Baby Sleeping Patterns
When first born your baby may sleep up to 18 hours a day but this is likely to be in intervals of 3 or 4 hours at a time. Your baby is likely to want feeding when he/she wakes so you will have to feed on demand during the first few weeks.
You can encourage your baby to sleep for shorter periods during the day and longer at night to bring baby in line with your sleeping patterns. Think about the baby’s surrounding at night if they have their own room or are in a cot in your room make sure you keep the environment dark at night and light and bright in the day so baby gets to recognise day and night.
As your baby gets old he/she will sleep for longer and routines will become easier so stick with it.
The guidance for new born babies to avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (cot death) is:
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Place your baby on his/her back
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Tuck in the side of your baby’s blanket
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Try to maintain your room temperature at around 18C/65F
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