If you’re expecting or have a newborn and are reading this, you’re already
on your way to the most ideal sleep for your baby at each stage. Starting
early will ensure your baby very naturally learns great sleep habits and is
getting optimal sleep for their age. It also makes the process of teaching
sleep much easier.
Your first steps will be very simple with two main goals and 3 rules. Focus
on these for the first few weeks and you’ll already be ahead of the game.
2 Goals for weeks 1-4:
1. Establish a good feeding routine. This means full feeds every 2-3 hours
during the day and every 3-4 hours at night (until approved to go longer). A
good feeding routine will also include baby seeming full and content after
feeds. If you notice discomfort during or after feeds, this is something you’ll
want to address early on.
2. Develop Baby’s Circadian Rhythm. One of the first goals will be to help
baby differentiate between day and night. The key pieces to this are
exposure to light during the day and not letting baby sleep longer than 2
hours at any given time during the day. It’s important to expose baby to
sunlight or other light first thing in the morning. Fresh air and sunshine will
help their body know it’s daytime. In the evening, dim the lights and be
sure it’s very dark in her nighttime sleep environment. Break up daytime
sleep by always waking at the 2-hour mark.
3 Rules:
1. Baby should never be awake longer than an hour
2. Baby should not sleep longer than 2 hours at once during the day
3. Baby should eat every 2-3 hours during the day
As we start to feel good about the first two goals, it’s time to layer in new
goals!
