Newborn Sleep

Understanding Newborn Sleep Patterns

Each baby develops their own sleep patterns in their own time. Newborns are learning about day-and-night sleep patterns; their internal clocks are still developing. Newborn sleep patterns are developing and are different to older babies. They sleep at different times both day and night. Newborns often sleep altogether for 14 to 17 hours a day; however, they wake frequently due to their short sleep cycles. Newborns can sleep anywhere from 1 to 3 hours at a time, sometimes shorter sleep cycles of about 20 minutes. This is normal and part of newborn development. As they grow, their sleep will slowly become more predictable. In the meantime, establishing a safe and consistent routine to help your newborn associate certain activities with sleep, can help you both rest easier. 

Preparing a newborn for sleep might include: 

• A calming activity before sleep, such as soft music or singing 
• Responding to feeding cues. To fall asleep, your baby needs to be well fed and feel calm and secure in their relationship with you. 
• Dim lighting and a quiet environment to signal it’s time for sleep. 

Being consistent and sensitive in how you respond to your newborn and their cues for sleep, can make it be helpful for your newborn to learn about sleep patterns. Remember, at this age, your newborn’s sleep needs are changing, it helps to be flexible and responsive to their cues. 

Sleep Patterns Newborn – 6 weeks Old

At this early stage, sleep patterns are not regular. Being flexible is key, and newborns may need your help to settle. The average newborn takes between 30 seconds and 30 minutes to fall asleep. Newborns sleep in cycles of 20 to 40 minutes. Your newborn is likely to stir and possibly fully wake at the end of a sleep cycle. It is normal for newborns to have some unsettled periods throughout the day and night. 

Basic Routine: 

Following a feed, play, sleep pattern helps prepare your newborn for sleep. 

1. Feed: Watch for hunger cues, newborns at this age wake frequently for feeding, they can also have periods of cluster feeding. Find more information on newborn feeding and hunger cues here.
2. Play: Your newborn will enjoy gentle play activities for short periods, like tummy time, looking at your face and sharing smiles with you, listening to a story or hearing a song, as part of their routine during their wake period. Read more about newborn play here.
3. Sleep: Recognising and responding to your child’s tired signs can help you better prepare your newborn for sleep.  You’ll find more information on newborn tired signs below. 

Responsive Settling Tip: Hold or gently pat your newborn to settle them. At this stage, newborns may need your help to calm to sleep, being close by and responsive is important. 

Sleep Patterns 6 -12 weeks Old

As newborns grow, their sleep times and periods may start to be more predictable. They may start sleeping slightly longer stretches at night but still wake for feeds. It is typical at this age for newborns to still have some unsettled periods during the day or night. Unsettled periods usually peak at around 6-8 weeks and start to settle down by 3-4 months. 

Basic Routine: 

Continue to follow a feed, play, sleep pattern to help prepare your newborn for sleep. Being consistent helps new babies to recognise when it is time for sleep.  

1. Feed: Continue to watch for hunger cues, newborns at this age wake frequently for feeding, they can also have periods of cluster feeding. Find more information on newborn feeding and hunger cues here.
2. Play: Your newborn’s awake times are becoming slightly longer, they are becoming more aware of faces and voices, they may start to smile more. Keep talking, singing, reading and giving your newborn tummy time. Read more about newborn play here.
3. Sleep: Your baby will have slightly longer awake periods. Continue to look out for tired signs, responding promptly to tired signs can help your little one with going off to sleep easier. You’ll find more information on newborn tired signs below. 

Settling Strategy: You can start laying your baby down drowsy but awake, giving them the chance to settle on their own while you provide gentle comfort​. 

Responsive Settling Tip: Engaging your baby in play during the day is important for their development – and the activity can help them to feel more tired. At nighttime, it’s okay to focus on feeding and returning to sleep.  

For more information on routines visit the Newborn Routines page. 

Responsive Settling: What Is It?

Responsive settling is all about tuning into your baby’s needs and providing comfort and reassurance when they need it most. This approach helps your baby learn to fall asleep feeling safe and supported, without letting them become distressed. 

Here are some responsive settling tips for newborns: 

• Watch for sleep cues like clenched fists, jerky movements, or fussiness—these are signs that it’s time for sleep. 
• Respond to your baby’s cries by offering gentle comfort, whether it’s picking them up for a cuddle, gently patting them, or speaking softly. Babies this young need your support to settle, being responsive helps them feel secure. 
• Settle them in the cot when they are calm and drowsy, to encourage them to learn the sensation of falling asleep in their safe space. 
• Stay calm and patient, as your newborn is still adjusting to the world outside the womb. If your baby wakes, offer comfort, and allow them to settle again. 

This method helps babies feel secure and teaches them that you're there to support them through the process of learning to sleep. 

Tired signs to look out for: 

• Clenching fists 
• Yawning 
• Jerky movements 
• Frowning 
• Getting easily distracted  
• Staring into space  
• Irritability 
• Crying (usually the last cue) 

When your baby begins to show tired signs, it’s time to prepare them for sleep.   

Babies can go from being very active and alert to very sleepy, quickly. If your baby gets to the crying stage, they may be overtired – when your newborn is overtired, it can be harder for them to settle to sleep.  It’s important to note that keeping your baby up during the day is unlikely to make nighttime sleep easier or longer 

Should I wrap my baby?

The reflexes of newborn babies often startle them easily and tend to wake them during sleep. Many parents have found that wrapping babies until they’re three to four months old (the time when these reflexes begin to disappear) helps reduce strong startle reactions and improves sleep. You can read more here.

Safe Sleep Guidelines

Creating a safe sleep environment is important for your baby’s health. Follow these simple steps to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and ensure your baby sleeps soundly: 

1. Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side. 
2. Sleep baby with head and face uncovered.  
3. Keep baby in a smoke free environment before and after birth.  
4. Provide a safe sleeping environment for your baby, day and night. 
5. Sleep baby in their own safe sleep space. Baby is safest in the same room as an adult caregiver for the first 6 to 12 months.  
6. Breastfeed baby if possible. 

Managing Night Wakings and Settling

It’s normal for newborns to wake frequently during the night their internal clocks are still developing, to help them to become more aware of day and night. They also need more frequent feeds than older babies to grow and develop. Keeping interactions calm and quiet during night feedings, can be reassuring for your baby and getting support from your partner or family may be helpful to you on nights where your baby is more unsettled.

We acknowledge that it can be hard initially when making any sort of change. When settling an upset baby or toddler, regularly question how you and your baby are coping.  Keep baby safe and notice if you are getting frustrated or angry. Try taking deep breaths, slow speech, lowering your voice and using only gentle pats. Use positive self-talk or put your child in a safe place and take a short break to calm yourself. Lean on support from family and friends and reach out for help if you need to. Judgement free support is available to you from Karitane. 

Safety Alert

No matter how frustrated or upset you may become, it is highly dangerous to shake your baby. Baby’s head is big and heavy compared to their body, and their neck muscles aren’t strong enough to support it.   

Shaking your baby causes nerves and blood vessels in the brain to bleed, which can cause the brain to swell causing serious damage, like blindness, brain damage and, potentially, death Any degree of shaking is dangerous and should be avoided. For further explanation on the dangers of baby shaking, see the following video.