As a new parent or parent to be, you may be wondering if you need to establish a newborn sleep routine for your new arrival.
Read our article to find out what such a routine involves and what you can expect if you choose to set one up. Find out more now!
One of the biggest questions new parents wonder about is if they should establish a newborn sleep routine when their baby is born. Is less than one month too young to be sleep training?
Or should you start when they’re young to make life easier later? Read on as we discuss sleep routines for newborns in more detail today.
IS A NEWBORN SLEEP ROUTINE POSSIBLE?
As a first-time parent, it can be surprising how little sleep you get. In fact, sleep deprivation is one of the most common things a new parent complains about. So, it is no wonder that getting their newborn to sleep longer is high on their priority list. But is a newborn sleep routine possible or not?
Yes, it is, but your new baby will still sleep like a newborn, not a one year old. This means you will still be getting up several times in the night to feed, they’ll have multiple naps during the day and you’ll still feel exhausted.
But hey, having a sleep routine may still make things easier for you and your family as everyone knows what is happening!
WHAT IS A NEWBORN SLEEP ROUTINE?
Many baby experts feel that having a feed, play and then sleep routine for a newborn works well. Others say that there needs to be set times when you feed your baby and when they are in their cot. We say, choose whatever works for you the best! A feed, play, sleep routine works around the needs of your child and helps both of you adjust to your new life together. It involves:- When your baby wakes up, give them a feed
- Change your baby’s nappy
- Time for cuddles, talking, singing and playing with your baby
- Sleep time. Using a swaddle or sleep bag and white noise can help your baby to settle easier too.
Very young babies need to be fed around every four hours. This means they are ‘pre-programmed’ to sleep in short bursts of around 3-4 hours in length around the clock. This does make it easier for you to start to identify when it is sleep or feeding time.
By keeping to the same routines, your baby will also quickly learn what is coming up next too. As a new parent, you’re also likely to be bombarded with advice too.
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