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THE FIRST MONTH
I always tell my clients that the first two weeks
after Baby is born are a time for them and their
little one to get to know each other. That
getting-to-know process is as exhilarating as it
is exhausting. Two weeks into it, parents often hit the proverbial brick wall thanks to the extreme lack of sleep they’ve been able to scrounge up—and it ain’t pretty.
So just how do you get the sleep you need during this wondrous yet wearying time?
Two words: schedule and swaddle.
As a parent, keeping to a schedule is probably one of the most important things you can do because babies—and children, for that matter—need a routine. Logging when your baby eats and sleeps will help you establish a working schedule—and alleviate the stress of trying to remember the last time Junior ate. Believe me, when you’re sleep-deprived, it’s difficult to remember the minutiae of your day.
My advice: Sleep when your baby sleeps. I know you have all heard that one, but please do it. The laundry can wait, the dishes pile up in the sink and the phone calls and e-mails can be returned another time. As for how much your baby should be sleeping throughout the day, generally during the first month, your baby should pretty much eat and go right back to sleep. Most babies have only one hour of awake time in between sleeping sessions, including the time it takes him to eat. So if it takes him 45 minutes to eat, then he has 15 minutes of playtime before it’s time for him to go back down to sleep.
What about playtime? Well, at such a young age, your baby will most likely get overstimulated very easily. Looking at your face or looking out the window is all the stimulation he needs for the first month. Leave all those colorful toys for him to play with when he gets a little older. Plus, eating is very tiring for a new baby, especially if he is being breast-fed. All told, a newborn needs anywhere from 16 to 20 hours of sleep per 24-hour cycle.
One important tip: Give your baby a bedtime (I suggest 7 p.m.) and start, from the get-go, to establish a bedtime routine. It doesn’t have to be long and labor-intensive, but it should be instituted immediately to orient both you and your baby into a nightly regime that works for everyone.
First change him into a clean diaper and PJs. Then get out your Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe and wrap your little one snugly in it. Next, pull down those nice blackout shades in his nursery so it is all dark and comfy cozy, turn on the sound machine to white noise and hold your baby tightly in your arms, making a shushing sound next to his ear for a minute or two. Then you lay him down in his crib or bassinet (done in neutral colors to avoid overstimulation), leave his room and close the door. The same mini routine should be used for naps as well.
I am also a big fan of the dream feed. A dream feed is when you go into your baby’s room and feed him while he is still sleepy or “dreamy.” Give him a full feeding—bottle or breast. Just feed him half of his bottle or one breast, then change his diaper and feed him the other half of the bottle or your other breast. Burp him, swaddle him and place him back in his crib. During the dream feed and for the middle-of-the-night feed, try to keep it dark and calm. No playing or talking, as you don’t want to encourage playing during the night. You want to promote a healthy sleeping environment.
I suggest you give your baby a dream feed at 10 p.m. Then you should only have to get up to feed him at 2 a.m. and then again at 6 a.m. Yes, that’s every four hours at night. Please remember to follow your doctor’s instructions on how long you should let your baby sleep, as pre-term and low-weight infants need to be fed at shorter intervals.
Now, stop reading this and get some sleep!
Kathy Sinclair, CNCS, CPD, CLE, CHBE, graduated from Australia’s prestigious Charlton Brown Nanny College and began her professional career as a nanny in 1993. Kathy developed her specialty with infant sleep while working as a newborn care specialist in Los Angeles. Currently the founder of Baby Sleep Solutions, Kathy provides one-on-one individualized sleep consultations, leads Mommy & Infant groups for new moms, and lectures on sleep in and around Los Angeles. She lives in Ventura, Calif., with her husband and three dogs. She may be contacted through her website at www.babysleepsolutionsla.com.
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