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What will my baby's sleep pattern be?Newborn babies sleep a lot. Expect your baby to be asleep for up to 18 hours over the course of 24 hours in his first few weeks. But he won't sleep for more than three hours or four hours at a time, day or night (Davis et al 2004). This unfortunately means that you and your partner can expect some sleepless nights, especially at first.
This is a necessary phase for your baby and it won't last long, though it may seem like an eternity while you're sleep-deprived.
Your baby’s sleep cycles are far shorter than yours. He'll spend more time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is a light, easily disturbed sleep. This is necessary for the changes that are happening in his brain.
Once he is between six weeks and eight weeks your baby will probably sleep for shorter spells during the day and longer periods at night. But he'll still wake up to feed during the night. He'll have more deep, non-REM sleep and less light sleep (Ficca et al 2000, Davis et al 2004).
It's possible that your baby may sleep through the night at eight weeks old. But it's more likely that your nights will be interrupted for at least the first few months. If your aim is to get your baby to sleep through the night, encouraging clear habits from the start will help.
How should I encourage good sleep habits?Your baby can develop good sleep habits from as early as six weeks. Here are a few tactics you can use to help your baby to settle.
Recognise the signs that mean he's tired
For the first six weeks to eight weeks, your baby probably won't be able to stay up for more than two hours at a time. If you wait much longer than that to put him down, he'll be overtired and won't nod off easily.
During your baby's first three months, learn the signs that he's sleepy, such as if he:
- rubs his eyes
- flicks his ear with his hand
- develops faint, dark circles under his eyes
- whines and cries at the slightest provocation
- stares blankly into space
- yawns and stretches a lot
- loses interest in people and his toys
- becomes quiet and still
If you spot these or any other signs of sleepiness, try putting him down in his cot or Moses basket. You'll soon develop a sixth sense about your baby's daily rhythms and patterns, and know instinctively when he's ready for a nap.
Teach him the difference between night and day
Your baby may be a night owl and still be wide awake when you're ready to turn in. Once your baby is about two weeks old, you can start to teach him the difference between night and day.
In the daytime, when he's alert:
- Change his clothes when he wakes to signal the start of a new day.
- Play with him as much as you can.
- Make daytime feeds social. Chat and sing as you feed him.
- Keep the house and his room light and bright.
- Let him hear everyday noises, such as the radio or washing machine.
- Wake him gently if he nods off during a feed.
- Stay quiet when you feed him.
- Keep lights and noise low, and don't talk to him too much.
- Change him into his pyjamas to signal the end of the day.
Give him a chance to fall asleep on his own
When your baby's between six weeks and eight weeks old, you can teach him how to fall asleep on his own. Put him down when he's sleepy, but still awake. Stay with him if you wish, but be prepared to do the same every time he wakes at night.
How you settle your baby to sleep is important. If you rock him to sleep every night for the first eight weeks, he will expect the same later on. If you leave him alone to sleep, he will expect that, too.
Some experts advise against rocking or feeding your baby to sleep (True et al 2002). It's up to you to decide what sort of routine best suits you and your baby.
If you want to establish a predictable pattern, you'll need to adopt the same strategy every night.
What sleep problems happen at this age?In your baby's first few months, you may have to resign yourself to quite a few disturbed nights. In the first few weeks you may find that swaddling your baby helps to send him to sleep.
You may worry about the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) during these first few months, but there are ways to reduce this risk.
Read about establishing good sleep habits from three to six months.
Last reviewed: March 2012
Davis KF, Parker KP, Montgomery GL. 2004. Sleep in Infants and Young Children: Part One: Normal Sleep. Journal of Pediatric Health Care. 18: 130-7
Sleep J. 2003. A randomised controlled trial to compare alternative strategies for preventing infant crying and sleeping problems in the first 3 months of life. Department of Health, Research and Development, Mother and Child Health www.dh.gov.uk