Newborns tend to have a habit of sleep during the day.Because they are not used to dealing with this baby's sleep pattern, Father and Mother may feel confused and tired when accompanying the Little One. But don't worry, there are some tips you can do to get your little one's sleep pattern into a more regular basis.
Baby sleep patterns and schedules are not regular. Some babies tend to take longer naps during the day, while others sleep longer at night. Actually it is normal for babies to always sleep during the day.
This happens because the comfortable and warm atmosphere that the baby feels while in the womb will carry over until the baby is born. In fact, there are some babies who spend 16-18 hours per day sleeping. About 6-8 hours your little one will probably spend on naps.
They also usually only wake up when they want to feed because they are thirsty and hungry or when their parents change their diapers. If your baby continues to sleep during the day, it is likely that he will stay up all night.
How tointroducen Sleeping Hours in Babies
Babies sleep hours will experience changes at the age of three or four months. However, this change did not just happen. Some habits and ways of caring for babies can also affect your little one's sleep patterns.
To get your little one used to not taking too long naps and sleeping longer at night, try following some of these tips:
1. Teach baby to recognize day and night
Research has shown that babies can be taught to recognize day and night. One way to introduce your baby to daylight is to invite them to play or do other routine activities, such as eating, drinking, and bathing during the day.
When night falls, try to do routine activities before bed, such as bathing the baby with warm water, massaging the baby, playing slow and soothing music or songs, and reading stories. These activities may make your little one calmer and sleepy quickly.
2. Introduce a fixed bedtime
At night, when it is time for bed, take the baby to his crib. Make sure the baby is full and in a comfortable position in the bed.
At first, the baby will indeed cry because he feels he still wants to play even though the night has come. However, you must remain disciplined to eliminate the habit of the baby sleeping continuously during the day.
If your baby is crying because he is not going to sleep, you don't have to worry. Most babies aged five months and under will not cry long, usually only about 15-20 minutes.
Remember not to turn on the light, move him out of bed, or give him a bottle even if the baby is crying. The goal is to get the baby used to knowing a fixed bedtime.
3. Do it regularly and consistently
You must remain consistent while introducing bedtime to your baby. If your baby is crying, you just need to be patient and calm him down as much as you can. Once your baby gets used to the trained hours of sleep, he may no longer be fussy when it comes to bedtime.
4. Avoid making the baby too full
Babies who are too full will usually have trouble sleeping at night, for example because of bedwetting or defecation. The condition of a wet diaper or an uncomfortable stomach can trigger the baby to wake up at night. After that, the baby will be fussy because he can not sleep again.
Basically, the habit of babies sleeping continuously during the day and night is not dangerous. But if you don't get used to the right sleep pattern early on, your little one can find it more difficult to adjust to a regular bedtime.
If you find it difficult to adjust your baby's sleep schedule so that he can sleep more regularly, don't hesitate to consult a pediatrician.
