What You Need to Know About Your Newborns’ Sleep Schedule

Sleep is key to our growth, healing and development throughout our entire lives. How our bodies use sleep to heal, grow and recover begins from the very day we are born. Infact “sleeping like a newborn” is a term used to describe a really deep and restful sleep. But that may not be the best metaphor to use. Babies - newborns in particular - may sleep a lot but it is much more complicated than that. Here are some things that you need to know about a newborns’ sleep schedule. 

What Age Are Children Considered a Newborn?

First, it’s important to define what ages are considered a newborn versus a baby versus an infant. 

The term “newborn” is usually used to refer to a baby from when it’s first born to 2 months old. During these two months, a new baby is getting the most out of growing, developing so many major parts of their brain and adjusting to the world. They grow, eat, sleep and poop their way through these first two months. 

Infant is used to describe babies between 0 - 1 year old. Toddlers are aged between 1 - 3, despite the general belief that toddler age begins at 2 years old. As a general rule, children aged 0 - 4 are referred to as “babies”. 

So, when speaking about newborns, it is the first two months of a person’s life that we are speaking about. 

Sleep Patterns of Newborns

The most important thing to know about the sleep schedule of a newborn is that they don't have one. This early on in their life, babies don’t have a set internal clock nor have they established a sleep schedule. Newborn babies can sleep between 14 - 17 hours in a 24 hour day. Some babies could even sleep up to 19 hours a day! Breastfeed babies usually eat every 2-3 hours so those first two months are broken down between feeding and sleeping. 

Should You Wake a Newborn?

One of the most common questions out there are about whether or not you should wake a newborn. Because the first two weeks of a baby’s life are so focused on growth, it is recommended to wake a baby if they sleep more than 3-4 hours to feed in that first two-week period. Babies need those nutrients to grow and develop so feeding during those few weeks is so important. Of course, if you have concerns about feeding times or sleep with your baby, you should absolutely speak to your doctor. 

Adapting To a Newborns’ Sleep Schedule

Newborn babies are supposed to have a sporadic and unpredictable sleep schedule. This is why new parents are encouraged to sleep whenever their baby does - that may be the only time you get to sleep. It can absolutely be a big adjustment for parents but it’s totally normal. By the time a baby hits 2 months, they should have a more predictable sleep schedule that has emerged that you can start working with. By 6 months, babies can be in a fairly normal 3-nap and nighttime routine. But this cannot be an expectation of newborns. 

How Does Sleep Help Newborns?

Sleep is an incredibly important part of development not only for newborns but also for children and babies. Sleep helps babies learn language, develop cognitive thinking and problem solving skills, to retain memories and can even determine the ability of the child to learn new skills later on in life. 

Do Babies Dream?

Children and babies do not dream until around the age of two. Dreams help us retain important memories, to solve problems and sort through our internal emotions. Babies don’t dream because they simply don't have the yobrain capacity to dream so early on in development. Parents can rest easy that their babies are sleeping peacefully to grow and develop and not worry about them having scary dreams or nightmares so early on in their lives. 

Newborn Sleep Schedules

Sleep is life so early on in a newborns’ life. At the end of the day, newborns are just little humans. All humans experience life and live differently. This is why the “norm” for newborns’ sleep can still be different for each baby. It may not be the answer that parents want but letting your baby sleep when it wants to sleep with breaks for eating is all that you need to do. If by 2-3 months your baby isn’t getting into a routine, it’s definitely worth speaking to your family doctor about it. Just as importantly, make sure that you as a parent are getting sleep when you can as well.