Once you bring your newborn home, you’ll have some sleepless nights unless you are very lucky. Although most newborns usually sleep when they are not feeding – typically spending at least 60 percent of their time asleep – some will remain active and alert for surprisingly long periods during the day and night.
One young mother was shocked to find that her new baby never dozed for longer than one or two hours at a time until she was four months old. This is a very long time for any parent to survive without a full night’s sleep, especially when your body may be in need of rest after an exhausting pregnancy and birth. If you have a very wakeful baby, be consoled by the fact that as long as she isn’t left bored on her own, every minute that she’s awake she’s learning something new – and in the long run you will be rewarded with an eager, bright child.
All babies are different, and their sleep requirements depend on individual physiology. For this reason it’s nonsensical to lay down rigid sleeping times that correspond to the average baby. As I’ve said before, the average baby doesn’t exist.
Most newborns fall asleep soon after feeding. At first, a baby’s wakefulness is likely to depend on how much feeding she needs, which in turn dependson her weight.
Add A Comment