Newborn Sleep Tips

Baby Sleep Consultant Raquel Tara: Byron Bay & Gold Coast Baby Sleep Q & A Sessions

Beth a mother of a newborn in Ewingsdale, Byron Bay NSW in old says:

I’m looking for tips to get my newborn sleeping better! He’s 3 weeks old. He seems to fight sleep often even when showing signs that he’s tired. Lately the only way I can settle him and get him to nap is by wearing him in a carrier. I know this is pretty normal for a newborn as they like to be close – and I also love the cuddles! But lately I can’t get him to stay down in his bassinet overnight. If he wakes after a feed and is fussy, only way to get him back to sleep is in his wrap carrier.

Then I get no sleep!

I have been trying to keep his wake windows during the day to an hour – but sometimes he fights sleep and it ends up being longer. I am feeding him on demand, no longer than 2 hours in between during the day. Sometimes he gets super fussy at the breast and keeps pulling away even though he’s continually rooting and looking hungry.

Would love any tips to have him sleeping in his bassinet at night and for longer stretches. And ways to get him day napping without the contact naps.

Raquel Tara Baby Sleep & Development Consultant Says:

It’s early days, mama. You’re doing great. The first thing to consider is a pre-sleep routine and what time your baby goes to bed for ‘the night’. Bedtime is very different for newborns.

A lot of new parents don’t realise that a newborns bedtime is a lot later than a baby 12 weeks+. And a lot of schedules floating around the internet are aimed at babies 4- 6 months. I would aim for the bedtime routine at this age to take place around 9.30-10.00pm and in bed by 10.30pm (your goal initially is 10.30pm-2.30am, then 9pm-3am, then 8pm- 4am and by week 12 6.30/7pm – 6/7am by week 16-20. I’d offer one breast prior to bath, and the other just before bed.

If your baby is fussing at every feed – you may have some latching or feeding issues, so I would seek professional lactation advice about that.

At early newborn age it’s all about weight gain, brain gain, weight gain. His tummy is too small still for a massive feed to get him past 4 hours of sleep in the middle of the night.

It’s important to give yourself a break, so stress less about her nap length for now. And focus more on having a short pre-sleep 5 minute routine (I detail a lovely easy routine in the course below). Start with doing it at bedtime, and then begin doing it before naps as well.

For now, all we want to do is get more calories in during the day – and this way he will sleep more at night. Once he is at the 4+ hour stretch of at least a week, start reducing the time you go to bed by 15 minutes.

Here are 7 Newborn Sleep Tips to help you get you to that longer night stretch.

1. Concentrate on day feeds. So feed when he wakes up and within 3 hours there after (So wake your baby during the day if he hasn’t fed for 2.5 hours or more). He may take the feed in active sleep, so you can pop him right down again. If he lets you know he’s hungry before 3 hours through crying, sucking on your neck or rooting for milk in general, feed him. We want to try to get more calories in during the day than at night. There are no set feeding schedules at this age. Feed, feed, feed during the day. The more he feeds during the day, the sooner he will start dropping night feeds.
2. Have some floor time where you lay him down on the floor, and you lay down right next to him so he gets used to being physically detached from you, but is also in close proximity. Gradually begin sitting down and observing him. Do this near a window so he can watch the light coming in, with the dust particles. This is very interesting to babies. Then try going out of the room for 5 minutes to make a cup of tea. And then come right back and enjoy it watching him. By now it will be time to put him to sleep. I’d do contact naps during the day. And at bedtime, transfer him to the bassinet after 10 minutes. Most babies like it to be warm, so microwave a heat pack, and leave it in the bassinet until you put your baby down. Then the change in body temperature won’t be as noticeable hone you put him down.
3. Get a short 5 minute pre sleep routine happening. I explain how to do that in my free baby sleep course in the YouTube Sleep course below.
4. Go outside (5.30-7am) depending on when the sun is rising where you are) for that first feed of the day, then go for a walk together (it can be a short 10 minute walk or longer). Don’t worry if it’s not sunny, the outside light exposure is still helpful for separating day and night in his little brain. And the fresh air will do you wonders. Nature has a plan, and letting the light in during the day is a big part of that
5. And also the last feed before sunset, have that outside too. Point 4 and 5 helps with separating the day and night. Ensure it’s all nice and low lights inside after sunset. No bright lights shining anywhere in the home. This relaxes everyone and settles the evening in, and not just your baby.
6. Get sunlight or outside light in between naps. Even if you just take your baby outside for ten minutes after waking for feeds – this will help a lot. You can also have a nap on the go. I recommend the later naps in the day as they can be the hardest.
7. At night time, when he squirms and makes noise at night – wait 5 minutes minimum before responding. And add a minute for every week of his age after 5 weeks (eg up it to 6 minutes at week 6). Just remain ‘pretend asleep’ for at least 5 minutes as many babies aren’t actually awake but are in active sleep and their parents mistake that for waking – respond too quickly, the baby wakes properly and the cycle continues. Parents find this is really helpful to extend that night stretch of sleep. He may just be in active sleep. He’ll let you know quite clearly by the 4-5 minute mark if he has woken from hunger. If he’s not, he’s just in active sleep making a racket. Babies can be very noisy in their sleep – especially newborns as they spend most of their time in active sleep.