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Thinking of how sleep will change for you once baby arrives – be prepared for your sleep to be very different.
Your baby’s sleep patterns are rather different from adults, to say the least. It may not seem like it at the start, but your newborn baby will probably sleep 18 hours or more a day.
You can find more information about normal sleep development here.
New parents adapt to exist on a 24hr cycle, rather than day or night – it can be really hard to adjust but it can help a little to understand as much as possible about why newborns sleep like they do. Preparing for how and where your baby will sleep before they arrive can help you adjust.
Safe Sleeping
Following safer sleep advice can significantly reduce the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (sometimes called SIDS or cot death) occurring.
- Put them on their back for every sleep
- In a clear, flat, separate sleep space
- Keep them smoke free day and night
For more information on safer sleep advice, read this leaflet from The Lullaby Trust, BASIS and UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative. You will also get a copy of this leaflet from your midwife after your baby is born.
So how does this relate to night feeding?
It’s completely normal for babies to wake frequently through the night to feed, regardless of how they are fed. Babies have small stomachs and need to eat small amounts, frequently. They feel safe when they are close to you.
If you are breastfeeding, night time is when your breastfeeding hormones are at their highest level, and at their peak in the early hours of the morning, helping to maximise the amount of milk you can make. It can be helpful to think about night feeds as your baby putting in their order for the next day.
Please click on the below link to access an excellent leaflet from UNICEF on ‘Caring for your baby at night’
When your friends and family offer to watch your sleeping baby during the day, take them up on the offer and grab a quick nap or put your feet up and close your eyes if you struggle to sleep through the day. Maximising all opportunities for rest can help it feel more manageable. It will not always be like this and as your baby grows, you may begin to notice a rhythm in their sleep.