Sleep

 
The baby's sleep patterns will play a large role in how the mother and her family adjust to having a new member. Sleep patterns will change often and without warning during the baby's first year of life. The mother will have no control over these sleep patterns, putting her at the mercy of the baby. There are, however, measures that the mother can take in an attempt to influence when and how much the baby sleeps.

Characteristic Sleep Patterns of Infants

During the first weeks of life, the baby will sleep for many hours at a time. Typically, he will sleep 12 to 20 hours in total, per day. The baby's sleep patterns become more regular and the amount he sleeps will decrease as his nervous system matures. During the first month of the baby's life, the mother can expect the baby to deviate between sleep and wake around the clock.

Unfortunately, because most of the baby's energy will be spent on growth during the first months, much of the time that the baby spends awake will be used for feeding. Considering such as schedule it is no wonder that new parents have little time for endeavors other than caring for their child.

Typically, major changes to infant sleep patterns occur between six and 12 months of life. By the third month of life the baby should be sleeping much more during the night, and be able to stay awake longer during the day - usually for periods of up to two hours at a time. Many infants will have one period each day in which they are awake for an extended period. This occurs usually in the late-afternoon or early-evening.

Characteristic Sleep Patterns of Infants

By the age of six months, infants will be able to sleep through a large portion of the night, if not all of it, without waking. Paralleling these extended hours of sleep, are extended hours of wakefulness during the day. The mother should, however, not expect that the baby will be sleeping through the entire night by this point. Many infants do not begin to sleep through the night until after they are 1 year old. Some will be able to sleep through the night prior to the age of six months as well.

Establishing regular feeding times and play times for the baby can also go a long way in helping him develop regular sleep patterns. By making the events of the day follow a regular pattern, with sleep following it all will make the baby more likely to sleep regularly.

Infant Sleep Positions

The best position to place the baby when putting him to bed is either on his side or his back. While many parents have traditionally placed their babies on their stomachs to sleep, recent research has shown that this position is more highly related to occurrences of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Is the baby Waking Up, or is He Stirring?

When put down to sleep, many infants will cry but will stop after a short period of time. If the baby crying because he is tired, then it should take no longer than 20 minutes of restlessness and crying before he falls asleep.

The mother should encourage self-settling behavior in the baby when he cries when put to bed. The mother should leave the baby's room and he will probably stop crying shortly after that. If the crying continues for an extended period of time, the mother should attempt to comfort and calm the baby, and then return him to bed.

The fact that many infants cry when put to bed leads parents to associate crying with wakefulness. However, babies who cry and stir during the night are not necessarily awake, nor distressed. When an infant moves into a different sleep cycle during the night, they often begin to move and cry, leading parents to wake and feed them. This pattern can lead to exhaustion for both parent and child. The mother should pay special attention when she is woken by the baby's cries at night - he may still be asleep and simply moving in to a new sleep cycle. If this is the case the mother should not wake the baby.

Where Should the baby Sleep?

Much thought can go in to selecting a safe and comfortable place for the baby to sleep. Essentially, the mother has several options. One option, favored mostly in non-Western families, is for infants to bed with their parents - this is often referred to as welcoming them to the 'family bed'. Other families prefer to provide infants with their own rooms in which they bed. This practice is more common in Western countries. Others attempt to find a healthy medium between these two extremes. The mother's choice regarding where to place the baby to sleep will depend largely on her personal preferences and the baby's needs and temperament.

Mothers who breastfeed their infant, and prefer to do so while lying in their beds, tend to allow their child to sleep in the 'family bed', or in a cradle or bassinet beside it. This allows less work in feeding when the baby awakes in the night, hungry and demanding to be fed.

Beyond the needs of parents and child, safety must also be of great concern when selecting a sleeping locale for the baby. Babies often move greats amount in their sleep. Placing the baby in a place where he cannot roll or fall out of bed is important. If a crib is chosen, ensure the guard rails are always up and are high enough to keep the baby safely contained. If the baby is to sleep in the 'family bed', the mother may want to place a rolled up towel or blanket on the side of the baby opposite of her. This way, the baby will be unable to roll out of bed in either direction.

If the baby is going to sleep in a cradle or bassinet, careful attention should be paid to the construction. Ensuring that the base of the cradle or bassinet is able to separate from the base is vital. Great attention should also be paid to the maximum weight that the cradle/bassinet is designed to hold. Once the baby exceeds this weight, he should no longer be placed in the cradle. If money is a concern, a full-size crib is likely the best option, because most infants will exceed the manufacturers recommended weight limit within three to five months after birth. A crib on the other hand, should be able to bed a child from the ages of birth up to three years.

If buying a crib, there are a number of recommendations that the mother should consider:

» Ensure that the slats of the crib are less than 2 ½ inches wide

» If a crib or playpen is chosen that has mesh side, the mother must ensure that the sides are raised at all times

» Avoid buying a crib with unnecessary openings, such as decorative cutouts, etc.

» Never place a crib within reach or near a hanging window blind or cords. If possible avoid placing the crib anywhere near a window.

» Ensure that the corner posts of the crib are no more than 5/8 of an inch above the rails

» Be sure that the crib fits together snuggly and the construction is stable

» When the crib railings are raised, they should be no less than 20 inches from the top of the crib mattress. When the railings are lowered, they should be no lower than nine inches from the top of the mattress.

» If using a crib that was manufactured prior to 1974, there is a good possibility that the paint use is lead based. In such instances, the paint must be scraped off thoroughly and repainted. If possible, such cribs should not be used.

» The side railings should have hand-operated locks

» Be sure that the crib mattress is not covered in plastic which can suffocate the baby

» The mattress should fit snuggly against the sides of the crib with no more than an inch between the two

Daytime and Nighttime Sleep

In the early days and weeks of life, the baby will sleep in short, intermittent and random stretches, both day and night. As the baby ages, the mother can do much to aid in the formation of regular sleep patterns by making distinctions between nighttime and daytime sleep. By making a clear and obvious distinction between how each period of sleep is treated, the mother can help the baby learn which time is which. By putting the baby to sleep in a carriage, cradle, or bassinet - anywhere different from the crib he sleeps in at night - it is made clear to the baby that the two places are meant for different purposes. The mother should also make the most of the baby's waking hours by associating play time and activity with daylight hours. When the baby wakes at night, the mother should make sure that feeding is done quickly and changing is done only if absolutely necessary. This instills that idea that waking during the night is not a time for play or socialization. As these ideas and rules are upheld, the baby's sleeping pattern over the next weeks will gradually begin to conform to the mother's.

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