Sleep Like a Baby: Part 2
Part 1 of this blog can be found here
Whoever used the metaphor “Slept like a baby,” to describe a good night's sleep, clearly never met a baby.
Although a new baby may sleep anywhere from 16-18 hours a day, that sleep is nothing like adult sleep. New baby sleep is inundated with many wakings, cluster feedings, getting days and nights mixed up, the eventual dreaded sleep regressions, and developing a circadian rhythm. If this sounds like a science word problem, then you are indeed correct.
We want you to feel prepared for newborn sleep patterns.
Sleep is so important for new parents and new babies. If reading all the books feels too daunting, allow us to break it down more simply.
You may recall in our last blog post about sleep, we explained how to get C.O.Z.Y to better navigate those first four weeks of new baby life. In this post we’ll go over what we like to call R.E.S.T.
ROUNTINE. Although we aren’t putting the baby on a sleep schedule yet in the first four weeks, we can still create healthy sleep habits leading up to that time. Work on a nighttime sleep routine. My goal with postpartum families is to have the baby sleep in one of their designated sleep spaces 1-2 times a day, this can be a nap or nighttime sleep. Aim for a bedtime pattern that can involve things like a bath, pajamas, a story, rocking in a chair while feeding. These are what we like to call “we’re getting ready for bed” cues. Adults have these too!
EXPECTATIONS. Where do you want your baby to sleep? How much sleep do you anticipate your baby to get? Although the answers to these questions might feel lofty, refer back to the Collect in C.O.Z.Y, where you gather information about newborn sleep. If your expectations are like your cousin Susan, whose baby slept straight through the night at 10 days old, it might be worth examining what is safe and normal newborn sleep. It’s okay to adjust your expectations!
STIMULATION/SOOTHING. When a baby gets overstimulated they may end up needing more of your soothing methods. You’re a great parent, so naturally you will soothe your baby. This might look like walking/rocking your baby, nursing/feeding to sleep, or using a pacifier. As you create your routine, lights and sounds can be overstimulating to a new baby. Get in the habit of turning down the lights, speaking in a quieter voice, and turning on a sound machine. We ultimately want to help emulate a safe womb-like environment for your baby.
TIME. This part of the R.E.S.T acronym is multi-faceted. Time is an incredible tool to help us determine when a baby should sleep next, or if it’s time to get the baby up for a feed. Time can be synonymous with the baby's age. Are we expecting our two week old to give us 8 hour stretches? The answer should be no. Take the time to learn how to help your baby sleep better. It’s okay if it doesn’t happen on the first try.
The more we lean into creating healthy sleep habits, the more our baby will respond.
Your baby is so smart, and they can make these associations. It’s okay if your baby doesn’t fit this mold, we recognize that babies are individuals and may require a different setup. The goal isn’t to get your baby to sleep too deeply in the beginning of their life. Waking has it’s benefits lauded in survival and increased brain development.