Understanding baby’s sleep, having a realistic expectation and gradually introducing a routine helps in promoting a healthy sleeping habit in your baby. Just like adults, your baby experiences sleep-wake cycles that take her from light sleep to dream sleep to deep sleep and back again. But while most grown-ups take up to two hours to complete each cycle, newborns go through this in 50 to 60 minutes and could be awakened at the end of each one.
A baby’s biological clock begins synchronising with ours – mostly awake during the day and primarily asleep at night – at about six to nine weeks of age, and does not work smoothly until about four to five months. It’s normal for most new parents to experience sleep disruption for the first nine weeks of their baby’s life, sometimes even longer. Fret not as babies can usually manage a longer period of deep sleep after that.
Things We May Not Know About Baby Sleep
Understanding Baby’s Sleeping Cues
An overtired and overstimulated baby takes longer to settle and stay asleep. Pay some attention and observe the sleepy signals when your baby is tired and needs a rest:
- Calming down
- Losing interest in people and toys
- A slow-down during activity
- Makes involuntary movements such as flailing arms and legs
- Looking bored
- Fussing and whining
- Rubbing eyes, pulling ears or scratching the face
- Burying face into your chest
- Yawning
Sleep Training
The cry-it-out method has been used for ages to train babies in sleeping through the night. Not recommended for babies below six months, it involves placing your baby in the cot and leaving the room. If baby cries, wait for five minutes before going back to reassure her, without any physical contact. Then gradually increase the timing and repeat the process until your baby
falls asleep.
How much sleep your baby needs?
All babies are different and may need longer or shorter sleep hours. Some babies sleep better at night with long naps in the daytime while for some, it may not be the case. Be led by your baby’s needs and observe his cues for sleep.
Age |
Number of naps |
The total length of naptime hours |
Nighttime sleep hours (average/does not represent unbroken stretches of sleep) |
Total of nighttime and naptime sleep |
| Newborn | Newborns sleep 16-18 hours per day, distributed evenly over six to seven brief sleep periods | |||
| One month | 3 | 6 – 7 | 8½ – 10 | 15 – 16 |
| Three months | 3 | 5 – 6 | 10 – 11 | 15 |
| Six months | 2 | 3 – 4 | 10 – 11 | 14 – 15 |
| Nine months | 2 | 2½ – 4 | 11 – 12 | 14 |
| 12 months | 1 – 2 | 2 – 3 | 11½ – 12 | 13 – 14 |
| Two years | 1 | 1 – 2 | 11 – 12 | 13 |
| Three years | 1 | 1 – 1½ | 11 | 12 |
| Four years | 0 | 0 | 11½ | 11½ |
| Five years | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 |
Source: The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley (McGraw-Hill)
Tips On Sleeping Your Baby Safely
- It is recommended that healthy infants be placed on their backs to sleep, not on their stomachs. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) incidences are said to have decreased by more than 50% since this recommendation was first made in 1992.
- Do not place anything in the crib that may restrict your baby’s breathing such as plush toys, pillows and blankets.
- Keep your baby warm but don’t overheat her. Ideal room temperature is between 18˚C to 22˚C.
- Your baby should sleep on a firm and flat mattress with a smooth bedsheet that remains securely in place around the bed.
- Place your baby in the ‘feet to foot’ position in the cot.
- Do not put a baby to sleep near a window, window blinds, cords or curtains.
- Never tie a pacifier to your baby with a string as it can become entangled around your baby’s finger, hand or neck.
- Do not use a blanket over a baby. They can pose a suffocation hazard. Instead, dress your baby in warmer clothing.
- Breastfeed your baby whenever possible. Breastmilk decreases the risk of certain illnesses and infections, which, in turn, can reduce the risk of SIDS and other health problems.
Facts About Baby’s Sleep
Baby And Sleep
Babies are not born to fall asleep on their own, let alone sleep through the night. They need to be parented to sleep, not just put to sleep. Some babies can be put down while drowsy yet still awake while others need parental help by being rocked or nursed to sleep. Rushing your baby to bed while she is still in the initial light sleep period will usually awaken her and require a repeat of effort.
Baby Sleep Cycle
With a shorter sleep cycle, babies usually start stirring an hour after they go to sleep. Some of them need help getting back to sleep while the rest may self-soothe and ease themselves back into a deep sleep. You can help your baby through this vulnerable period without complete waking by laying a hand on your baby’s back, patting him lightly or singing a lullaby.
Babies don’t sleep as deeply as grown-ups do. Not only do babies take longer to go to sleep and have more frequent vulnerable periods for night waking; they have twice as much active, or lighter, sleep as adults.
Night Waking Baby
Night waking has survival benefits. In the first few months, babies’ needs are the highest, but their communication skills are the lowest. Suppose a baby sleeps deeply most of the night where some of her basic needs are unfulfilled. With a tiny tummy and a less efficient stimulus for hunger, this would not be good for baby’s survival. The same applies if a baby’s nose is stuffed and she can’t breathe, or is cold and needs warmth. Encouraging a baby to sleep too deeply, too soon, may not be in the best survival or developmental interest of the baby
Night waking has developmental benefits. Sleep researchers believe that babies sleep “smarter” than adults do. They theorise that light sleep helps the brain development because the brain doesn’t rest during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. In fact, blood flow to the brain nearly doubles during REM sleep.
Nighttime Parenting
Your baby’s sleep habits are more a reflection of your baby’s temperament rather than your style of nighttime parenting. It’s not your fault baby wakes up.
Babies still wake up, even after they mature into adult-like sleep patterns. The reasons? Painful stimuli such as colds and teething pain can keep them awake. Growth spurt and significant developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, and walking drive babies to “practise” their new developmental skills in their sleep. Between one and two years of age, other causes of night waking include separation anxiety and nightmares.
There you go! We hope this baby’s sleep 101 helps you in any way as possible when it comes to learning about your baby’s sleeping cues and more. For more tips and tricks, stay tuned to our blog. Don’t forget to check out Motherhood.com.my for all your baby items on our online store.