When your baby first comes into the world, it is very common for them to be exhausted and sleepy for a few days up to 2 weeks. Once the initial sleepy period is over, newborns remain awake longer and are more aware of their surroundings. At this point, I often hear from parents that their babies will stay awake for extended periods, and they cannot get them to sleep.

At first, the baby is calmly staring up at the ceiling or a window. They are naturally drawn to look at items with contrast. As they begin to get more tired, they may start to fuss. At this point, parents or caregivers usually swaddle them up and try to get them to sleep. However, the baby has become overstimulated and overtired. They do not have the skills to close their eyes and sleep. And now, they lose their sh*t, and all hell breaks loose! Your baby is crying inconsolably. Trying to get them to sleep with shushing, rocking, and gentle giggling is a four-person job!

I want to assure you this struggle is all too common for new parents. If this is your current situation, you are not alone! A baby that won’t sleep when overtired can leave parents frustrated, defeated, and exhausted. Your baby is not having a fun time either! This blog post will explain why this happens and provide the best tips for getting your newborn to sleep.

Understanding Newborn Sleep Patterns

Newborn sleep can be very unpredictable and differs significantly from adult sleep. Babies have shorter sleep cycles in the first few months, typically 40 minutes each. During each cycle, they alternate between active and quiet sleep. Your newborn may wake, move, fuss, or cry at the end of a sleep cycle. This means they wake up more frequently, often needing comfort or feeding before settling back to sleep.

It’s crucial to understand that frequent waking is entirely normal for newborns. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but it is normal! As their nervous systems mature, their sleep patterns gradually become more regular. Patience and a consistent routine can help ease this transition.

Common Discomforts that Disturb Newborn Sleep

Several common discomforts can disturb a newborn’s sleep, including hunger, dirty diapers, gas, and temperature discomfort, resulting in your baby becoming overtired. Newborns have tiny tummies, so they need frequent feedings, even at night.

Gas or colic can be particularly distressing for newborns. Ensuring they are burped properly after feeding and using gentle massage techniques can help alleviate some of this discomfort. Ensuring the room is comfortable (not too hot or cold) can contribute to a more restful sleep.

The Impact of Feeding on Sleep

Feeding plays a critical role in a newborn’s sleep patterns. Breastfed babies tend to wake more frequently than formula-fed babies because breast milk is digested more quickly. Young babies’ tummies often drive their wakings.

To maximize sleep, ensure your baby gets full feedings throughout the day and keep them awake during feedings. This can be challenging but beneficial. When they fall asleep during a feeding, they may eat less, resulting in catnapping, which steals sleep from the nighttime. Also, consider cluster feeding in the evening to help your baby sleep longer stretches at night. I want to add that overfeeding a baby can cause a lot of discomfort, which may keep them from going to sleep or staying asleep.

Creating the Ideal Sleep Environment

Creating an ideal sleep environment can significantly impact your newborn’s ability to sleep well. The sleep space should be:

• Safe AAP-approved bassinet or crib
• Keep the room at a comfortable temperature (68 degrees Fahrenheit to 72 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Baby should be dressed in no more than one more layer than an adult to avoid overheating or getting too cold
• A consistent bedtime routine
• A quiet room, except for the white noise machine
• Have a dark room ( and I mean dark!)

Soothing Techniques to Encourage Sleep

Several soothing techniques can help encourage your newborn to sleep. Swaddling can provide security and reduce the startle reflex that often wakes babies. Gentle rocking or swinging can mimic the movement they felt in the womb, helping them to relax.

Using a pacifier can also be soothing for many babies and may reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Lastly, skin-to-skin contact can be incredibly comforting and help regulate your baby’s temperature and heart rate, promoting better sleep.

How to keep your baby from getting overtired

My best suggestion is not to let your baby get overtired in the first place. This is a very challenging suggestion. It is much easier to get a baby that is not overstimulated/overtired to sleep than one that has been awake past their wake window. Following wake windows and watching your baby for sleepy signs is the best way to get your baby to fall asleep without a fight. If you begin by following your baby’s wake windows, you will start to get to know them and recognize early sleepy signs. Once you begin to do this, you can get your baby ready for sleep before they get overtired.

Here are the suggested guidelines for newborn wake windows:

• Birth to 1 Month: 30-45 minutes
• 1 Month to 2 Months: 1 hour
• 2 Months to 3 Months: 1.25 hours

The times listed above are estimates, and you should watch your baby for early sleepy signs to guide you.

Early Sleepy Signs to Watch for in your newborn:

• Avoiding eye contact or looking off into space with glazed eyes
• No longer engaged, if they were before
• Rubbing eyes
• Fussing/ whining ( these are very close to late signs)

Not all babies do all of these. Some babies will go through some of these signs very fast!

What to do when you see sleepy signs in your newborn

When your baby shows sleepy signs, note the wake window time. This way, you will have a more customized wake window time for your baby. Then, end all cooing, gooing, and eye contact with them. Does that sound mean? I think it does. However, you will be happy that you have ended socializing with your baby. Instead, begin to do your sleep routine with them. Start with swaddling them. If you start their sleep routine with your baby now, you will finish it before they are overstimulated/overtired. And you can lay them down while they are sleepy but still awake. ahhhh, the sweet spot!

Wrapping things up

I hope you understand there are many moving parts to getting this tiny little peanut of a baby to sleep well. My very wise sleep consultant instructor says all the parts of baby sleep are like a puzzle. Getting your baby to sleep well won’t be easy if you miss any pieces.

By following my suggestions above, I hope that getting your newborn to sleep before they get overstimulated will help your baby’s sleep routine and that you will also be more rested.

If you need more help putting all the pieces together, please reach out to me: https://suesweetdreamsbaby.com/contact

Checking out some of my other blog posts may give you some ideas about getting your baby to sleep:

• Seven Signs Your Overtired Baby is Sleepy and How to Help Them
• The Best Sleep Schedule for a Newborn
• Expert Tips for Getting Baby to Sleep After a Night Feed
• The 5 Best Newborn Baby Sleep Environment Tips
• The 5 Problems with Newborn Sleep You May Not Be Aware of