Are you curious what type of newborn sleep patterns your
baby will have?

Newborn sleep patterns vary greatly. Brand new babies sleep an average of 18-20 hours per day. Of course that doesn't mean straight through the night. At least mine never did but if yours does, first thank your lucky stars then send me an e-mail with some tips on how you made it happen so that I can share them with other parents who are praying for some sleep!

If your newborn sleep patterns are all mixed up, don't worry because with these helpful tips and hints, we can get your baby on track even if he has his days and nights confused.

It's always tough the first 3-4 months but as time goes on and they get older, they are more stimulated and stay up for longer periods of time throughout the day. I am sure that you have read how to stimulate them to keep them awake by playing with them or taking them out into the direct sunlight. You can try these but many times when they are asleep during the day, that is the time for you to grab a quick nap to catch up on the sleep that you lost the night before.... ..and the cycle continues.

But....if you can be patient and wait as little as a few more weeks, they will stay up longer during the day on their own and your newborn sleep patterns will become more regular. So, when nighttime comes, put a fresh diaper on, then breast or bottle feed them for as long as they want or until they are full. If they start to fall asleep, that is a good sign that they are ready.

Many people use a bassinet for the first 3-4 months, some put them directly into a full size crib and others sleep with their newborn's despite what doctor's recommend. If you use a bassinet, I suggest using and infant sleep positioner like I did.

I swaddled the baby first and then placed them in the positioner. It makes them feel as if they are being cradled or held.

I did that for naptime mostly because that was the only time that each of my three kids would sleep in the bassinet. During the night, they would sleep with me.



Then at 3-4 months old, I transitioned them to the full size crib. In a crib, you can place the mattress at several different levels depending on the age of your child. I was told by my doctor once when my newborn had a cold, to lower the foot end of the crib by one notch so that their head was slightly higher and helped with draining their stuffy nose and breathing. You could hardly even notice the slight incline. Another way to have their head elevated and still feel cradled is to place a Boppy in their crib to act as a pillow and the sides of the Boppy can gently hug/cradle them.

Another thing that I have learned through my Lamaze instructor and through experience is to not overdress your baby. If you are feeling chilly, they may be chilly too. If you are feeling warm, chances are, they are feeling warm as well.

I am a big fan of "feety pajamas" but there were times that I put them to bed in "feetless" pajamas and every time I checked, their feet were toasty warm. I think that they like to have their feet exposed and rub their toes on the cool silky sheets or the fuzzy fleece blanket.

Remember - They are brand new babies and they enjoy feeling and experiencing new textures.

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