What Every New Mom Should Know About a Baby’s Sleep Schedule
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What should you expect a baby’s sleep schedule to look like?
When I was in the newborn stage I was running on zero sleep. Social media told me that a baby’s sleep schedule should be easy to obtain and that the sleep schedule should look a certain way. Social media was wrong. A baby sleep schedule is not a one-size-fits-all. Every baby is different, even within families. This post is what you can expect a baby’s sleep schedule to realistically be like.
Realistic Baby Sleeping Schedule
Do you remember hearing ‘Oh you can’t sleep now, wait until the baby comes’? I would hear that all the time and not realize what that actually meant. Surely the term ‘sleeping like a baby’ means that I’ll have plenty of sleep. No one told me that pregnancy sleep was difficult but that during my ‘newborn sleep’ I would be up every 2-3 hours to feed my newborn. No one told me about the extreme fatigue that would come with that. All they would say is to enjoy my sleep now.
Because I never understood this, I’m making sure to write this as a point: have a realistic expectation of what a baby’s sleeping schedule is like. Newborns are vastly different in their needs than older babies, toddlers, and beyond.
Newborn Sleeping Schedule
Newborns should be eating every 2-3 hours or even more frequently if they are premature. Your pediatrician will let you know when you can start extending their feedings, which means more time for you to sleep. This part of motherhood is extremely difficult and can be worse if you have little to no help, need to wake up the baby more often for food, try to breastfeed a baby that doesn’t latch well, or are trying to pump while your partner takes care of the baby overnight. Some babies will need to be upright for 10-30 minutes because of reflux which will disturb your sleep and possibly their sleep schedule too.
Beyond Newborn Sleeping Schedule
Once your pediatrician gives you the okay to start decreasing their overnight feeds you can finally get some more sleep. At first, their sleeping schedule might be extended only 4 hours, so don’t think that they will or should sleep 12 hours a night now that they have clearance. Waking up is a protective factor for a baby, so it should be welcomed as a ‘normal’ part of raising a baby. Eventually, your baby will start to extend their sleeping schedule and some babies will even start sleeping 12 hours a night! I saw a very slow progression in my firstborn with her sleep and still haven’t seen her sleep 12 hours a night (she is 13 months old now). Some babies will wake up frequently throughout the night for comfort feeds, cuddles, and sometimes just because they want to. It’s okay if they aren’t sleeping through the night by a certain age, but if you are concerned, I would ask your pediatrician or provider and see if there is anything you can do.
Social Media Sleeping Schedule
Unfortunately there is a ton of information online about what is considered ‘normal’ for every month of your babies life with a baby sleeping schedule attached. There are sleep experts or ‘expert moms’ who try to show you that a newborn can sleep 8 plus hours and that it’s a good thing to sleep longer. Remember, newborns waking up often is a protective factor and helps them get the nutrition they need to grow. It’s okay if your baby’s sleep schedule looks different – not every baby should be the same.
Tips to Improve Your Baby’s Sleeping Schedule
The first thing that improved my daughter’s sleep schedule was the addition of a pacifier. The sucking reflex is very soothing to newborns and babies and helps some stay asleep longer. There are issues to this of course: if the baby doesn’t take a pacifier and if the baby spits it out and wakes up startled.
I also have a sound machine near the bassinet which made her feel more relaxed and able to sleep. This is an item that is nice to have but not an item that is absolutely needed. A note on this is to make sure the noise machine isn’t too loud as many specialists agree that it could lead to potential issues with long-term use and exposure.
Be patient with your baby and know that you aren’t doing anything wrong. A baby will adjust their clock and possibly sleep longer. Be their comfort and go to them when they need you. They are just little babies trying to navigate and regulate themselves.
Example of My Baby’s Sleeping Schedule
7 am: Wake up, change diaper, feed, burp
7:30 am: Nap time!
9:30 am: Wakes up on her own, change diaper, feed, burp, read a book
11 am: Nap time!
1 pm: Wake up time, change diaper, feed, burp, talk time
1:30 pm: Nap time!
3:30 pm: Wake up, change diaper, feed, burp, tummy time
5:30 pm: Nap time!
6:30 pm: Wake up, change diaper, feed, burp
7 pm: Another nap!
8 pm: Wake up to try to keep her up before ‘bedtime’
9:30 pm: Another nap
10 pm: Wake up, change diaper, feed, burp
11 pm: Sleep and would wake up every 4-5 hours
The schedule above was not an everyday event, but most nights I was staying up until 2 am with her as a newborn. She would not get on a sleeping schedule but I went with what she was comfortable with, instead of trying to sleep train her. She is 13 months now and sleeps fine throughout the night with random wake-ups because she can’t find her pacifier. If your baby is not going to sleep for the night at an early time, know that this is normal and should pass.
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