Bringing home a newborn baby is an exciting yet busy time in every parent’s life. Newborn babies are a joy to be around, yet their sleeping patterns are difficult for some parents to handle. According to the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, newborn babies typically sleep most of the day and night, yet they wake up at night every few hours to be fed. If your newborn is waking too often during the night, making a few changes will help her to sleep more.
Step 1
Feed your newborn just before putting her to sleep. Breastfeeding or giving her formula right before putting her down to sleep will make her full and slightly drowsy, according to Dr. Bill Sears, Pediatrician and Professor of Pediatrics at UC Irvine. He states that the warmth of a woman’s breast while breastfeeding is one of the most comforting things for a baby. Even feeding formula can fill a baby’s belly and soothe her into sleep. The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford states that most babies do not sleep through the night until they are 3 months of age or older. When your newborn wakes at night, nurse or bottle-feed to help her fall back asleep quickly.
Step 2
Make sure that the baby’s diaper is clean and that she has been burped. One of the main reasons that newborns have trouble falling asleep or wake too often is that their diapers are dirty. If you ameliorate any physical discomforts that she is having she will be less likely to wake up as often. Wearing clothes that are too tight may also make your newborn uncomfortable enough to wake up during the night.
Step 3
Create a quiet and cool atmosphere in the room in order to facilitate for your baby to sleep easier. Check the temperature in the room to see if it is too hot or too cold. Turn the lights off and reduce noise throughout the house--turn the television volume to low, for instance. The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford recommends playing soft, slow music in order to calm the baby and get her to sleep for longer periods of time.
Step 4
Maintain a realistic attitude about infant sleep. Some waking up during the night is completely normal, though you can help to reduce the frequency of waking if she does so due to comfort issues.
Things You'll Need
- Bottle and formula, if not nursing
- Clean diapers
