Parenting Blog

The life of newborn babies is mostly all about feeding and sleeping. After all, he/she is in the inertia of the long cozy sleep inside the mother’s body. Parents do need to know how much a newborn baby normally sleeps in 24 hours. 

While newborn babies do not follow a set routine for sleep, for most babies, the sleeping time is up to 18 hours daily (in 24 hours). But the sleep is often intermittent and the baby wakes every 2 to 3 hours to be fed. Also, most babies will sleep for 3 to 5 hours maximum at a stretch. Following are some common sleep patterns for newborn babies of varying ages: 

Up to 3 Months

Newborn babies, ranging in age from their natal day up to 3 months, usually take 16 to 18 hours of sleep daily. The sleep is divided into 2-3 hours sessions. Their sleep does not have to do much with night or day and they will sleep almost equally at day as they do at night. The day-night awareness appears in the baby at an age of around 6 to 8 weeks. By the age of 2 to 3 months, a sleep pattern is developed by the child. The parent can then anticipate when the child is going to sleep and how long the sleep is going to continue at a particular time. 

3 to 6 Months

The total daily sleep of the baby at this age is about 14 to 16 hours. It is usually 8 hours of sleep at night and 6 hours at day (divided in three stretches of 2 hours each). The child gets asleep more readily and does not wake in the absence of much disturbance. Some babies at this age may not wake at all during the night. However, most would wake once to be fed. By the age of 6 months, the daytime sleep drops to 2 naps, each lasting about 2 hours. 

6 to 12 Months

During the 6 months to one year, the total daily sleep of a baby is 12 to 14 hours. Most babies take a daily nap of about 2 to 3 hours each. A 6 month sold baby is able to sleep well through the night, without waking at all. But many kids do wake once. Before the baby’s first birthday, a long stretch of sleep (about 11 hours or more) is less likely to occur.

Breastfeeding has come to be almost political in some areas. While I agree that in 99% of the cases breastfeeding is the better option, I also believe it is a personal decision. The information provided here will help you to understand the benefits of breastfeeding your bundle of love, and enable you to make the best decision for you.

Benefits to Your Baby

Not only does breastfeeding build an invaluable bond between you and your baby, but it will continue to benefit them throughout life. Studies have shown that kids who were breastfed score a great deal higher on intelligence tests. Your breast milk aids in the development of your baby’s mind.

Breast milk is different from person to person. You will produce milk that is specifically made for your baby! The environment that you are exposed to on a daily basis affects it. Antibodies that your body has built up for you will be passed onto your baby, therefore protecting them against the primary threats that surround you.

Hospitals will confirm that breastfed babies do not get sick as often as those who are not breastfed. This is mainly because of the antibodies they receive from you.

Babies are never allergic to their mothers’ milk. You will never have to worry about a formula that does not suit them. However, it is possible for them to have an allergic reaction to something that you ate, and in turn passed to them. This is easily fixed by identifying the food or substance and eliminating it from your diet while you continue to breastfeed.

Benefits to You

•    Reduced risk of developing perimenopausal breast cancer.
•    Reduced risk of ovarian cancer and osteoporosis.
•    Less expensive than buying formula.
•    No mixing formula, or midnight runs to the store.
•    Uterus will return to normal quicker.
•    Losing some of that pregnancy weight easier.
•    Slower return of your menstrual cycle

While it is clear that breastfeeding is the best option for you baby, there are a few cases where it isn’t. If you are HIV positive then of course, you should not breastfeed.

If you work full time away from the house you may believe you are not able to breastfeed. Truth be told, you can! It may take a little more planning on your part. You can give their first feeding of the day yourself, and use a breast pump to get milk ready for them while you are away.

If this is the case you will want to choose a bottle that has a lifelike nipple. There are several on the market, and your doctor or midwife should be able to point you in the right direction.

There really is no argument that breastfeeding is the best for your little one, but only you can decide what will work for you.  If you don’t feel you will not be able to exclusively breastfeed, it would be beneficial for your baby to receive at lease some breast milk. Some is better than none!