Baby Sleep Facts New Parents Should Know

One of the most challenging aspects of being a new mom or dad is how to put baby to sleep with little effort. Now, newborn babies don't sleep through the night until they're four months old, so expect your little one to wake up at least every 2 to 3 hours to feed. Aside from the fact that they have to wake up in order to feed, infants do have different sleep patterns than adults and sleep very lightly because night waking is part of their survival mechanism. Babies need to wake up at the slightest discomfort such as having their airways blocked or being too cold or too warm, because unlike adults, their communication is limited, and waking up and crying is their way of telling you that their survival is at risk. In order for you and your baby to enjoy going to sleep, here are baby sleep tips you need to keep in mind.

Babies Have Unique Temperaments

If there is one thing you need to realize as a parent, it's the fact that not all babies are the same. Some babies learn to sleep through the night at an early age, and some struggle with it even at the latter half of their first year. Be patient with your little one and don't blame your parenting style if your baby still wakes up in the middle of the night. Aside from the fact that your baby is unique, there are other external factors that may be preventing him from being able to sleep through the night such as teething pain. Learn to address these issues instead of putting the blame on your parenting style.

Don't Rush Your Baby to Sleep

Unlike adults, babies enter sleep through a short period of light sleep. This means rushing to put your baby to sleep while he's still in the state of light sleep will only result to him waking up and to you putting him back to sleep again. The key here is to wait for your baby to go to deep sleep before putting him down or leaving him alone on his bed.

Avoid Encouraging Your Baby to Sleep Deeply Too Soon

Again, night waking offers a lot of benefits to your baby. Aside from the fact that it helps in their survival, it also helps in their development. According to studies, it is during the light sleep state that babies' brains develop the fastest. Encouraging him to sleep deeply as soon as you put him down may prevent him from getting such benefits.

Babies Need to Be Helped Back to Sleep

While many babies can get back to sleep on their own after waking up in the middle of the night, some babies need help from their parents. As a parent, you should be familiar of your child's personality. If your little one finds it hard to get back to sleep after waking up from a deep sleep, you may need to pacify him or rock him back to sleep.

Keeping these things in mind will not only give you and your baby restful sleeps at night, but will also give you the assurance that you're doing a good job as a parent!

One of the subjects that new moms and dads want to learn more about is infant sleep. If you are among those new parents who want to learn more about infant sleep facts, there are a good number of online resources to help you. For more baby sleep tips, check out thegiftofsleep.com.au.

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