Sleep and your newborn baby

Inside the womb, your baby encountered too little light to distinguish night from day. And throughout gestation, your rhythmic movements and sounds also helped lull your little one to sleep. The womb was a warm, safe place for your child. There were no temperature changes, discomforts, loud noises, or sensations that weren't to her liking. Because of these comforts and the changes your baby encounters after birth, infants can't possibly have wake-sleep routines comparable to most adults.
 
Thrust into a world she isn't familiar with, it can be a complicated task to figure out how to coax her into resting peacefully with a routine that works with your own. Your baby has never been separated from you before, so you can't expect her to adjust quickly to a new set of routines and sleeping rules. As most new parents discover, it usually takes a team effort to lull a baby to sleep--especially as a newborn. But how do you know if your baby's sleeping habits are normal, and what can you do to help your baby get the right amount of sleep that she needs to be healthy?

 What Isn't Normal?

• Sleeping Too Little

If your newborn sleeps less than the expectations, watch her closely--she may be overtired. Signs of exhaustion might include excessive crying or whining, being very clingy, or being very hyper.
 
Most infants, when going through a growth spurt (usually around the ages of 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 months, and 4 months), will nurse or want a bottle more often, and may even sleep less throughout the day. But most babies will sleep noticeably more (overall) during these growth periods because of the intense need to conserve energy.
 
If your baby isn't sleeping enough, you'll want to rule out other factors that may be preventing her from drifting off to sleep. Here are some things to try: White noise. Newborns are used to noise that they could hear in the womb. A house that is too quiet can actually cause stress for some babies. "White noise" from a hair dryer, vacuum cleaner or static on a radio can actually provide womb-like sounds that can help her relax and fall to sleep.

 Swaddling. Before birth, your baby was accustomed to very tight surroundings, which is why swaddling is recommended. If you are not swaddling your little one for sleeping times, or she is not swaddled tightly enough, she could be experiencing stress that prevents her from sleeping.
 Warmth. Your baby is used to living in a 98-degree environment, and is not yet efficient at regulating her own body temperature. Ensure that baby is warm, snug, and cozy enough to sleep. Swaddles will help maintain her body temperature, but in colder weather, make sure she is dressed appropriately to stay warm. Pay particular attention to her feet.

• Sleeping Too Much

 If your child is getting dramatically more sleep than you feel she should, speak to your pediatrician to see if there is an underlying cause. It is not uncommon for some newborns to sleep a great deal in the initial weeks. But this can become problematic if your baby is sleeping so much that she's not eating enough. If you have a "sleepy baby," you'll have to wake her every few hours for a feeding. Try:

Changing her diaper before a feeding
Removing all her clothes (except diaper) so she's not so warm and cozy
Wiping baby with a cool, wet washcloth
Rubbing an ice cube on the soles of her feet

If none of these tricks keep your baby awake long enough to consistently take full feedings, contact your health care provider to discuss possible causes of sleepiness. When older babies sleep more, it isn't as much of a concern as long as they are eating well at feeding times.