also be essential to create a room suitable for rest, choosing the one that is more peaceful and quiet.
2. Differences between newborns
While it is true that babies spend most of their time sleeping when they are very young, it should be noted that there can be many differences between two babies. For example, if your neighbor’s child sleeps 19 hours a day and yours sleeps “only” 12, that doesn’t mean you need to worry. Quite the contrary. These differences depend on the creature’s personal needs. In this case, it will mean that the little one requires less time to recover energy and strength.
To find out if your baby is okay, even if he sleeps less than usual, just check that he is growing regularly. Check the constant weight gain, make sure that he feeds well every day, that he interacts with the environment, that the intestinal transit does not present problems, that his skin has a good color, without situations of drowsiness or physical decay. If your pediatrician also confirms that everything is fine, the fact that you sleep less will stop worrying you.
3. The stages of sleep
The dynamics of a newborn’s sleep do not all appear suddenly, automatically, after birth. The duration and depth will gradually increase, until a clear sleep routine is established. From regular short naps, up to longer forms of rest that will gradually align themselves with the night time. You will spend many nights awake, alternating with your partner, because it will always be necessary to check that everything is fine.
Patience will be your best weapon: constant waking up will be very tiring and stressful. But remember that when your children cry, they do it because they need you, because they require your attention to meet their basic needs. Whether they are simply hungry, their diapers dirty, whether they are cold or hot. Or simply because they want to feel your embrace, some warmth and, of course, your love.
