One of the most common anxieties that new parents have are related to baby’s sleep requirements and its pattern. Babies have a very high need for sleep in the early months as well as for the first few years. For most new parents, the biggest challenges are not only to ensure sufficient night time sleep, but to deal with disrupted sleep and to be able to put the baby to sleep. Other infant and toddler sleep concerns include helping the child develop the safest and healthiest sleep habits. Understanding the baby’s sleep pattern, and adjusting your own life to it can be an uphill task that seems even more overwhelming given all the other things that scream for attention with a newborn at home.
Here are some do’s and don’ts that will help you in understanding you baby’s sleeping needs and your role as a new parent.
Do’s
1. Do look out for signs of sleepiness
Babies will yawn, rub their eyes, start crying or make jerky movements when they start feeling sleepy. Watch out for these indications, and put him to sleep as soon as you spot any. Put them to bed, and comfort them till they fall asleep.
2. Be aware of high sleep requirement in infants
Babies need lots of sleep. In the first few weeks and months, they will sleep between 16-20 hours a day. This is normal. As they grow older their sleep time will reduce, but there will be times when periodic growth spurts will cause a temporarily increased sleep need.
3. Encourage long naps
Infants and toddlers need long stretches of sleep, but may find it difficult to sleep beyond a short while. They will end up being sleep deprived and as a result become cranky. Keep your baby awake for longer periods to prevent those short naps that last for no longer than 20-30 minutes.
4. Be safe
Become familiar with safety precautions for infant sleep. Make the baby lie on his back when putting him to sleep. Keep the sleeping area free from toys, quilts and pillows that can suffocate the baby. Read up on sudden infant death syndrome to be sure that you are doing things right.
5. Check for comfort
Babies typically wake up or find it difficult to fall asleep if they are uncomfortable. Check to see if the diaper is wet. Check for uncomfortable clothing or diaper pins. Some inside labels on clothing can irritate the baby’s tender skin. Make sure the room is not too warm or too cold. Check if the light is falling directly on the baby making it difficult to fall or stay asleep.
Don’ts
1. Don’t panic at sneezes and grunts
Most babies make sleeping noises of all sort, including groaning, moaning, sighing, coughing, and even laughing sounds. They may even cry and whimper as they sleep. None of this is reason to worry at the first instance. Your interference might end up disturbing the sleep that was on its way. Wait for a while to see if he settles down on his own.
2. Don’t interrupt sleep
If your baby is sleeping, avoid waking him up. This will only make him cranky, and it will be difficult to get him back to sleep again.
3. Don’t encourage crying to sleep
Many mothers end up resorting to the “cry till you fall asleep” technique out of sheer exasperation. While this may be acceptable on rare occasion, it is best avoided in the interest of your baby’s overall development. Babies need to feel that they are cared for, and the cry to sleep approach often damages the trust that a child needs to experience toward his loved ones and his environment.
4. Don’t give up
As you battle your own sleep needs and that of your baby, you may reach a point of frustration. Take care of your own sleep needs as much as you can. You and your baby have embarked on a journey that is amazing beyond imagination. The journey is demanding at times, but the rewards are far greater. Remember that things will get better as day passes.
A healthy blend of common sense and realistic expectations from yourself, your baby and your support systems will go a long way in easing your worries about your baby’s sleep. Make the best of every opportunity you and your baby get to rest. Discuss with your pediatrician if you feel uncomfortable about anything in your baby’s sleeping pattern.
