Sleep: The First Year of Life



Newborns

There are two main stages of sleep:

  • Active sleep: your newborn may have eye movement, smile, twitch or breathe irregularly.
  • Quiet sleep: your newborn may be still and breathe deeply. He/she may make a sucking motion or startle with a sudden move of his/her body.
  • Your newborn can take about twenty minutes to fall from light sleep into deep sleep and can easily be awakened during this time.
  • In a 24-hour period, your newborn may spend about 16 to 18 hours sleeping.
  • Your baby may not sleep according to night and day in the first few months.

After three months

  • Your baby will begin to fall asleep in a similar way to an adult. He/she will become drowsy and fall more quickly into a deep sleep.
  • By four to six months, your baby may sleep five hours at night, which is considered a full night's sleep at this age.
  • Remember we all have unique patterns of sleep and so it is with your baby.

Parenting Tips

Newborns

  • Your baby will wake up for many reasons. He/she may be hungry, cold, too warm, need to be comforted.
  • You can't spoil your baby by picking him/her up when he/she cries.
  • Don't jump the minute you hear a noise from your baby, he/she may just be stirring before resettling into another sleep cycle.
  • You will hear your baby when he/she cries, even if you are sleeping.
  • You can help your baby fall asleep more easily by cuddling, walking or rocking them.
  • During the day when your baby sleeps, you should rest too.

Three to six months

  • You can start to develop a routine for meals, play and sleep.
  • You can feed more often during the day to lower the number of night time feeds. Try to make the last feeding between 10 p.m. and 11: p.m. and your baby might sleep longer.
  • Before bed, try to keep activities quiet and calm: rock your baby, give a warm bath, massage, sing, or listen to quiet music.
  • Try to keep the bedtime routine simple, consistent and enjoyable for you and your baby.
  • Feeding solids won't help make your baby sleep longer at night.

Six months to a year

  • Your baby may start to have two naps a day, each lasting from about 20 minutes to three hours.
  • Your baby may still need help falling asleep. Simple bedtime routines help.
  • Your baby may wake up at night for many reasons including teething, illness, learning a new skill, or changes in routine.
  • By one year of age, your baby may sleep up to 12 hours per day.

Safe Sleep Tips

  • Place your baby on his/her back to sleep.
  • Place your baby to sleep in a crib or cradle (manufactured after September 1986) with a firm and tight fitting mattress that meets current Health Canada safety standards.
  • Never use pillows, bumper pads, thick coverings, sheepskin, loose bedding near your baby or leave soft toys in the crib.
  • Never place the crib near windows, curtains, blind cords, lamps, electric plugs and extension cords.

Caution: In August 2003, Health Canada issued an advisory stating that infants and young children should never sleep on mattresses not specifically designed for them. If you want to have your baby close to you while sleeping, place your baby in a crib next to your bed.

Parent’s Frustration

Occasionally your baby will cry and not sleep despite all the things you do to try and help. It is normal to feel frustrated and upset. It is important that when you have these feelings that you remove yourself from the baby so that you do not hurt him/her. Place your baby in his crib and go to another room. Call for help from a family member or friend. You can also call your doctor or public health nurse.

NEVER SHAKE A BABY

For more information, call Ottawa Public Health at 613-580-6744 / TTY: 613-580-9656

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