What about naps? It is not until the age of 4 to 5 months that we start to see a consistent nap rhythm emerge. Baby will then generally sleep 3 naps during the day. Before that, naps are rather random, and we rely mainly on signals of fatigue to put baby to bed as well as his waking times between naps. What can be done to improve bedtimes and sleep periods? I would say first of all, listen to your baby. Detect his fatigue signals and learn to put him to bed before he becomes grumpy, a sign that would mean he is already too tired. Avoid stretching out his waking periods so as not to “overtire” him, which would have the opposite effect of falling asleep quickly and peacefully. Establish a ritual before each bedtime (diaper change, a short story/lullaby, a cuddle and putting to bed for example) in order to reduce the stimulation of the day, allow relaxation and anticipate the action of going to bed. After the age of 6 weeks, when baby knows the difference between day and night, ideally put him to bed in the dark. This will allow him to chain the cycles more easily. Last words for parents I want to tell them that it is completely normal to be tired when you become a parent and to feel overworked. Try as much as possible to rest at the same time as baby and to take care of yourself in order to recharge your batteries. And above all, if you can, do not hesitate to get help! Marie Malgorn is a consultant specializing in the sleep of babies and children from 0 to 6 years. She created Sleeping Baby to help parents accompany their children towards better sleep.
How to make it easier for your baby to sleep?
S lleep is innate, a baby sleeps in his mother's womb and spends hours sleeping from birth. Sometimes (often), baby grows and continues to wake up many times at night, and his daytime naps get shorter. Baby becomes grumpy and we don't really know how to handle this situation anymore. So how can we help our little one sleep well? First of all, we must keep in mind that it is physiologically normal to wake up at night. We adults also wake up many times at night without even being aware of it. These are called micro-awakenings, which occur at the end of each sleep cycle. Since a baby's sleep cycles are shorter than ours, micro-awakenings are more numerous. Unfortunately, we cannot stop them, but we can help baby manage them better. Newborns have a very different sleep rhythm from older babies. First of all, babies spend most of their time sleeping (between 16 and 20 hours per day) and wake up mainly because they are hungry. His waking times are short and should not exceed 30-60 minutes to avoid tiring him out too much until he is 2 months old. Also, his sleep cycles are very short and only last 30-50 minutes. Some babies manage to go through 2 or 3 cycles in a row, others will need a little help. At this age, babies generally fall asleep very easily when they return to intrauterine conditions. This is a time when babies need closeness to their parents, especially their mother with whom they will find their bearings. Don't hesitate to recreate intrauterine conditions (baby carrier, baby sling, rocking, skin-to-skin, white noise, etc.) so that babies can gently adapt to this new world and feel soothed, comfortable and safe. Their sleep will only be better. There are no “bad habits” before 3 months, so enjoy these precious and all too short moments! Finally, until the age of about 6 weeks, baby does not distinguish between day and night and will wake up indifferently during the day or at night. The more he grows, the more his internal clock will become rhythmic, thanks in particular to time givers: the alternation of day/night, the rhythm of meals, outings in the open air, interaction with parents during the day as well as gradually the regularity of nap times, bedtimes, and waking up in the morning. When will baby sleep through the night? Let's demystify “sleeping through the night” which actually corresponds to sleeping 5 to 6 hours in a row! And yes, when baby sleeps through the night, he is not sleeping through yours yet! It is quite rare for a baby to sleep more than 6 hours in a row before the age of 4 months, everyone comes to it at their own pace What about naps? It is not until the age of 4 to 5 months that we start to see a consistent nap rhythm emerge. Baby will then generally sleep 3 naps during the day. Before that, naps are rather random, and we rely mainly on signals of fatigue to put baby to bed as well as his waking times between naps. What can be done to improve bedtimes and sleep periods? I would say first of all, listen to your baby. Detect his fatigue signals and learn to put him to bed before he becomes grumpy, a sign that would mean he is already too tired. Avoid stretching out his waking periods so as not to “overtire” him, which would have the opposite effect of falling asleep quickly and peacefully. Establish a ritual before each bedtime (diaper change, a short story/lullaby, a cuddle and putting to bed for example) in order to reduce the stimulation of the day, allow relaxation and anticipate the action of going to bed. After the age of 6 weeks, when baby knows the difference between day and night, ideally put him to bed in the dark. This will allow him to chain the cycles more easily. Last words for parents I want to tell them that it is completely normal to be tired when you become a parent and to feel overworked. Try as much as possible to rest at the same time as baby and to take care of yourself in order to recharge your batteries. And above all, if you can, do not hesitate to get help! Marie Malgorn is a consultant specializing in the sleep of babies and children from 0 to 6 years. She created Sleeping Baby to help parents accompany their children towards better sleep.
What about naps? It is not until the age of 4 to 5 months that we start to see a consistent nap rhythm emerge. Baby will then generally sleep 3 naps during the day. Before that, naps are rather random, and we rely mainly on signals of fatigue to put baby to bed as well as his waking times between naps. What can be done to improve bedtimes and sleep periods? I would say first of all, listen to your baby. Detect his fatigue signals and learn to put him to bed before he becomes grumpy, a sign that would mean he is already too tired. Avoid stretching out his waking periods so as not to “overtire” him, which would have the opposite effect of falling asleep quickly and peacefully. Establish a ritual before each bedtime (diaper change, a short story/lullaby, a cuddle and putting to bed for example) in order to reduce the stimulation of the day, allow relaxation and anticipate the action of going to bed. After the age of 6 weeks, when baby knows the difference between day and night, ideally put him to bed in the dark. This will allow him to chain the cycles more easily. Last words for parents I want to tell them that it is completely normal to be tired when you become a parent and to feel overworked. Try as much as possible to rest at the same time as baby and to take care of yourself in order to recharge your batteries. And above all, if you can, do not hesitate to get help! Marie Malgorn is a consultant specializing in the sleep of babies and children from 0 to 6 years. She created Sleeping Baby to help parents accompany their children towards better sleep.