Tips for More Restful Baby Sleep

After they are born, babies need to sleep often. However, they do not slumber for long stretches at a time. Parents have to respond as quickly as possible to their baby's sleep and eating needs because very young infants need to eat and sleep on demand. You will find it easier to achieve this by keeping the baby near you. An infant usually follows a pattern similar to eat, poop, sleep, quiet alert time, and repeat. It is important that you observe your baby when he or she is at one of these stages. You can chart the steps and look for patterns if you want to see the baby sleep patterns of your newborn more accurately.

You can encourage the baby to sleep alone, but it is important that you always remain nearby. If a baby is swaddled in a personalized baby blanket or held close to a parent's body, then it will sleep better. A baby feels comfortable with the warmth and feeling of being held by his or her parents. Every baby sleeps easier when he or she feels comfortable and familiar with the environment.

Your baby may refuse to sleep alone at first but, there’s no need to worry. Your baby will develop the habit of sleeping alone with practice. Remember that every baby has different baby sleep habits. It would be a good idea to swaddle your newborn and lay him down on his back or side for sleep at least a couple of times a day. As the days go on, you can increase the number of times the baby sleeps alone gradually.