How long should a baby sleep?

Sleep needs are not the same for all children. But there are at least some reference values: from 16 to 18 hours of approximate sleep for newborn babies, to then go after a few weeks to 14 - 16 hours.

Babies sleep a lot , so expect your baby to sleep up to 18 hours over the course of the 24 hours in his first few weeks, other times he will sleep only three or four hours at a time, day and night, which unfortunately means that you can spend sleepless nights, especially at the beginning.

Around and after three months, you can start giving your baby a certain cadence, thus helping him to settle down faster during the night and sleep longer. However, remember that all children are different and what works for one child may not work for another.

The baby's sleep cycles are far shorter than those of the adult, so the baby spends more time in REM sleep, an easily disturbed sleep, but this is necessary for the changes that are happening in his brain.

Between six and eight weeks the baby will likely sleep for shorter periods during the day and longer periods at night, but will wake up to feed at night, have deeper non-REM sleep, and sleep less with light.

If your goal is to get your baby to sleep through the night, it will help to encourage him with clear habits from the start.

How to teach your baby to sleep through the night

Babies don't sleep for an uninterrupted period. It is likely that the baby will not be asleep for more than one to three hours during his first few months as he needs to wake up frequently to feed, so it is normal for at least the first 3 months of the nights, for you parents, to be interrupted.

However, your baby can develop good sleep habits as early as six weeks. Here are some tactics you can use to help your baby get into sleep rhythm.

· Recognize the signs that mean you are tired

For the first six to eight weeks, the baby will likely not be able to stay awake for more than two hours at a time. This includes the time of feeding and being changed. If it takes a long time to put it down, the baby will be tired and will not sleep easily. During your baby's first three months, learn the signs that your baby is sleepy:

1.rub your eyes

2.treates the ear with his hand

3.manifest a dark halo under the eyes

4. complains and cries at the slightest provocation

5. is lost in the void

6.badly and much straining with the limbs

7. Loses interest in people and their toys

8. become calm

9. Turn your face away from moving objects or people.

If he exhibits these or any other signs of sleepiness, try putting him down in his crib. You will soon develop a sixth sense for your baby's daily rhythms and patterns, and you will instinctively know when he is ready for a nap.

· Teach him the difference between night and day

Your baby may be a night owl and still be awake when ready for bed. When your baby is two weeks old, you can start teaching him the difference between night and day.

During the day:

1.Change your suit when he wakes up to signal the start of a new day

2. Play with him as much as possible, without him getting tired.

3. Make sure you feed him by talking and singing during the day

4.Keep your house and room bright

5. Make him hear everyday noises, such as car, radio, etc.

6.Gently wake him if he falls asleep while breastfeeding.

At night:

1. Be comfortable when you feed it

2.Keep lights and noise low, and don't talk to him too much and loudly

3. Make him wear pajamas to signal the end of the day

4. All of this should help the baby begin to understand that the night is for sleep

Give him a chance to fall asleep on his own

Between six and eight weeks of age, he can be taught how to fall asleep on his own: put him down when he is sleepy but still awake. Stay with him if you wish, but be prepared to do the same whenever he wakes up in the night. If you rock him every night to sleep, for the first eight weeks, he expects the same afterwards, if you leave him alone to sleep, he expects this afterwards. Some experts advise against rocking, arm and feeding to get him to sleep, it's up to you to decide which routine to adopt for your baby. If you want to establish a predictable pattern, you need to adopt the same strategy every night.

What if he sleeps too much? It's normal?

Some babies sleep better than others and may not wake up for sleep-friendly meals. It is therefore necessary to be very attentive during the first few weeks and evaluate their progress. Keep an eye on the baby's diapers : their urine should not be too yellow (dark yellow is a sign that the baby is not drinking enough) and the stools should be of an adequate number and the right color.

A baby who doesn't get enough sleep is usually clingy and whiny. Or, he may be over-excited and difficult to soothe. A sleepy baby does not have these problems, but it can make parents anxious by sleeping too soundly. It takes at least six months for a baby to establish their circadian rhythm. But if your baby seems to be oblivious to any differences between day and night, a little help may be just what they need to get used to regular, positive feeding.

What to do if your baby sleeps too much

If you are dealing with an excessively sleepy baby, you must first make sure that there are no medical problems causing this excessive sleep. neonatal jaundice, infections, and any medical procedures, such as circumcision, can make the baby more sleepy than usual. The pediatrician will check if your baby is gaining enough weight. If not, you may need to wake him up to eat every three hours (or more) depending on your doctor's recommendations, but you can also keep these tips in mind:

· Take your child for a walk during the day, so that he is exposed to natural light

· Devise a calming evening ritual that includes bath, massage and pampering

· Try to remove a few layers of clothing so that it is less hot and that it wakes up when it is time to eat

Too much stimulation during the day can make the baby tired and he may fall asleep despite being hungry

Try to monitor his rapid REM sleep phase, light sleep, where you should be able to wake him more easily than when he moves into a deep sleep phase. But keep in mind that light and deep sleep phases alternate more often in children than they do in adults.

When does the baby sleep all night?

In your baby's first few months, you may have to resign yourself to several disturbed nights. From 9 to 12 months there are babies who can sleep all night, others may wake up more often than others, as it is not unusual that babies who have started sleeping all night may return as during the first months of life and wake up. several times during the night. It is common for babies of around nine months to wake up more often around this time, the baby may begin to feel his or her first bites of separation anxiety, teething, and learning new skills can easily disrupt and thus interrupt sleep.

To help the child sleep well, it is right to propose a coherent and predictable bedtime routine, that is the ritual, such as a relaxing bath, changing clothes with pajamas or nightgown, reading a favorite story and a hug. . Knowing what will happen each night will help your baby learn good sleeping habits.