Most new babies seem to sleep all the time, but in short spurts and never when parents are trying to get some shut eye. In the midst of your 30th bleary-eyed 3 a.m. feeding, you may wonder if your baby’s current sleeping patterns are healthy at his stage of development and feel concerned that he might never adapt to the sleep habits you once took for granted. Knowing what is expected of a baby his age and learning about his future progress will help you ride out this phase.
Typical Sleep Needs
Your baby will require less sleep as she develops, but most of the sleep she gets will be consolidated into a long nighttime stretch, according to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. This transition occurs gradually over her first year. As a newborn, she sleeps approximately eight to nine hours during the day and about eight hours--broken up--at night. By her third month, she should sleep about four to five hours during the day and may be able to sleep “through the night,” or about six to eight hours in a row, at night. By her first birthday she should be sleeping about three hours in the day and 11 hours at night.
Signs of Sleepiness
If you’re able to recognize when your baby is ready to sleep, you will be better equipped to teach him how to fall asleep on his own. Common signs of sleepiness in babies include yawning, eye rubbing, fussiness and looking away. Once you see these signs, gently put him down in his crib. He may initially cry, but over time he should develop self-soothing techniques rather than rely on your rocking and cuddling every time he’s ready to sleep.
Encouraging Night Sleep
Although 3-month-olds are physiologically ready to sleep at night without waking up for a feeding, some 5-month-olds continue to have problems falling and staying asleep at night, notes Parents.com. If your baby still has trouble with nighttime sleep, the Mayo Clinic recommends making some lifestyle adjustments. You may find that your baby falls asleep better at night if you: encourage her to play out her energy during the day, monitor how long her naps are, follow a consistent relaxing bedtime routine, give her time to self-soothe and stay low-key when tending to her needs at night. Ultimately, however, you may just have to accept that she is a night owl, says the Mayo Clinic.
Separation Anxiety
If your baby once slept through the night on a consistent basis, you may be confused about why he has started to wake up again. This issue typically corresponds with separation anxiety, which occurs in many babies around their sixth month. If her sleep change is due to separation anxiety, she may cry as soon as you leave the room, have trouble sleeping without you nearby and cling to you when she is separated from you. Not to worry; this phase will end when she develops the ability to understand that you will eventually return.
Sleep Safety
To reduce your baby’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you place him on his back to sleep. Also reduce his chances of accidental suffocation by keeping any plush toys, blankets and pillows out of his crib.
