Care and Safety of Your Baby

Establish a routine

Your Baby's Sleeping Habits

In the first 4 weeks of life, your baby may sleep as many as 20 hours every day. She may seldom be awake for longer than 25 to 30 minutes at a time. Sleeping is very important for a baby; you'll soon realize what kind of sleep schedule is best for your infant. The wisest thing you can do as a parent is to establish a routine to help your baby develop healthy sleeping habits. The list below may give you some helpful hints to do this.

• Wait until your baby is tired to put her to bed.
• Develop a regular, predictable bedtime routine.
• Offer baby a pacifier or her thumb.
• Don't put your baby to bed with a bottle!
• Never leave your baby alone on a waterbed.
• Limit daytime naps to a few hours each.
• Don't overstimulate the baby when you get up for nighttime feedings.
• By day, let baby nap in a lighted area, with some noise. At night, put baby in a very quiet, dark room to sleep.
• Keep baby up during the day by talking and singing to her or providing other stimulation.
• Place baby on her side or back every time you put her to bed.

Sleep patterns may develop differently for bottlefed babies and breastfed babies. Bottlefed babies may sleep longer at night as they mature. Breastfed infants may not shift to longer sleep patterns until about the time they are weaned.

Place a baby on her side or back when putting her down to sleep. This position greatly reduces the incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Other safe sleeping tips include making sure the mattress is safe and in good repair. Crib slats should be no farther apart than 2-3/8 inches. Don't use comforters, pillows or cushions that are soft, with loosely filled surfaces. They could interfere with baby's breathing. Avoid a waterbed crib mattress because it can trap baby and suffocate her.

Sleep patterns may develop differently for bottlefed and breastfed babies. Bottlefed babies often sleep longer at night as they mature. Breastfed infants don't usually shift to longer sleep patterns until they are weaned.

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