This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure for more information.
You should always seek medical advice from a physician or other qualified health provider for any questions pertaining to safe sleep. Any information found in this post, on this blog, and shared on any resources created by Mom Wife and Everyday Life is based on my personal experience as a mom and should not be taken as professional advice. The contents of this website are for general informational purposes.
Do Newborns Really Sleep?
People say newborns sleep all the time right? They are constantly falling asleep. They can easily sleep around 17 hours in a 24-hour period.
The only problem is this seems to happen all day. What about the evening time?
Some struggle all night to get their baby to sleep.
Your baby may sleep perfectly in your arms, but the moment you go to put them down they fuss. It can be terribly frustrating. Let’s dive into how you can truly get your newborn to sleep, particularly at night.
Daytime Sleep
People have different philosophies on daytime sleep. Some will tell you to have the baby nap out in the living room with light and noise. They will tell you to only put them in the crib or bassinet with total darkness for nighttime sleep. This will help them learn the difference between day and night.
I do not follow this philosophy. I feel you are trying to teach your baby two things at once. I believe they simply need to learn about their sleeping environment.
For me, this is the crib, with total darkness, and the sound machine running. Check out this article to understand why we skipped out on the bassinet, Why Baby Bassinets are an Absolute Waste of Money.
If your baby seems to be taking too long of naps during the day you can easily wake them up for feedings. Problem solved.
With newborns, they are usually pretty good at falling asleep. The key is to make sure they continue to do so as they get older. Proper daytime sleep leads to a better evening and night.
Start creating a sleep routine from day one.
Witching Hours
Why is it my baby doesn’t seem to want to sleep between 7 PM and 11 PM?
We have all heard of witching hours. This 7 PM-11 PM range can be the worst part of your day.
My recommendation is to note when your baby starts to get fussy. Say you notice it happening at 8 PM each night. How can we avoid this fussiness? Let’s simply try to get them to nap around 6/7 PM this way they are better rested going into the evening.
Witching hours cannot always be avoided, however, you should consider if your baby is getting enough sleep each day. When evening comes they could be overtired and running on fumes. Maybe they need more rest throughout the day.
If you are interest in seeing a full 24 hours with a newborn check out my article How You Can Crush Caring for a Newborn for 24 Hours.
Holding Your Baby at Night
Many parents fall into the trap of holding their baby at night. They can’t seem to put the baby down without them fussing.
First off holding your baby can be dangerous. You are tired. You need sleep.
I have been there though and have done it for some time. The key is to move away from it as quickly as possible.
What I found was I would hold our baby in the evening and early part of the night. Let’s say from about 8 PM to 11 PM. Then if we had a feeding around midnight or so I would feed, burp, and put my baby down in her crib.
At this point in the night, she was more tired and easier to put down.
You cannot simply say my baby won’t sleep if I put them down. What is your plan…to hold them forever?!?
You need to work towards them sleeping in their crib or bassinet. The middle of the night is your best opportunity and you can work outward from there.
You have to give your baby opportunities to succeed.
If you want to learn more about our nighttime routine and how dad participate check out 5 Reasons Why It Is Important to Include Your Partner at Bedtime.
Sleep Props & Struggles
Your baby is a newborn. You can create whatever sleep environment you desire. They do not yet have any habits.
Consider what sleep props or rituals you want to use.
For example, you may use the pacifier and swaddle. You may put your baby in a doc-a-tot type lounger. What about a sound machine?
This also goes for your routine. Do you want bath time to be a part of the bedtime routine? We did not want to be committed to doing a bath every night.
Consider what things you incorporate and the long-term effects of them. As a general rule the more props you use the more you will likely have to remove later.
Newborn Sleep Tips
Work on forming good sleep habits from the beginning.
Give your baby a chance to succeed. Avoid phrases like “my baby can’t” or “my baby doesn’t like.” Give them a chance to grow adapt and change.
Find a routine that works for you and consistently use it.
Do not let your baby get overtired. Sleep equals more sleep.
Watch your baby and learn their cues for when they are tired. This could be looking into space, kicking their legs in agitation, yawning, and of course, closing their eyes.
Try to put your baby down drowsy, but not fully asleep. I have yet to master this. But give it a try. If your baby can get themselves to sleep with only a little help from you, life will be so much easier.
Our Sleep Journey
I have a few notes about our sleep journey with our baby.
I can’t say how well she slept in the hospital because we did send her to the nursery. We were tired and wanted to be rested before going home.
The first week at home she slept great. She slept anywhere and everywhere basically all of the time.
In weeks two and three she started to become more alert and sleep a little less. We started having her sleep in her crib rather than wherever. I started paying attention to her sleep cues and made sure to avoid letting her get overtired. We loosely followed the Babywise routine of eat, play, sleep. There isn’t much play at this age. But it was a guide.
At this point, she was consistently waking for feedings every three hours.
Around week 4 she started going 4 hours between feedings at night. We continued to watch for sleep cues and over allowing her to get overtired.
Conclusion
Do newborns really sleep? Yes, they do! In fact, they sleep a ton! They just may not sleep exactly where and when you want them to.
Spend this time forming good habits and routines that will carry you forward in a way that works long-term for your family.
Check Out My Articles
The Top 16 Baby Products Every New Parent Needs: A Handpicked Selection
Instead of Buying a Baby Swing Give Your Baby the Freedom to Move
Your Top 20 Items to Keep Handy during the Newborn Stage
