Building the Foundations of Sleep during the Newborn Stage
Maybe you’re a first time mom or maybe you’re a mom of 2 (or 3, or 4) but feel like you’re doing it all over again for the first time. I’m here for you, mama. No one truly prepares you for how intense caring for a new baby is, especially enduring the lack of sleep. Believe it or not, there are practices that you can begin as soon as your baby comes home to help lay the foundation for independent sleep. Follow these steps to get your little (and you) some much deserved sleep.
The 5 S’s
Harvey Karp, pediatrician and author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, developed the 5s’s as a method for soothing and calming a fussy baby. This method is also great for helping little ones begin to learn how to sleep independently. The method looks something like this: swaddle, side position, shush, swing, suck. Not sure how to do this? Check out the demo below by Dr. Harvey Karp, himself.
2. Continuous White Noise
Did you know a quiet room can actually wake a baby from a sound sleep? Yep, its true. The reason why is because in the womb, babies hear a constant sound of blood rushing through their mother’s body. This sounds similar to the continuous noise of a vacuum running. Often times, you can soothe a baby simply by raising the volume level of their white noise (I am partial to brown noise) machine. Find my favorite machine here!
3. Offer Full Feedings
I like to compare the way baby’s consume calories to filling a gas tank. Just like filling a car to make it run properly, there is a certain amount of calories/ounces your baby needs each day. The more calories your baby consumes during the day equals less calories needed during the night. Of course, it may take some time to figure out the magic number of calories that your baby needs each day. However, one way to further this process is to offer full feedings throughout the day. This means baby is awake, alert, and actively feeding to ensure that they are consuming the most amount of calories possible at each feeding.
4. Practice Bassinet Naps
As a sleep consultant, I often get the question; “when should my baby nap in the bassinet?” The truth is, whenever you are comfortable doing so. I often tell parents to aim for one bassinet nap a day, beginning with the first nap of the day. This is often the easiest nap as baby is often still tired from nighttime sleep. By offering baby one crib nap a day, you are adding to the foundation for healthy independent sleep.
5. Follow an Eat, Awake, Sleep Routine
It’s no secret, littles, bigs and their parents thrive on routine and structure. Even though your littlest love is brand new to the world, you can establish their very first routine by following an eat, awake, sleep pattern throughout the day. This helps baby learn to fall asleep independently without associating bottle or breast with sleep. Feeding while awake also gives your baby the best chance to take in a full feeding. This won’t be perfect every time, and that is okay.
In remembering my own experience with my son as a newborn, the one thing I wished someone would have told me is “you’re doing it right.” It may feel like you’re not and every day may not be perfect but believe me, you are doing it right. I know you’re tired and the nights are long, but the newborn stage is so fleeting, mama. If you feel like you need a little more support, I can help! Check out my newborn packages here.
