Typical Baby Sleeping Patterns

A baby’s sleep patterns will vary from month to month and stage of growth. As the new mom and dad may stumble throughout the day from sleep deprivation, they may ask themselves ‘when will my sleep be normal again?’

It will be normal again, it will just take patience, and quite a bit of it. The sleep pattern of your infant will get better as his/her stomach grows and they developed the capability to increase the amount of milk they can consume at each feeding.

Month by month growth and development changes will effect how your infant sleeps.

1 to 6 months:

Newborns typically will not create a specific sleep pattern as their internal clocks have not developed, but in time (generally within the first 3 months of a healthy baby’s’ life) they will slowly develop a sleep pattern. For the first 3 months of life a baby will usually sleep 15 to 16 hours each day, waking every 2-4 hours. This will occur until their stomachs develop and allow them to consume more at feedings. At 3 months of age about 90% of healthy babies will sleep 6-8 hours each night, allowing for mom and dad to return to a healthy and normal sleep routine of the recommended hours of sleep needed each night.

6 to 12 months:

From 6 months an infant will be sleeping through the night, up to 10 or 11 hours each night and have a 2-3 hour nap in the daytime.

Some development factors such as teething and starting solid foods can have a huge impact on your baby’s sleep, but yes, mom and dad, your sleep routine will be normal again one day. There are some things you, the parents, can do to encourage a better quality of deeper and longer sleep periods.

First, for the first 6 months you should not pick up the crying infant when he wakes in the night, except to feed him and if he is sick or his diaper needs changed. Instead, softly rub his back or talk softly to him. Sing a soft lullaby. Do not turn on the lights. If he is a nursing baby, gently pick him up, without turning the lights on, and softly rick him and sing in a soft voice during nursing.

If he wakes again when you return him to his bed, gently stroke his head or pat his back and continue a soft lullaby. Before you put the baby in his crib for sleep, give him a soothing bath; be sure to give a nice warm bath – not too hot. Just like a warm bath before sleep encourages a deeper and more peaceful sleep for parents, it will for the newborn as well.

Use lotions for a relaxing massage to the baby and powder for freshness and just as parents would do, dress the infant in appropriate pajamas for the weather. After the bath, give him a proper bottle of milk(warm the milk slightly as this encourages sleep), or nurse properly. A full tummy will allow a deeper sleep for the infant just as it does for adults.

Burp the baby to ensure no middle of the night tummy aches will wake him, then rock him gently in a rocking chair or just hold him and walk with him while singing to him softly. More often than not, he will fall asleep during feeding or when you rock him gently. Layhim in his crib, and if he wakes, rub his head softly or pat his back gently. This nightly routine can promote a deeper and longer sleep for up to 4-5 hours.

Separation anxiety may interfere with your infants sleep from the age of 6 to 12 months. The parents should follow the advice above, as for a younger infant; do not turn the lights on as the brightness may encourage a wake cycle until the internal clock adjusts again. Do not rush to pick up the baby; rather let him cry for as much as 5 minutes, unless he is not well.

However, with an infant of this age the parents will also need to avoid other things that can encourage a wake cycle, such as talking to him, singing, playing or feeding. If his crying persists for more than 5 minutes, go to his crib and gently lay him down and rub his bank or head softly, without picking him up, check his diaper and change it his necessary, again without picking him up, and without talking to him or singing.

After the diaper is changed continue rubbing his head or patting his back softly, for a few minutes. Then leave the room. Repeat this as necessary letting him cry only 5 minutes each time. Eventually, he will easily return to sleep. At this age, 6-12 months, a pacifier may be helpful.

Remember to sleep when the baby sleeps as often as possible. The parents will find that by following a nightly routine to encourage and promote sleep; their own sleep will be better.