Sleep: resting time for your baby

Some newborn babies sleep for twenty hours per day, while others may only need ten to twelve hours of sleep and are therefore awake for much of the time. There is no strict rule for how many hours your baby should sleep. It varies from child to child. On average, a baby sleeps about sixteen hours a day. But don’t worry if your baby sleeps for more or less hours.

You should place a newborn baby on its back to sleep. Research has shown that babies who are lying on their stomach in bed are at a greater risk of dying from SIDS. For the same reason, do not use a duvet, but rather cover your baby with a small sheet and a blanket. Make up a short bed in the cot, ensuring that your baby’s feet reach all the way down to the foot end so that when your baby wriggles free from the covers, it cannot crawl head first under the covers and risk asphyxiation. Air the nursery thoroughly and make sure that it is not too hot: about 18 degrees is perfect.

Babies do not already have a defined day/night rhythm like adults. In fact, many babies are more active at night than during the day. When your baby was still in your belly, its kicking will have probably kept you away at night more than once! So now that your baby is in the world, it must “learn” about things such as day and night. You can help your baby by always being clear about whether it is day or night. You can do this, for example, by keeping your baby’s room dark at night, except for a night light. Do not turn on the lights when your baby wakes up.

Of course, your child will sometimes also wake up quite unexpectedly. Newborn babies tend to be more restless in their sleep than older babies anyway. Dreams or sudden (own) movements may scare them awake and cause them to cry for a bit. Or your baby may wake if he or she is too hot or too cold. Keep the temperature of the room around 18 degrees and avoid drafts. If you are in any doubt whether your baby is warm enough, feel his or her neck. That part of your baby’s body is the most reliable indicator of the state of his or her body temperature. Cold feet and hands or a cold face are inconclusive.

There is no need to be extra quiet around your sleeping newborn baby. Your baby has already heard all the typical sounds and noises of your home while in your belly. Your baby is used to them. If you were to make an extra effort to be quiet, your baby might miss a familiar sound and therefore have difficulty falling asleep. Of course, you don’t have to be noisy on purpose. Just continue as you would do under normal circumstances.

… may cause you anxiety. If your baby does not sleep well, you may not sleep well yourself. You have probably already tried everything. Tips from other parents that worked great for their baby. But that does not always mean that it also suits your child. Find a solution that fits your style. Does your baby prefer to fall asleep in your arms and are you okay with that? So, why don’t you just do that?  Are you okay with the cot right next to your bed? Then keep it there for a while still. And once you have recovered your energy again, you will also have the strength to gradually change the bedtime ritual.

Always remember: don’t do anything that causes you to stress, because your baby will inevitably sense that stress. Moreover, your baby needs security, so give your child that security by letting them know that you are there, even when they are alone in their crib. Feel free to peek in from time to time. But keep it short and be very clear: “I’m around and will be back soon.”