Sleep Maturity

During the first three months of development, tiny babies rarely sleep for more than four

hours without requiring feeding.  At around three to six months, the majority of babies

start to settle. They are awake for longer  periods during the day and some with lucky

parents may sleep five-hour stretches at night! The time they spend in deep sleep starts to

lengthen and the time spent in light sleep shortens. This means babies

are able to enter deep sleep more quickly. This is called sleep maturity.  (Sears, 2005).

The time your baby takes to reach sleep maturity may vary and even when she does reach

it, she may still wake up regularly.  This is because by the time she is old enough to reach

sleep maturity (usually towards the end of  the first year), uncomfortable and painful

stimuli present themselves, such as colds and teething pain.  Furthermore, separation

anxiety develops at around this age which causes sleeping problems.  Babies also start

reaching developmental milestones, such as sitting, crawling, and walking which causes

them to run through their newly acquired skills in their sleep .

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A word of caution regarding sleep-trainers

There is evidence to suggest  that sleep-trainers may be  a dangerous solution to a frequently waking baby. Encouraging a baby to sleep too deeply, too long, too soon, may interfere with the natural developmental and survival mechanisms that the baby is armed with.  Sleep researchers have found that blood flow to the brain is almost doubled during light sleep and believe this is indicative of a more active brain during these periods.  They believe important development takes place during light sleep.  Training a baby to spend more time in a deeper sleep may therefore be damaging to the baby.

Source: lullaby

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Crying it out

There is a theory that advises you not to respond to a baby’s cries during the night because it will teach him to comfort himself back to sleep and therefore, he won’t bother you as much.  I have to say, this is the worst advice I have ever come across.  A baby in the early stage of growth is very vulnerable and it is the parents’ biological duty to satisfy every need of their offspring.  Letting him  ‘cry it out’ can be very psychologically and physically damaging to the child in the early stages of development.  There does come a point in development when baby will reach the stage where he does need to learn to comfort himself on his own.  However, as far as the right and safest way to look  after your newborn is concerned, give him everything he needs, and yes that obviously means some sleepless nights in the beginning.   

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Understanding the stages of sleep

When an adult falls asleep, her higher brain functions decelerate which allows her to enter the phase known as deep sleep.  During this time her body hardly moves, breathing is slow and regular, and her muscles become relaxed and loose.  After around an hour and a half later and her brain becomes more active and she enters into a period called light sleep.  It is during this time when she may slip into REM (rapid-eye-movement) sleep where most dreams occur.  These deep/light  cycles continue throughout the night, at around two hours intervals, so that the average adult spends around 6 hours in deep sleep 

and 2 in light sleep. 

Babies need to be parented to sleep because, unlike adults, they only go into a deep sleep after an initial period of light sleep.  Let’s see how many of you can relate to this: Imagine you’re performing your bedtime ritual with your baby:  you’re rocking, walking, nursing etc until she falls asleep in your arms.  Her eyes  are completely closed, her eyelids may be fluttering and she may be twitching or showing momentary smiles (called sleep grins).  Just as you think it’s safe to place your baby in her crib and sneak away, she wakes and starts crying! Why does this happen?  It’s because she wasn’t properly asleep and only in a state of light  sleep.  Next time you attempt  your bedtime ritual, carry on past this first stage of sleep (usually takes around 20 minutes).  Wait until the twitching and smiling cease, the breathing becomes more regular and the muscles relax so that her limbs dangle weightlessly.  These are the tell-tale signs that the baby is in the deep stage of sleep and your chances of being able to put her down and sneak away successfully are dramatically improved.    

Like adults, babies’ sleep cycles continually change from light to deep throughout the night.  However, their cycles are significantly shorter than those of adults.  They will enter into a period of light sleep every hour or so.  During this time the baby is prone to awakening easily if an uncomfortable stimulus occurs, such as hunger. Some new parents will often spend time just watching their baby sleep.  If you do this, you may notice the tell tale signs that she is about to awaken.  You may be able to get your baby through this period of light sleep, without waking, if you place your hand on your baby’s tummy, whisper a comforting word  or play her favorite lullaby quietly. Sometimes letting baby know that you’re there will comfort her enough to enter back into deep sleep without waking.  Fathers may have more luck with this technique if the baby is breast fed because often the baby will pick up on the scent of breast milk and will automatically awaken for a feed.  In a chapter 2.3 we will discuss the advantages of playing comforting music in more detail.   

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Understanding why babies wake during the night ?

It is important that you understand the reasons why newborn babies wake in the night. In the first few months they have many essential needs, yet their ability to communicate is extremely low.  For example, their minuscule tummies digest milk extremely quickly and if the stimulus for hunger does not wake the baby, he  will not get the level of nourishment needed at that vulnerable age (Sears 2006). Likewise, babies are still learning to regulate temperature and it’s an important survival mechanism that they awaken if they are too cold or hot during the night.  The same applies to many stimuli that also have the potential to wake the baby.  Therefore, these mechanisms are not there just to annoy the parents, but to ensure the well-being of the baby!  As you are next dragging yourself out of bed to tend to your baby, you should take comfort in the fact that his innate, built-in defence-mechanisms are evidently working just fine!  

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Are sleeping problems common?

You’ll probably be relieved to know that they are very common and a lot of parents are in the same boat.  Between a fifth and a third of all families report they have some kind of sleeping problem during the pre-school years (Messer and Richards, 1993).  

Source: lullaby

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How much sleep is needed ?

Baby Sleepy

Parents are often concerned that their baby may not be sleeping enough, whilst others voice their concerns about their baby sleeping too much. I think it may be useful for parents to know the amount of hours that the average baby sleeps at different ages.  However, it is important to remember that there is a  huge variation that exists from one baby to the next.  Some newborn babies sleep 21 out of the 24 hours per day.  Others only need as few as 8.  The test to see if your baby is getting enough sleep is to examine if she is waking happy and alert.  If so she is getting enough sleep.  If she wakes and is irritable or tired, she may need to sleep longer.

Baby Sleeping Timing

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Why do babies need so much sleep?

Baby in blue Sleeping.

Babies have a great deal to learn in a very short space of time.  During waking hours, 

there is too much going on for babies’ brains to digest or reflect on the huge amount of 

information being received.  During sleep the brain can organise and make sense of the 

vast array of experiences without distraction.  Sleep is also a time for renewing the 

chemicals in the brain and the body, ready for another active day. 

Source: lullaby

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Baby's Sleeping Habits

Sleeping like a baby — what's normal?

A sleeping baby can be a heartwarmingly peaceful sight. But babies' sleep isn't always peaceful. Babies frequently moan, groan, whimper, and kick in their sleep — all of which can be disconcerting to new parents.

You may have observed that your baby's breathing occasionally pauses when he's asleep. He might suddenly jerk awake. He may even grind his little teeth, rock back and forth, or bang his head against the side of his crib.

These behaviors are common and usually no cause for concern, but knowing a bit more about babies' normal sleep behaviors — and what to do when something is wrong — should help reassure you.

Breathing pauses

You may notice that the rhythm of your baby's breathing changes as he sleeps. He might breathe more rapidly for a while, then more slowly, and then pause for up to 15 seconds before resuming his normal breathing pattern.

Try not to worry. Doctors call this "periodic breathing," and it's common in babies until about 6 months of age. (If your baby's older than 6 months and still breathes this way, talk with his doctor about it.)

Your infant's breathing may follow this pattern up to 5 percent of the time when he's asleep, says Gary E. Freed, professor of pediatrics and director of the SIDS/Apnea Program at Emory University School of Medicine. If your baby was born prematurely, he may breathe this way as much as 10 percent of his time asleep.

It's not unusual for a baby's hands and feet and the skin around his mouth to be bluish. But if your baby's forehead or the trunk of his body turns blue, he may be having trouble getting enough oxygen.

If you're concerned that your baby has stopped breathing, simply touch or nudge him gently to see whether he responds. If he doesn't, he may be experiencing an episode of apnea, and it's important that you respond immediately.

If your baby has stopped breathing and someone else is with you, start administering infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) right away and have the other person call 911 or your local emergency number.

If you're alone with your baby, administer CPR for two minutes, then call for help. Resume CPR until help arrives or your baby starts breathing again.

In most cases, babies' irregular breathing habits are nothing to worry about. But babies who have had more than one "apparent life-threatening event" (ALTE) are at increased risk for long-term complications or sudden unexpected death. An ALTE is an episode in which a baby stops breathing and may become limp, turn blue, choke, or gag.

If you're at all concerned about your baby's breathing patterns, talk with his doctor.

Snoring and snorting

If your baby occasionally snores or makes snorting sounds while he's sleeping, it's probably nothing to worry about, especially if his snores have a steady rhythm. Many babies snore when they have a stuffy nose. If your baby has a cold, try a vaporizer or humidifier to make breathing more comfortable.

Persistent snoring can sometimes indicate a problem. If your baby's snoring is intermittent (with pauses) and followed by gasps, there may be some kind of a blockage in his airway — from his tonsils or adenoids, for example. This is known as "obstructive sleep apnea," and it's a chronic condition, unlike the apnea episodes mentioned above.

Your baby's doctor can check for problems and may refer you to a specialist — an ear, nose, and throat doctor or a sleep specialist — to make sure that everything's fine.

Some babies snore because of allergies. For these babies, an air purifier, a pet-free bedroom, or medication may prove helpful. Your baby's doctor can help you determine whether your baby has allergies and what to do about them.

Sweating

Some babies sweat profusely during the deepest part of their nightly sleep cycle and end up soaking wet. Because babies spend much more time in this deepest stage of sleep, they're more likely to sweat during the night than adults or even older children.

While sweating is very common, excessive sweating could mean that something's amiss. Excessive sweating can be a sign of congenital heart disease, for example, as well as various infections and sleep apnea. (Because the baby is working so hard to breathe, he "works up a sweat," says Freed.)

Overheating is a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The room your baby sleeps in should be warm — about 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit — not hot.

Dress your baby in the amount of clothing that you'd be comfortable sleeping in without covers. Resist the urge to bundle him up, and keep blankets, quilts, and comforters out of his crib.

As a rule of thumb, remember that if you're too hot, your baby probably is too. If the house is cool and your baby is dressed lightly and still sweating, talk with his doctor.

Rocking

Many babies are soothed by rhythmic back-and-forth movements, such as the gentle motion of a rocking chair. Some babies will move back and forth on all fours or even rock while sitting up. Body rocking starts at about 6 months of age and may be accompanied by head banging or head rolling.

It's best to take a low-key approach to rocking. In babies, rocking usually isn't a sign of a behavioral or emotional problem. If your baby perceives that you're trying to stop the rocking, he may take it as a challenge and persist in the behavior.

If your baby's nighttime rocking is unusually loud or vigorous, try moving his crib away from the wall. And be sure to tighten the screws and bolts on his crib regularly, as all the motion may work them loose.

Head banging

Like rocking, head banging is a common self-comforting behavior in babies. Strangely enough, your baby may bang his head to distract himself from pain — if he's teething or has an ear infection, for example.

Up to 20 percent of babies and toddlers bang their head on purpose. Boys are three times more likely to do it than girls.

Head banging often starts in the second half of the first year and peaks between 18 and 24 months of age. Your baby's head-banging habit may last for several months or even years, but most children outgrow it by age 3.

In the meantime, tighten the screws and bolts on his crib regularly. Resist the temptation to put pillows or blankets in the crib to cushion the blows — even though most SIDS cases occur before 6 months of age, it's best to play it safe.

Head banging in babies is rarely a sign of a developmental or emotional problem, but go ahead and mention it to your baby's doctor. In rare instances — especially if your baby has developmental delays — it could be a signal that something's wrong.

Teeth grinding

More than half of babies grind their teeth. Grinding can occur at any age, but it's most common in babies who are getting their first teeth (beginning at around 6 months) and in children who are getting their permanent teeth (starting at about 5 years).

Possible reasons for teeth grinding in babies include the sensation of new teeth, pain (from an earache or teething, for example), and breathing problems (such as from a stuffy nose or allergies).

While the sound may be nerve-racking for you, the grinding probably won't hurt your baby's teeth. Do mention it to his doctor, though, and to his dentist. (Your baby's first dentist visit should happen around the time he turns 1.)

The doctor and dentist can check for damage to the tooth enamel and look for other potential culprits and resulting problems. Few babies are such ardent grinders that they actually wear down their teeth.

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