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SLEEPING BABY

Sleeping baby is a very important part of the development of each baby.

For some babies the sleeping state lasts longer than that of others. Some sleep for hours on end, others take naps only. Some fall asleep outright and don’t wake through the night, while others stay wide awake for a long time.

Your baby will follow a unique sleep-and-wake pattern, which is likely to differ from that of other babies you know. It’s also unlikely to correspond with your need for sleep. Let your baby lead you.

In the early weeks of your breastfeeding your baby may easily doze off for short periods during the feed. Continue feeding until you think your baby has finished, or until they are fully asleep. This is a good opportunity to try to get a bit of rest yourself.

If you are not sleeping when your baby is, don’t bother about keeping silence. Your baby should get used to sleeping through a certain amount of noise. It may also be useful to initially teach your baby that night-time and daytime are not the same.

Here is what may help sleeping baby:

- keeping a mild light
- less talking and keeping your voice quiet
- putting your baby down right after they have been fed and changed, and
- not changing your baby unless it’s necessary.

You might as well notice that the longer you postpone, the harder it will be for them to fall asleep on their own. You can start getting your baby accustomed to falling asleep alone by putting them down before they actually do, or when they have just finished a feed. Practicing this may be easier when your baby is able to stay alert more often or for extended periods.

Although it’s helpful to set up a pattern, you can always juggle with the routine to satisfy your needs. For instance, a successful attempt at waking your baby for a feed just before you go to bed can provide long sleeping baby before they wake up again.

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