Baby Sleep Cycles
When it comes to the developmental needs of your child, sleep is at the top of the list next to nutrition. From the time you bring your newborn home to when he or she turns a year old, their sleep needs will change drastically—and these needs will change even more as they enter into toddlerhood. However, understanding your baby’s needs and how they communicate tiredness can help both you and your little one get better rest and get sleep through the night much faster. How Infant Sleep Cycles Differ from Adult’s Your baby goes through a multitude of changes as they grow, including the way that they rest. When you first bring your baby home they do not experience the four sleep cycles that adults do. A typical adult goes through four different stages of sleep, all of which are important to rest and recovery—NREM 1, NREM 2, NREM 3, and REM. [...]
Why is my baby taking short naps?
Putting your little one down to take a nap, only to have her wake up 30 minutes later, can be very frustrating! Our babies don’t get the amount of sleep they need, and as parents we start worrying. Catnaps are naps that are anything less than 45 minutes. They are not considered restorative sleep, as she only stays in the “light sleep” part and doesn’t really enter the “deep sleep” phase. While she’ll wake up and seem like she’s ready to go on about her day, the nap didn’t allow her to fully rest and get the amount of sleep she needs. What can cause a short nap? Age: Day sleep doesn’t start consolidating until your baby is closer to 5-6 months old. If your baby is under the age of 5 months, it is normal for her to have short, inconsistent naps. Newborns aren’t able to connect through the sleep cycles, which causes frequent [...]
Pacifiers and Your Baby’s Sleep
For many parents the thought of a quick fix for a crying baby is a welcome thought, which is why the use of a pacifier can be so appealing! A pacifier can be a soothing addition to your baby’s routine; however, it is not necessarily the best choice for every child. In this article we will discuss the benefits of a pacifier as well as some of the potential drawbacks and how you can introduce it into your baby’s life in a healthy way. Read on to get tips from the experts at Sleep Shop in New York City The benefits of a pacifier If you’re looking for a way to help soothe a fussy sleeper or anxious baby, a pacifier may be the exact thing you need. Here are some of the key benefits that pacifiers offer for your child: A healthy and easy distraction: If you are cooking, [...]
How to Establish a Nap Routine
Sleep is one of the most important parts of your newborn baby’s wellbeing and development. From the day you bring your baby home you can start practicing healthy sleep habits that establish a foundation of consistency for the rest of your baby’s life. Nap time is an important part of your new baby’s rest, as newborns sleep for the majority of the day—including several naps. Making sure you are consistent with your baby’s nap schedule can help prevent your baby from becoming overtired and can help make nighttime sleep much easier. In this article, the experts from Sleep Shop NYC will discuss how to establish a nap routine for your new baby. Learn to Understand Your Baby Even though your newborn baby can’t speak, they still have a lot of ways that they communicate with you—especially when it comes to their core needs, like sleep. It is crucial to start keying in [...]
