Baby's sleep

16 March 2023

Sleep is a precious time, both for your baby and for you. It's not just the amount of sleep that's important, but also the quality. Sleep directly affects all aspects of our lives, and understanding what happens when we sleep is the first step in helping your baby develop healthy sleep habits that will benefit the whole family.

 

➤ The phases of sleep 
Your baby's days are divided into sleep and wakefulness periods. 
Sleep periods consist of two distinct periods, which are very similar to the stages we all go through.

• Active or REM sleep, also known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Although the function of REM in sleep remains a mystery, this known phenomenon is essential for brain development and maintenance.

Newborns spend half their sleep time in REM sleep. In adulthood, REM sleep represents only 25% of our sleep.

• Quiet sleep or non-REM sleep. During this, your baby's sleep is more peaceful and his or her brain is less active. Non-REM sleep consists of four phases of progressive deepening: 

             ◆ drowsiness

             ◆ light sleep

             ◆ deep sleep

             ◆ sleep

             ◆ very deep sleep

Your baby will go through these phases in 'cycles', alternating periods of REM and non-REM sleep. During the progression to the deepest sleep, your baby is less active and breathing slows down. Unlike REM sleep, very few, if any, dreams occur during this stage.

 

➤ Sleep cycles
Your newborn sleeps in cycles of about 50 or 60 minutes of REM and non-REM sleep. These cycles become longer as your baby grows. Like you, your baby wakes up several times in REM and non-REM sleep.

Your newborn baby spends about half the time he sleeps in REM sleep. During this stage, his eyes will blink under his eyelids, or he may twitch his fingers and toes. The rest of the time he is in deep, non-REM sleep, when he is very still and quiet.

 

➤ The importance of sleep in the early months
Do premature babies have different sleep patterns?

Yes, premature babies tend to wake up more often than a full-term infant during the first few months, and this is true for up to one year. 

The nighttime waking and lighter sleep is part of an intrinsic survival and building mechanism of the premature baby, who is able to wake up more easily so that he can be fed when needed. He will sleep much more than a full term baby and will have a greater proportion of his time in REM sleep (up to 90%). His sleep pattern will settle over time, but this will take a little longer than for a full term baby.

 

➤ Is my baby dreaming?
It is not known for sure whether babies dream, but it seems very likely.

Dreams take place during REM sleep (REM), and babies spend a large part of their sleep time in this phase of sleep. Experts are not entirely sure why we dream. Some believe that it helps the brain to process information and exercise synapses (pathways between brain cells). Interestingly, the waves recorded from our brain during REM sleep are almost identical in nature to the brain waves observable during the hours we spend awake. This is not the case during the other phases of sleep. 

If he is able to fall asleep and return to sleep, this restlessness will go unnoticed. If he cannot fall back to sleep without your help, he may wake up completely and cry. This is a common reason for disturbed nights and can be solved by teaching your baby to calm down and go back to sleep.

 

➤ How many hours of sleep?
Parents often wonder how many hours of sleep their baby needs. The answer is not simple, as babies have different sleep needs. Newborns do not have a regular pattern and can sleep from 10 to 20 hours a day.

From two to three months, nighttime sleep averages about nine hours, with about an extra five hours of nap time during the day.
At 12 months, nighttime sleep time will be about 11.5 hours, with about 2.5 hours of nap time. 
At around 8 to 12 weeks, you may notice your baby's sleep becoming more regular, and you can start to guide him into a day-night sleep routine. At this stage, he may naturally start to show a preference for sleeping at night and will probably spend longer periods awake and active during the day. A healthy habit.

 

➤ A routine 
Although your baby doesn't need to learn how to sleep, healthy sleep habits are something he will have to learn. Whether he sleeps soundly or not depends largely on what you teach him. It's not as difficult as it sounds. The earlier you start, the easier it will be…

Establishing a routine comforts babies and toddlers through familiarity. In an organised way, an example of a bedtime routine might be a bath, followed by a feed or bottle, cuddles and some quiet time in bed. These steps, repeated daily, will help your baby understand that it will soon be time to sleep.

Teach your baby to fall asleep on his own. This is one of the most valuable lessons you can teach your baby. 

Many experts believe that, after the neonatal phase, putting your baby to bed by rocking or feeding prevents him or her from developing self-soothing behaviours.

Instead, they recommend putting your baby to bed when he or she is still awake, well-fed, drowsy, and able to fall asleep without help from you. Make sure they rest during the day. Although, it is good to limit the length of daytime naps to maintain a contrast between night and day.

 

➤ A relaxing bath
Many babies find a warm bath relaxing, making it an ideal way to end the day as part of the bedtime routine. Too tired, then, will be harder to calm and sleep will be more irregular. Be aware of your baby's needs. Respond quickly to a sudden change in your baby's sleep pattern. If your baby is teething or has a cold, you may need to alter his or her nap and bedtime routine. A sick baby requires a lot of extra care. Once your baby has recovered, go back to the established routine. Being consistent, changing your baby's daytime routines and allowing him to sleep in different places is fine from time to time, but if it happens too often, it can become a bad habit and lead to problems.

Other considerations …

 

➤ Crib safety
Make sure the crib you choose is approved for safety. The bed rails should not be more than 6 cm apart, to prevent the baby's head and limbs from becoming trapped… Most cots have a mattress level adjustment, starting at the highest level for easy access in the early months and finishing at the lowest level once your baby is able to sit up. There should be at least 50 cm between the top of the mattress and the top of the bed in the lowest position and 20 cm in the highest position. There should be no horizontal bars in between, which can allow your baby to climb up and possibly fall out.

Whenever you put your baby in the cot, make sure the drop side of the mechanism is locked. Never leave your baby in the crib with the side down.

The crib mattress should fit snugly. If you can slip two fingers between the sides or ends of the crib and the mattress, the mattress is too small. Keep your baby's mattress airy and clean. 

 

➤ Where should baby sleep?
Newborns sleep best near their parents in the first few weeks. As well as being reassuring for everyone, this has a practical side to it during any nighttime procedure. You may prefer to start with your baby in a Moses next to your bed. You can then move him to his own room, usually around 3 months of age.

You may choose to use a cot in the early months instead of a bassinet.

A bassinet is the ideal size for your newborn, and can be moved from your room to his room if necessary. Cradles have many of the advantages of bassinets, but they are not portable. The main difference is that they can be 'rocked', and your newborn may find this very soothing. If you select a rocking cradle, make sure you can place it in a fixed position while your baby sleeps.

Expect your baby to sleep in a cradle until she is at least 18 months old, and possibly up to three years old. You'll know when she's outgrown it because she'll start trying to climb out! 

There are several things to consider when deciding a cot. Sturdiness. Once your baby is able to sit up and move around, a strong bed is a must. One or both sides of the bed should fall out easily (if equipped). The attachment mechanism should be very strong, as you will soon have a baby who can jump up and down and rattle the bars.
A teething rail… Once he can stand up, your baby may want to try out his new teeth on the top of the bed. Most beds have plastic strips along the top rails to protect it from splintering. Some cots are sold with castors, which make them easier to move around for cleaning. Ensure that the castors can be locked.

Instead of a conventional crib, you may decide to choose a bed designed to meet specific needs.
A bedside cot has a removable side so that it can become an extension of your bed at night. This is becoming an increasingly popular way to sleep together with a baby.

 

As you can see, your baby's sleep is important. For him, as for you. It allows him to build himself up and you to rest. The routine is a method of putting him in psychological “safety” to facilitate the steps to sleep.
Of course, there will be more restless nights than others… that's the joy of being a parent ;o)

 

 

MyNursery 2022, adaptation and translation of the free text Johnson's 2005 "Your baby's first year"