To get them to sleep through the night, many parents ask themselves "Should I keep my baby awake during the day?" Read on to find out what is best for you and your little one.
What not to do
The amount of sleep children need varies depending on their age, circumstances, and environment. However, preventing babies from napping during the day is not recommended. It will only exhaust them, and tired babies have more difficulty sleeping than well-rested ones. If babies continue to confuse night and day, parents could reduce the length of their naps and keep them active when awake.
Should I keep my baby awake during the day? The answer: practice good sleep habits
Newborns sleep about 17 or 18 hours a day during the first weeks of life, then about 15 hours per day around the age of three months. It’s normal for that sleep to occur in periods of three or four hours. Although some babies sleep through the night fairly quickly, many aren’t ready to do so for several months. However, it is possible to establish good sleep habits either way; they will help your little night owl regulate his sleep as he develops.
3 Tips to help baby sleep well
Recognize signs of fatigue
When babies rub their eyes, yawn, or tug on their ears, it’s a sure sign they’re tired and should be put to bed without delay.
Distinguishing day from night
Some newborns are wide awake at bedtime. This is fine at the beginning, but after a few weeks, parents can start showing babies there is a difference between day and night.
- During the day, play with babies and stimulate them as much as possible. Make as much noise as you want and keep your baby in a brightly lit room. As the evening sets in, gradually introduce calmer and quieter activities.
- At night, remove any sources of stimulation. Nurse babies in the dark, and avoid talking and singing. In fact, complete silence is preferable. Sooner or later, they will realize that night is for sleeping, and day is for being curious and playful.
Falling asleep alone
While attachment parenting encourages closeness with the baby at bedtime, this practice isn’t feasible for many parents. For many, it can be helpful to begin teaching their babies to fall asleep alone at around two months. The key is to put the baby down at the first sign of drowsiness and to use the same strategy every evening.
Get advice from a healthcare professional
If you’ve been asking yourself “Should I keep my baby awake during the day?” or if you have any other questions about motherhood, talk to a nursing coach or a healthcare professional who knows about infants. After all, these are formative years for your child, and you want to make the most of these early months.
