The First 3 Months: How to Prepare for Sleep?
The 4th trimester is the first three months after your baby is born. It is a crucial time for both mom and baby to adjust to the new rhythm of life.
You need to know that these three months, not only are you adjusting to having a newborn, but also your lovely newborn is adjusting to the outside world.
Being outside your womb isn’t easy, your baby's changing physically and emotionally, and guess what?! So are you! Be easy on yourself, take it slow and embrace this stage, it doesn’t last forever!
Here's a sneak peek into what you can do during this period to encourage better sleep for your little one and yourself.
Prepping for Baby's Arrival:
Create a comfortable and safe sleep space for your newborn
Invest in a firm mattress
Ensure that the room temperature is kept cool, between 20-24°C
Essential items:
Swaddles
Baby wrap
Pacifier
White noise machines
Blackout curtains to ensure having a dark room for sleep
Setting Realistic Expectations:
Newborns sleep a lot, but in short spurts
Be prepared for irregular sleep patterns
Babies will wake up every 2-3 hours for feeding
By week 6-8 we can expect long stretches with some babies: 4-6 hrs
Ensure that your baby gets enough sleep during the day, learn the suitable wake window for each month through the sleep needs guide
Establishing Routines:
A consistent sleep routine helps the brain and the body to know when it is time to sleep, and this makes the sleep process easier.
Differentiating Between Day and Night:
During the day:
Start your day early
Expose your little one to natural light first thing in the morning
Engage in interactive play, like tummy time during wake time
Kangaroo Care also known as skin-to-skin contact with your little one, it helps your child feel safe so it helps them have better sleep
At night:
Dim the lights during the routine
Allow sleeping to happen in a dark room
If your baby is up at any point at night, don’t leave the room so that the brain gets used to the sleeping space
Remember, every baby is unique, so don't hesitate to adapt these suggestions to suit your little one's individual needs, and not everything works for every baby. So trial and error, until you find something that fits, for you, your baby and your family.
I would like to invite you to the upcoming ‘Newborn Course’ in April.
If you are a new mom or pregnant, this will be very useful for you.
Course Dates: April 27 & 28th
Time: April 27th - 12:00 - 2:00 PM & April 28th - 6:30 - 8:30 PM (GMT+3)
You can always book a discovery call and discuss your needs with Yasmine.
