Sleeping

Newborns sleep an average of 16-18 hours a day and awake every couple of hours to feed. If your infant sleeps more than 3-4 hours at a time in the first couple of weeks, wake him to eat until after he begins to show positive weight gain.

The early months are usually the most challenging for parents. When a baby is about two months, there may be a little relief as most will begin to sleep longer through the night. Once a baby has reached 4-6 months of age, they capable of sleeping 8-12 hours during the night though that will vary depending upon the child.

In the first few weeks, some parents choose to keep their baby with them in their room in a crib or bassinet nearby. Though it is entirely dependent upon each family, this allows the baby to be close enough to hear and can help parents get a little more rest.

• Place baby on their back to sleep. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the rate of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) was reduced dramatically once this recommendation was introduced.
• Make sure your baby is sleeping on a firm mattress with a well-fitted sheet.
• Do not have anything else in the crib such as soft toys, pillows, bumper pads or blankets.
• Make sure the room temperature is warm but comfortable.

• Watch for signals that your baby is tired such as fussiness, rubbing of eyes, pulling on his ears.
• Start establishing a routine such as bathing, reading, rocking or singing which will also help your baby relax.
• Keep the lights low and noise to a minimum.