6 things about your newborn, sleep, and the first few months
Whether it’s your first baby, second baby, or third baby (or more), the fourth trimester is an adjustment period – especially when you are running on little sleep. In fact, the first eight-ish weeks of your baby’s life, his or her sleep will be unorganized and all over the place. This is completely normal!
When you come home with your little one, take a deep breath, and remember:
Both mom and baby need to rest. Mom is recovering from childbirth…and this can take time. Involve you partner during the overnight hours if you can. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help from family or seek out assistance from a post-partum doula or lactation consultant.
Don’t worry about creating bad habits. Soak up those snuggles and take in that skin-to-skin contact that your baby needs right now.
Safe sleep guidelines are still important. According to guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, your baby should sleep on a firm, flat surface in a separate sleep area next to where the parent(s) sleep in a space free of blankets and other soft objects. Take a look at this info I’ve put together about the do’s and the don’ts of safe sleep for infants, all in line with AAP guidelines.
Schedules won’t happen right now. And that’s okay! The timing and number of naps will vary each day. Some naps will be short, others will be long. This is all normal. Your baby’s too young to have a developed circadian rhythm yet (this is that internal body clock – driven by light input, eating, and more – that regulates our sleep-wake cycles). It could take a few months for a newborn’s circadian rhythm to fully develop.
Don’t compare your baby’s sleep to other babies. Sure, we’ve all heard of those unicorn babies who have slept wonderfully since day 1…but most babies don’t.
Give yourself grace! Like I said, you are still recovering from childbirth. Take this time to bond with your baby and ease into your new day-to-day.
