The day/night frustration that many newborns experience is one of the most stressful aspects of raising a newborn. If only our children came out of the womb understanding that the night is for sleeping! Unfortunately, it is not the case.
Your newborn's nighttime waking will mostly be due to her need to feed every few hours, but many newborns will wake up excessively at night. It may seem like your baby 's days and nights are completely reversed ! Don't worry, for newborns, day/night confusion is common.
Why do newborn babies mix up day and night?
During pregnancy, a child's sleep patterns are closely related to the movements of the mother. Her movements lull the baby to sleep while the mother stands and moves. However, the baby always wakes up and is ready to play when mom goes to bed to rest ! Babies often rely on their mother's hormones (especially melatonin) to help them sleep.
Once your baby is born, he must rely on his own internal clock to tell him when it's time to be awake and when it's time to sleep. But its internal clock is still far from set . This is another explanation why, in the middle of the night, he may be wide awake and sound asleep by mid-afternoon. Find out here how to set up a good sleep rhythm.
Can we solve the problem of baby's day/night confusion?
The day/night problem has no simple remedy. While this may seem daunting to parents of tired newborns, rest assured that even if you don't do anything about it, this problem will most likely sort itself out. Your baby's melatonin development will start to resemble yours around 3 months, and her internal clock will be fully formed by 5 or 6 months . Eventually, all of this will help him sleep longer at night and less during the day.
To overcome your newborn's day/night disorder, what should you do? (or not to)
But, when you're a sleep-deprived parent, that time will feel like an eternity! Fortunately, while there's no easy remedy for your child's day/night confusion, there are a few steps you can take to help gently motivate your newborn to sleep more at night and less during the day.
Overcome this disorder during the day?
Keep your baby awake during the day for short periods of time, and make sure she gets light during the day as well. Light is one of the key factors that helps us "set" our internal clocks. So, exposure to sunlight can help your newborn understand that the day is for being awake (while still having some waking time).
Dealing with this confusion overnight?
On the other hand, make sure that the nights are very calm and free from any stimulation. Keep the room dark for your baby (only use the light you need for feedings and diaper changes). Keep your feedings calm and quiet, and change diapers quickly but gently. Then, bring your baby back to bed immediately.
What you should not do when baby confuses day and night
Never delay your baby's feeding while you try to overcome the day/night confusion phase, in hopes of helping her sleep longer. And never encourage your baby to cry for a prolonged period either; once he's about 4 months old, babies aren't ready for formal sleep training.
Also, in hopes of helping him sleep better at night, stop keeping your newborn awake for long periods of time during the day. This will backfire on you as he will then be too tired which will also prevent him from sleeping well at night. This is one of the counter-intuitive reasons I discuss in this article .
Do you want baby to sleep through the night?
In our free guide , you'll discover 5 things you absolutely need to know.
With a unique approach and practical tools for success, this guide will help you and your baby sleep better through the night.
