Newborn Sleep Tips

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Sleep plays a vital role in children’s mental and physical development (let’s face it, it also helps in maintaining our own sanity). It is the primary activity of the brain during early development. A child spends approximately 40 percent of his or her childhood asleep. Important hormones are released for growth and development during sleep as well. In fact, studies have shown that inadequate sleep in children can contribute to mood swings, behavioral problems (ADHD), and learning challenges in school. To ensure that children receive their optimum sleep allotment, it becomes the responsibility of the parent(s) to set their child for success each evening.
Whether you have an infant, toddler, preschooler, primary age, teenage, or all four
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• Begin observing your newborn’s signs of sleepiness
(I realize this might be tricky due to their innate ability to doze off instantly)
• After being well-fed and changed, lay newborn in crib when drowsy, not fully asleep.
• Allow the baby to self-pacify. See if he or she will enter sleep without you (baby monitors are awesome for this).
• Try to play with baby during daytime hours. When evening approaches, start winding down the level of noise and activities.
• Do not have a night light in baby’s room…….they don’t need it. (they have been used to the dark for 40 weeks in your womb)

Infant Sleep Tips
Infants typically sleep 9-12 hours per night with 2 naps per day.

• Begin to develop consistent daytime and bedtime schedules.
• Keep bedtime routines quiet and soothing…….preferably in dim light to signify that we sleep when the sun goes down (this is NOT party central).
• Continue to encourage self-pacifying technique discussed above.
• Unless baby is in a full blown melt-down, let him or her fuss (when drowsy) in their crib for 10-15 minutes at a time. This will allow them to fall asleep without you constantly holding