Let's Talk Sleep: Newborn Sleep

There is so much anticipation going into meeting your new baby; what will she look like? Is he going to be a sweet baby? Is she going to be happy? The list goes on and on. But one of the most common questions: How is he going to sleep?

Thinking about how much sleep is going to be lost can be a little overwhelming. Thats when the google searches, pinterest searches, and all kind of searches start happening.

Whether you are getting a jump start before baby comes or you need some help NOW. Below are some of our favorite go-to tricks to help your newborn sleep better.

There are 4 areas to focus on when you are trying to achieve better newborn sleep.

1. Baby is most likely going to sleep really well during the day but night time is a different story.
2. Baby is always fussy + it’s hard to calm them down
3. Night wakings… 
4. As if all of those arent tough enough- you dont know if baby has gas or reflux or maybe allergic to something you are eating

MAKE DAYTIME DIFFERENT

Some babies like to mix up their days + nights. So how are you supposed to get them on the right schedule? It may take a few days but you need to make them want to sleep at night… but how?

Brand new babes love nothing more then sleep… 20 hours for the first few weeks of life! But once they start waking up a little bit, sleep starts getting a little tough. Let’s help those little ones get their circadian rhythm sorted out by making their daytime different. Keep daytime full of light, bright, and active. While you keep nighttime dark, quiet, and still.

Once you get your days and nights figured out, check out our blog post discussing nap times and sleep schedules

CALMING TRICKS FOR FUSSY BABY

Have you ever had trouble trying to get your fussy newborn to sleep? You’ve tried all the basics but they are still fighting sleep? We like to try out the 5’s, originally created by Dr. Harbey Karp. The TRICK is to use all 5 S’s together to create a “womb” like environment for your baby. Try all 

5 S’s together and see what happens.

1. Swaddle
2. Side or Stomach position
3. Shhhh Sounds 
4. Swinging 
5. Sucking 

NIGHT TIME WAKINGS

Night time wakings are expected when it comes to your newborn, but it’s always helpful knowing why they are waking up. There are two reasons a newborn could be waking up.

1. They are overtired
2. They are actually hungry [go figure…]

So how can you tell the difference? If your baby is fighting sleep, waking up 30-40 minutes after going to bed, or acting wired and cranky at the same time, he is usually overtired. A hungry baby usually cries louder and longer than a baby who is tossing and turning and needing attention. 

REFLUX + TUMMY ISSUES

Most infants face some sort of tummy troubles, whether it be trapped gas, acid reflux or food intolerance. But how are you supposed to know if it is normal gas vs. another tummy problem? Gas will let itself known… [if you know what I mean]. There are ways to check if your baby has gas, 

• Hard stomach 
• Bloating
• Squirming
• Loud burps
• Sudden sharp cry of pain

Reflux is like baby heartburn. Reflux makes eating and laying down [sleep] painful. 

At the end of the day, you’ve got this mama! Go with your gut and you know what’s best for your baby. It doesnt mean that you have all the answers at once, thats what we are here for; to try and give you all the information so you can make the best decision for your baby. 

If you are needing more specifics with any of these topics. Sign up for our newsletter + receive our FREE Download, Simplifying Sleep: Tips, Trick, and Truths for Better Newborn Sleep. 

A special thank you to Chrissy Lawler with The Peaceful Sleeper for helping educate you mamas with all the needed information. Head over to The Peaceful Sleeper for more helpful seeping information for all ages!