Newborn babies spend most of their time sleeping. They can sleep for 18 hours out of a 24-hour day. They cannot sleep more than 3 to 4 hours a night or day. Unfortunately, this means that sleepless nights await you, but fortunately not for long. However, you may feel that this will happen every time you wake up from sleep. The first weeks can be tiring, you will breastfeed your baby often and whenever he or she wants. Many mothers who exclusively breastfeed their babies think that giving them expressed breast milk at night will help them sleep longer, but of course this can also be an effective way for fathers to feed and bond with their babies, and it can help babies sleep more too. However, over time your breasts will get used to this and produce less milk, and it will take time for your milk production to return.
For the first 6 months, your baby should sleep in its own crib in the same room as you. Between 6 and 8 weeks of age, your baby will suddenly sleep shorter during the day and longer at night, but will still wake up during the night because they are hungry. from 8 weeks to 12 weeks, the waking during the night will become less frequent. If you start giving your baby good sleeping habits from 6 weeks onwards, you will help them sleep through the night. You will also start to improve your sleep patterns from 6 weeks onwards.
From the time your baby is 2 weeks old, it is a good idea to start teaching your baby the difference between day and night. During the day, dress him/her as soon as he/she wakes up, play with him/her, be playful and keep the room bright and light. At night, when you feed him, be quiet, turn off the lights and speak in a low voice. When it’s time for bed, change their pajamas as soon as possible. In the first 3 months of your baby’s life, you should learn to recognize the signs of fatigue, such as rubbing the eyes, whining and crying easily, hesitancy towards toys and people, nervousness and loss of interest. When you recognize these signs, put your baby to bed and you will know when he or she is ready for sleep. from 6 weeks to 8 weeks, start teaching your baby to fall asleep on its own and put it to bed when it is sleepy. Don’t try to rock your baby to sleep every night, as he or she may expect this every night.
Many parents worry about sudden infant deaths in the first few months after birth, but there are some things you can do to reduce the risk when putting your baby to sleep. These include setting your baby’s room at 16-200 level, placing your baby on their back and placing your baby at the foot of their cot with their feet touching. It is also advisable to use a flat, stable waterproof mattress for your baby and to prevent them sleeping on a sofa, chair or bed. The healthy nutrients in breast milk reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, so it is also very important to breastfeed your baby.