Check out everything you need to know about your one month old baby and their sleeping habits.
1. Your baby will begin to sleep for longer stretches
You may have worried that sleep was over for the next few years, but thankfully over the next few weeks your baby will start to sleep for longer stretches. It won’t be a full night’s sleep, but soon your baby should be sleep for up to 5 or 6 hours during the night as their sleep cycle grows more similar to your own.
2. Your baby will soon have less light sleep
The sleep cycles of a baby are much shorter than the sleep cycle of adults. Babies spend a lot of time in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which means your baby sleeps very lightly and they can wake up easily. Over the next few weeks, your baby will start to sleep less during the day and experience a deeper sleep during the night, which makes your nights much more pleasant!
3. Your one month old baby will show you when they are sleepy
If your baby gets overtired, they may struggle to fall asleep, so it is useful to be aware of when your baby is sleepy. Look out for these signs: your baby rubbing their eyes, whining or crying easily, staring blankly into space, or turning away from moving objects.
4. Your baby has started to learn the difference between night and day
A one month old baby has started to learn the difference between night and day, and you can help them with this learning process. Instead of switching the light on when you go in to feed them, invest in a quality night light that allows you to see the room in the dark.
5. You can establish good sleeping patterns soon
Over the next few weeks, you can teach your baby to fall asleep on their own. Try putting your baby down when they are sleepy, but still awake, so they learn to drift off without your help. Routine is important too, so choose something you know you will be able to stick to every night.
6. Swaddling your one month old baby will help them to fall asleep
Swaddling helps babies to fall asleep quickly because it reminds them of being in the womb. If you are putting your baby to bed when they are still sleepy, this is a great way to help them to nod off.
7. Place your baby on their back to sleep
The rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has dropped since the American Academy of Pediatrics started to recommend putting your baby to sleep on their back rather than their side or front, so always place your baby on their back to sleep.
8. Check that your crib meets current safety standards
It is very important to make sure your baby’s crib is up to the current safety standards. It is recommended that you use a firm mattress with a tight sheet. Click here to check out the current crib safety standards.
9. Avoid putting toys into the crib while your baby is sleeping
Make sure your baby is safe during the night by removing anything that could touch your baby’s face and cause harm. This includes plush toys, pillows, and bumper pads.
10. Check for other items that are accessible from the crib
It is also important to make sure anything that your baby can reach from the crib is removed. Items like ties and ribbons need to be moved far away, as well as sharp objects.
11. Consider room-sharing instead of bed-sharing
Bed-sharing is very popular in some cultures, but there is a risk of suffocation. If you want to sleep near to your baby, try room-sharing instead of bed-sharing. Put their crib at the bottom of your bed so you can enjoy the benefits of bed-sharing without the risks.
12. Allow your baby to fuss during the night
It can be really tough to leave your baby alone when you know they are awake, but it is important to teach your baby to fall back to sleep on their own. Unless your baby is ill or hungry, give them the opportunity to fall back to sleep on their own.
13. Playing with your baby during the night will make it harder for them to fall back asleep
It is important to get your baby into good sleeping habits as soon as possible. Avoid chatting or playing with your baby during night-time feeds so that they understand that night time means sleep.
