My name is Mica. I am a certified sleep consultant and founder of Rested Mama, Happy Baby. I help families on their journey to establish healthy sleep habits and get the whole family sleeping again! There is nothing like the sweet little snuggles of a newborn as a new parent or a repeat one!  The second time around, I knew I wanted to start laying healthy sleep habits while I still had my sanity and enjoyed the bliss of this beautiful time. I will start by saying, your first focus during this time, especially the first 4 - 6 weeks, is ENJOY this time.  You can do nothing to spoil a newborn or give them too much attention or too many snuggles. 

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  Imagine how many movies we’ve seen of people coming into new worlds or time zones for the first time.  Don’t judge me for bringing this movie up as an example, but if you’ve ever seen “Enchanted” with Amy Adams, she is a princess that somehow found herself in modern times NYC where she had to learn how people interact, dress and talk. So there is a considerable level of acclimation that needs to be involved. 

    While our new babies aren’t fairytale characters being time-warped to the present, they did spend nine months in darkness with nothing but the murmuring sounds of voices, now seeing a whole world of color, sounds, and smells.  The point of this tangent?  Give your little ones grace, help, and the sweet cuddles they need to get to know their new surroundings. Then, as they hit 6-8 weeks, you can start practicing and incorporating healthy sleep habits into your day to lay the foundation for their journey to gain the right amount of sleep and sleep independently.

6 Tips for Setting up Good Sleep for Newborns:

1: Use a sleep tracker:

    I know, I know, you already are probably having to log diapers and feedings for your upcoming pediatrician appointments, but logging your newborn’s sleep, in the beginning, will pay off early, and we promise, it’s not forever. Find a good sSo find tracker that can help you keep an eye out for waketimes. 

    Newborns typically should stay awake for no longer than 45 - 60 mins, or they will begin to get overtired, and keeping track of your sleep and wake-up times will help you avoid an overtired or under tired baby.  You will also start to notice around the 8-week mark; they start naturally getting into a sleep rhythm and helpful pattern to you as you begin developing a sleep schedule. 

Download our FREE sleep tracker here!

2. Watch Your Wake Times:

    While I do not recommend chaining yourself to a strict and rigid schedule, you should be aware of your child's age-appropriate wake times. Awake time is the suggested time your child should be awake before getting overtired. As mentioned, newborns have very short average wake times of 30-45 minutes. Ensure you are not exceeding them to get the right balance of sleep.  Good day sleep is a recipe for good night sleep. 

3. Create the Right Sleep Space:

    Some parents are wary of creating optimal sleep space because they are concerned with their newborns “getting used to it” or requiring it to sleep in the future.  I will tell you; however, that is rarely the case, and creating the right space at home will allow you to promote better sleep and use those indicators when you travel, so you do have flexibility. In addition, babies start to sleep in the womb, so recreating this “safe” space for them helps promote relaxation. These four things are essential:

1. Very Dark Room
2. White Noise Machine
3. Comfortable Temperature: ( 68-72 degrees) or appropriate and comfortable dress. Ensure your child is not too hot and not too cold (by checking their core -i.e., Neck, back, or chest) is the best way to go.
4. Safe Sleep: The safest setup is to have an empty crib with no loose bedding, "extra" toys, or pillows, which can cause SIDs. This also includes swings, rockers, and bouncers.  Follow all the guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics, including alone, in a crib, on their back.

4. Swaddle: 

    Newborns are born with startle reflexes, and they have yet to gain complete control of their arms and legs.  Often, especially in light sleep, where it is common for them to move, their reflexes will wake them.  Swaddling helps to calm them.  Just remember, by eight weeks, however, it is recommended you transition them out of a swaddle into a transitional swaddle or a sleep sack as they begin to show signs of rolling for safety. 

5. Establish a Bedtime Routine:

    The Oxford Academy showed a consistent bedtime routine had a dramatic improvement in infant/toddler sleep. Additional sleep studies also show improvement in long-term cognitive development. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine, as you can see, is one of the most important things you can do to set sleep habits, especially by eight weeks of age. Your bedtime routine should be no longer than 30 mins and should occur consistently, in the same order, every night. 

6. Drowsy but Awake: 

    Put your baby down "drowsy but awake." I know. You have probably read this or heard this a million times and wonder how in the world?!  But I can tell you IT WORKS.  Doing this consistently will set your newborn up for success by the time they reach four months to put themselves to sleep independently successfully. Of course, newborns will need snuggles and rocking, so give them that bonding time that is so important.  You can even rock them into a sleepy state. What I am recommending is you put them down before you put them ultimately to sleep.  It may not work the first time, but practicing at bedtime will give you surprising results!  

    NOTE: Remember, this is only an effective strategy for newborns, and as they grow older, we want to enable them to fall asleep from an awake state rather than tired.

 Learn more about how we work with families to help their babies sleep 10+ hours at night without Cry-it-out or Ferber.  Join our free webinar!

Sleep is around the corner, 

Rested Mama, Happy Baby Founder