If only people didn’t say things like “I slept like a baby!” Maybe people wouldn’t be surprised when their newborn is not sleeping. The truth is that not all babies come out sleeping wonderfully. In this article, I share the most common reasons your newborn is not sleeping based on my 15+ years as a sleep consultant.
In this article:
- Day-Night Confusion
- Overtired / Overstimulated
- Your Newborn is Hungry
- Your Baby isn’t Comfortable
- Your Newborn Wants / Needs You
1. Your Newborn Has Day-Night Confusion
The #1 reason newborns are awake often at night is due to day-night confusion. This is due to your baby being lulled to sleep during the day while you were walking around with them in your womb. Then, you might remember that just as you laid down to sleep, your baby would do somersaults in your belly!
When you first give birth to your baby, they may initially not sleep at night and, instead, sleep virtually all day except for feeding and diaper changes. You may be longing for the time your baby is awake during the day!
Have no fear, your baby will sort out day and night within a week or two. If they don’t, make sure you limit any single nap to no more than two hours and keep them awake for at least 30 minutes. Their brain will get the signal that the daytime is the time to be more awake. At the same time, be sure to keep the room and house dark at night. Your baby will sort it out in no time!
2. Your Newborn is Overtired / Overstimulated
Newborn babies become overtired and overstimulate very quickly. Therefore, they can only stay awake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, on average. But, if you keep your baby awake too long, while it might seem like they would sleep even better, the opposite is true. Our bodies release hormones to fight fatigue and give us a second wind. So, it will actually make it harder for your newborn baby to go to sleep and stay asleep. Keep newborn wake windows short for optimum sleep! Consider using an Eat-Play-Sleep routine.
3. Your Newborn is Hungry at Night
Naturally, one of the most common reasons newborns wake at night is due to hunger. Most babies will need to eat every 2-3 hours until they are 8 to 12 weeks old. Breastfeeding babies tend to wake more frequently since they digest their milk quickly. However, generally, most babies can go at least two hours comfortably.
4. Your Newborn Isn’t Comfortable
One of a parent’s biggest fears seems to be that their baby is too cold. So, many parents will overdress their infant. Keep in mind that we, people in general, sleep better when our body temperature is cooler. The ideal room temperature for baby sleep is between 68 and 70 degrees. Your baby’s skin should feel cool to the touch but not like ice cubes. If your baby is sweaty, you are dressing your baby too warm.
Other ways your newborn may not be comfortable are clothing that is too small, tags on clothing, loud noise, colic, or wet/dirty diapers. Be sure to set up the bedroom for optimum baby sleep.
5. Your Newborn Wants / Needs You
Babies need a lot of attention; some need physical touch more than others. Your baby’s temperament will make a huge difference as to how much attention they will need. When your baby is first born, the outside world can be overwhelming for them so don’t be surprised if your baby may simply wake up at night for some reassurance from you. Don’t worry, the newborn phase goes by quickly and they will become more independent before you know it!
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