Tried and True Tips to Help Your Newborn Sleep
The Early Days
Ah, newborns. Doesn’t it seem like they manage to sleep and not sleep all at the same time? Newborn babies cycle through light sleep and deep sleep in increments of about 45 minutes (give or take a little). Babies this age sleep for an average of 16.5 hours each day, usually in 1-3 hour intervals. This can be broken down to approximately 4-8 hours of day sleep and 9-12 hours of night sleep. A baby this age can stay awake between 45-60 minutes between sleep.
Pro tip: There’s no such thing as a schedule for a newborn baby! Just when it seems like your baby is falling into a set routine, the game changes. Being flexible and adapting to your baby’s needs is the name of the game right now. These early months are a unique, special time to focus on getting to know and bonding with your baby. Don’t worry too much about the clock and just enjoy these moments as a new parent. It doesn’t feel like it right now, but these dreamy days will be gone in the blink of an eye!
Month 1
This month, your baby should be sleeping 10-11 hours at night and about 4-5 hours during the day. The longest your baby will be awake should be between 45-60 minutes, up until about 6 weeks. Babies this age typically sleep 16-18 hours a day, and can stay awake for just about an hour before needing to sleep again, much like last month. In other words, snooze when you can!
Pro tip: Try maintaining an optimal sleep environment by using white noise (to recreate the sounds of the womb) and keeping the room the ideal temperature (68-72 degrees) for a baby. Using a swaddle to keep your baby cozy will mimic the feeling of the womb as well, and keep your baby from being startled with those tiny hands. Sleep consultants swear by blackout curtains, minimal mobiles (or none at all), and nothing too stimulating around the crib.
Month 2
This month is the perfect time to start developing nap and nighttime routines. At 2 months old, babies generally sleep 15.5 -18 hours a day, which can be broken down to approximately 4-8 hours of day sleep and 9-12 hours of night sleep. A baby this age can stay awake about an hour before needing to go back to sleep. It’s safe to continue swaddling your baby for naps and nighttime sleep.
Pro tip: A simple sleep habit that will set you and your baby up for sleep success down the road is to create a soothing and consistent bedtime routine. A regular and predictable bedtime routine is a major cue to let your baby know it is time to sleep. Create the bedtime routine that works best for you!
Month 3
At 3 months old, babies generally sleep 15.5 -18 hours a day, which can be broken down to 4-7 hours of day sleep and 10-12 hours of night sleep. Your baby can stay awake between 1-1.5 hours. Your goal for sleep this month? Trying to set the stage for your baby to fall asleep without being held, rocked, nursed, or patted down! The ideal bedtime is somewhere between 6-8pm.
Pro tip: Now’s the time to begin putting your baby to bed drowsy but awake, as your baby may be ready to learn how to fall asleep independently. Sleep consultants recommend trying to put some distance between feeding and sleeping. You can do this by gently unlatching a breastfeeding baby or removing the bottle at the end of a feed, before your baby falls asleep. If you are bouncing, rocking, or holding to sleep, now’s a good time to gradually fade away these associations. Your baby is becoming more aware and reliant on those patterns the older your baby gets, and by working on fading them out now, teaching your baby how to sleep independently will be much easier later.