Newborn Sleep Help

Written By Hannah .

It’s no secret that the newborn stage is wonderful, but oh so tough. Recovery from birth, sleep deprivation, learning about a new tiny human…it’s very overwhelming. And on top of it all, your new bundle of joy seems to be changing every few days; once you think you’ve figured out something that works, it all changes again. Is there a way out of this craziness?

The answer is a resounding YES! Here are my top tips to get through this phase because it is that…just a phase.

  1. Work on noticing your baby’s specific sleepy signals (about 45-60 minutes after waking¹)

    ~Some sleepy signal examples: increased fussiness, hands to ears or eyes, turning head side to side

    ~When you see one or more of these signals, start your short soothing sleep routine

    NOTE: Wake windows aren’t based on scientific findings. They’re based on observations and generalities, so don’t worry if your baby’s rhythms don’t match up exactly to others’!

  2. You can’t spoil your baby!

    ~There are no “bad” habits during this time because baby’s brain is not mature enough to understand these cause and effect relationships ⁵. So rock, feed, bounce your baby to sleep—whatever works for you!

    ~What works or doesn’t work getting your baby to sleep can change quickly. This is because baby’s brain is changing so fast ⁵.

  3. Nap in light during the day and keep it dark at night ⁶

    ~Day/Night Confusion is a completely normal phase that babies go through. This means that baby is sleeping more during the day and more wakeful at night.

    ~Day/Night Confusion disappears around 2 months (8 weeks) old as baby begins developing rudimentary circadian rhythms.

    ~Do NOT try to keep baby awake more during the day—this will backfire!

  4. ABCs of Safe Sleep ⁴

    ~These are the basic rules we follow to reduce the risk of SIDS. Baby should sleep Alone on their Back in their Crib.

    ~Alone meaning no blankets, pillows, stuffies, bumpers etc in their sleep space.

    ~They should always be placed on their Back to go to sleep. Once they begin learning to roll, they should NOT be swaddled; use a sleep sack instead!

    ~Baby should sleep in their own space–whether that be a Crib or bassinet.

    NOTE: We really need to be mindful of not bed-sharing with baby–room sharing (baby sleeping in the same room as a parent/caregiver) is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for up to a year, but bed-sharing is not recommended because it increases the risk of SIDS ⁴.

    Additional Resources:

    ●    Cribs for Kids

    ●    Family Sleep Institute Safe Sleep Initiative

  5. Allow others to help, especially when baby is inconsolable (aka PURPLE period of crying³)

    ~Extra hands are especially useful during the peak of PURPLE crying (6-8 weeks old)

    ~PURPLE period is typically in afternoon/evening, but is different for different babies

    ~Try the 5 S’s for soothing by Dr. Harvey Karp ²

    ~Extra hands or trading with a partner can help give you a little break and regroup ⁵.

    ~This is a very tough period and the crying can seem unmanageable, but keep in mind that this is not forever. Baby is going through many changes (starting to form circadian rhythms) but cannot communicate discomfort in any other form than crying ⁵.

    ~Continuous crying is very frustrating for parents because it biologically triggers our fight or flight response—so we jump into action. Unfortunately, this type of crying is a waiting game, which is why it’s important to take a break if you can.

    ~NEVER shake a baby to try to stop crying. This can lead to head trauma ³ .

    ~Above all, remember THIS WILL END!

Most importantly, you are doing a great job and you are enough!

If you’d like more support, please feel free to reach out to me!

References:

¹ How long babies should be awake between naps. (2024, April 25). Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/wake-windows-by-age

² Karp, H. (2023, February 24). The 5 S's for soothing babies. Happiest Baby. https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/baby/the-5-s-s-for-soothing-babies

³ PURPLE crying. (n.d.). National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. https://dontshake.org/purple-crying

⁴ Safe sleep. (2023). AAP. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/safe-sleep/

⁵ Weissbluth, M. (2005). Healthy sleep habits, happy child: A step-by-step program for a good night's sleep (3rd ed.). Ballantine Books.

⁶ Yates, J. (2018). Perspective: The long-term effects of light exposure on establishment of newborn circadian rhythm. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 14(10), 1829-1830. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7426

Hannah .