How Do Babies Sleep During The First Three Months?

The arrival of a newborn baby, especially the first, causes major changes for the parents – on the one hand due to lack of experience and on the other hand  a lack of sleep. Therefore, we want to talk about how babies sleep during their first three months of life, a period that is known for their irregular sleep patterns.

In the article below, we look at how babies sleep during the first three months of life and why they wake up so often. We also tell you when they start sleeping longer. Keep reading to discover all this and more.

How do babies sleep during the first three months?

Each child is unique – each has its own sleep pattern and rhythm. If the child has siblings, he or she may have a sleeping pattern that is completely different from his or her older siblings. Each child has specific characteristics and their own rhythm.

Despite this, there are usually some general things that are true for all infants’ sleep that we will look at below.

Sleep consists of two phases

During the first three months, children’s sleep consists of two phases: the REM phase and the NREM phase. REM comes from the English rapid eye movements , due to the rapid eye movements that you have during this phase. NREM stands for non-REM , ie “non-REM”. It is normal for children to wake up often during this phase. It prevents them from becoming hypoglycemic and at the same time helps maintain the mother’s milk production.

Another reason why children wake up so often is their limited stomach capacity. Their stomachs fill up quickly and empty quickly and for that reason they have to eat every few hours. In addition, the time they are awake helps them to get to know their environment and it stimulates the development of their brain.

Sleep begins with the REM phase

The fact that sleep begins with REM sleep is good because it helps children rest better physically throughout the day.

The sleep during the first three months consists mostly of REM

During this sleep phase, the brain integrates learning and in this way the child develops mentally.

Sleep is ultradian

When we say that children’s sleep during the first three months is ultradian, we mean that they do not differentiate between day and night. Therefore, some children sleep more during the day, while others sleep more at night. This is normal during the first three months.

The sleep during the first three months is polysequential

Sleep can be spread throughout the day or in several sequences. As adults, we sleep unequivocally or bisequentially. This means that we sleep at night and can possibly take a short nap during the day.

During the first three months of a child’s life , the mother adapts to her toddler’s sleeping pattern. That way, the mother can also rest a little, when the baby is asleep. This is important so that you get enough energy to take care of, breastfeed and take care of your children.

How can you help regulate your baby’s sleep during the first three months?

Many experts agree that when caring for children at night, the lights should be dim and stimuli should be kept to a minimum. This helps your baby to rest and not wake up so often. Below are some more tips on how to regulate your child’s circadian rhythm.

• If you change your baby’s nappy during the night, do it very carefully so that there is as little life and movement as possible.
• If you need light during night feedings, use a very dim light source or a night light.
• Be quiet while feeding your baby at night.
• Put your child in the crib while he or she sleeps (if he or she sleeps in a crib).
• Try to plan the last night feeding until 11 o’clock. In this way, you extend the sleeping period and it will be around 5 or 6 in the morning the next time he or she asks to breastfeed. This helps parents to rest better.
• During the day, keep your child stimulated and let him or her see sunlight. Play with your child and do not avoid sounds, as your child needs to get used to them. In this way , you help your child to begin to distinguish between day and night.

• It is normal for newborns not to fall asleep immediately when you put them to bed. It can take 30 to 50 minutes before they fall into a deep sleep. During this time, they may cry and need to be held and rocked. This helps them feel safe so they can relax and fall asleep.

Conclusion

Now you know how babies sleep during the first three months and how you can help regulate their circadian rhythm. If you follow the above advice, you can help everyone in the family sleep and rest more efficiently – both parents and children. You have nothing to lose!