Eliminate Anxiety Around Infant Sleep - Here’s What’s Normal:

The Newborn Stage: Birth- 2 months

Your baby will:

• Sleep

○ 14-18 hours of sleep per day but in 1-3 hours stretches.

○ You will need a nap (or two)!

• Have no schedule! It’s predictably unpredictable.

• Go to bed late, around 10-11pm, the first few months of life. Don’t worry, your baby will find their “perfect” bedtime.

○ Pro tip: To cope with the late bedtime, split it. Have your partner hang with your baby while you go to bed early. Then swap.

• Experience an early evening peak in crying associated with reduced sleep at 6 weeks of age. Get all hands on deck, don’t do this part alone if you don’t have to!

• Sleep in your room. The World Health Organization (WHO) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room sharing until 6-12 months.

• How to handle infant sleep like a 3rd time mom:

○ Infant sleep works itself out in time even if every baby has a different timeline.

○ Get your baby to sleep better at night by having them nap in a common area during the day. Expose your baby to more light in the early afternoon by taking them on walks or sitting in front of a window to develop their circadian rhythm.

○ Establish a morning and evening routine: Open blinds in the morning, take a bath, sing songs, or read books before bedtime.

○ Keep your spirits up with this mental reframe: You can rest knowing your baby’s neurological and respiratory systems are functioning correctly with all the frequent wakings.