Newborn care and sleep issues

There is no, one consistent way in which all newborns behave. There are just too many individual factors which influence their behaviour. But there are some universal truths around what most newborn babies need when it comes to their care and sleep. Read on to understand more about what you and your baby need.

Care well for yourself

You won’t be able to nurture your baby well if you don’t invest some time into your own recovery.  Pregnancy and childbirth are hard and take a toll on a woman’s body. Even if you’ve had a straightforward pregnancy and birth, it may still take up to 6 weeks before your body has fully healed.  If you had a complicated pregnancy and/or birth, recovery may take even longer.

Self-care after having a baby includes:

  • Eating nutritious meals and snacks regularly. Expect to be hungry, especially if you’re breastfeeding.
  • Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated. Have a drink of water every time you feed your baby.
  • Attention to good personal hygiene. Look after the basics like showering, oral care and changing out of your PJs in the morning and into clean clothing.
  • Getting as much rest and sleep as possible.
  • Taking your time to get back into exercise. Don’t expect to have the same tolerance for exercise as you had before giving birth.
  • Accepting all reasonable offers of support.
  • Making a post-natal appointment with your maternity support worker for 6 weeks after birth.

Are you awake again?

Newborn babies usually sleep in short bursts of around 2-3 hours at a time. They can’t sleep for long, uninterrupted periods because they need to feed frequently. A newborn’s stomach can only hold small amounts of milk and they digest feeds quickly. This means they need to feed often to feel satisfied and to grow.

Newborns also need the stimulation of being around people to learn what it means to be human. They can only do this when they’re awake and they’re not distracted by hunger and tiredness.  Those moments of time through the day and night when you are holding your baby and talking to them are priceless for their brain growth and development. Remember, no time you spend with your baby is wasted.

Safe sleeping recommendations

It’s important to make sure that you settle your baby according to the 6 safe sleeping recommendations.[1]  Even from birth, this evidence-based advice helps to reduce the risk of  sudden infant death.

  1. Always place your baby on their back for all sleep times (naps and at night). Wrapping or swaddling can help to keep babies on their back.
  2. Breastfeed if possible. Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of sudden infant death.
  3. Room share with your baby in their own safe sleep space in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months.
  4. Ensure your baby sleeps in a safe sleeping environment day and night.
  5. Avoid overheating. Keep your baby’s face and head uncovered.
  6. Keep your baby smoke free, before and after birth.

 

5 things which help with newborns

  1. Regular feeding. Newborns have inbuilt cueing skills to show they are hungry.
  2. Lots of cuddles, rocking and soothing.
  3. Care which is responsive, kind and also flexible.
  4. Opportunities to sleep. Newborns spend a lot of time sleeping and conserving energy to grow.
  5. Parental support – we are not meant to parent alone.

5 things which don’t work with newborns

  1. Trying to fit them into a regular, predictable feeding and settling patterns.
  2. Being left to cry. Young babies can’t change their behaviour as a result of how they’re cared for.
  3. Overfeeding in the hope that this will prolong their sleep times.
  4. Limiting their cuddle and affection times.
  5. Not following tired cues as a sign they need to settle and sleep.

What are you telling me?

Your baby will communicate with you in all sorts of ways. Some of their cues will be subtle and not so obvious. Others, like crying, will leave you in no doubt that they want something. Newborn babies can cry and fuss, on average, for almost 3 hours each day. Some babies cry for longer and others less.  Most newborns tend to be more unsettled later in the day.[2]

After the first few weeks of mostly feeding and sleeping, babies tend to be more wakeful. We don’t really understand why babies tend to peak in their crying at around 6-8 weeks. There are many theories for why this happens – perhaps it’s due to gut maturity and babies become more used to feeding and digesting milk. It could also be because babies have an immature nervous system and crying is one way for them to release any tension they may feel.

What commonly  happens is that babies tend to become more predictable and easier to manage from around 3 months of age. The long periods of crying tend to become less frequent and they have longer blocks of time awake.

Soothing strategies

Sometimes babies cry for no obvious reason and the only solution is to hold them. Babies can be unsettled due to colic – crying and fussing for no obvious medical or physical reason.[3] Extra feeds and burping can be helpful, so can holding them in a ‘cradle’ position with gentle rocking, walking and singing. A deep warm bath and tummy massage can sometimes be helpful. So can carrying the baby in a sling, or going for a pram walk.

It’s okay to take a break sometimes if you’re feeling overwhelmed.  Place your baby gently into their cot and walk away until you feel calmer.  Ask someone else to hold your baby if you’re feeling upset or frustrated.[4]

Check in regularly with your Child Health Nurse to have your baby weighed and measured.  They will also be an excellent source of support for evidence based help around sleep and settling.

Written for Infacol by Jane Barry, Midwife and Child Health Nurse, November 2024.

[1] https://rednose.org.au/article/red-nose-six-safe-sleep-recommendations

[2] Newborn baby behaviour: a guide | Raising Children Network

[3] Colic in babies: what it is & what to do | Raising Children Network

[4] Soothing a crying baby: picture guide | Raising Children Network