Bringing a new baby home is a very special time.
I always get a bit excited when I take my little one home from the hospital. However, there is definitely a touch of anxiety as well.
My middle boy, Kayden, is what you would call ‘a mummy’s boy’.
I spent as much time with Kayden as I could before Jack was due to arrive. I was worried about how he was going to deal with having another little person, smaller than him, needing my attention.
Apart from the occasional ‘terrible two’ tantrums, Kayden has been super sweet with Jack and really loves seeing him. Hhhaaa…. one anxiety subsided…
So far so good anyway!
The other worry..?
Will Jack sleep well?
I have been in a place before where I was so utterly exhausted from an unsettled baby, I couldn’t even construct a sentence together. No way do I want to end up in that place again. It was truly horrible.
Thankfully I have learnt so much since that time in my life. With my experience and training, and having worked with over 100 families getting their little ones sleeping beautifully, I am now what one would call a ‘sleep expert’.
However! having all the skills in the world does not guarantee the immediate bliss of a good sleeper.
So many things can come into play with a newborn. Reflux, intolerances, colic, tongue ties, general fussiness, health issues, temperament.. the list goes on.
There are however, a bunch of things you can do to give your newborn every possible chance to sleep well.
I encourage 3 main goals when it comes to newborn sleep.
I will talk about these goals over the next little while.
At this stage, enjoy your time with your new baby and don’t worry about too much else.
Your baby will be sleepy, pretty much the majority of the time, so sleeping shouldn’t be too tricky at this stage.
The feedings are what will make you lose sleep and that’s just the way it is for the next little while.
Generally, until around 6 weeks of age, feedings will be frequent over a 24 hour period (around the 3-4 hourly time frame). After this time, you will be able to get some longer stretches at night, if you haven’t already prior.
So for right now, let’s have a look at your nursery.
We all have different preferences when it comes to where our newborn will sleep. Whether it is beside you in a bassinet or straight into their own room, there are still ways to allow your baby to have their own personal sleeping space.
It is a proven fact that babies sleep better when they have their own sleep space. They will also sleep better if this space remains the consistent location for their naps and night time sleep.
