Newborn Sleeping Patterns Female: In the first weeks of life, most newborns sleep much of the day and night but they wake often for feedings. Lauire Garey: In the beginning, it was very, very difficult. He didn’t sleep so I didn’t sleep and he was up every two hours eating. I was breastfeeding him so it was—had to be done every two hours and it was very, very difficult. Female: Most babies don’t begin sleeping through the night without waking until about three months of age or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds. And until that happens even getting through the day can be almost overwhelming. Lauire Garey: I didn’t think I was ever going to get through it. Being a new mom I wasn’t sure if I was doing something wrong or I just wasn’t doing something that he needed. Female: Adopting to a new born and his sleeping patterns can be frustrating. Some mothers get so caught up and tending to all their babies wants and needs that they forget to take care of themselves. Moms in this situation can become sleep deprive which can make a difficult to be an effective caregiver. Denice Cora-Bramble: Often times as mom—we feel like we can do it all and we really can't particularly in those few months it is very labor intensive and it best if you offered help to accept and trying to share the load with the spouse so with their companion I think that’s really important. Female: Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Also, try to sleep when your baby sleeps and remember that it will get easier as time goes by. Since children thrive on routine and consistency it can be helpful to start a bedtime routine as early as six to eight weeks. For instance, wash and change him into sleepwear, read a picture book, sing a gentle song, say goodnight to toys or pictures in the room. Activities performed in the same order each night make up soothing ritual that helps put your baby in the mood for sleep. Making it a positive experience is key. Positioning your baby on his back is also very important to reduce the risk of sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. Even when a baby begin sleeping through the night he might occasionally experience what’s known as awaking face when he wakes for apparent reason. Though this is perfectly normal, parents should be on the lookout for potential sleep disturbances. For instance, a baby may wake unexpectedly if: he is teething, has diaper rash, is hungry, hearing too much noise or has a bad dream. Denice Cora-Bramble: If the baby wakes up in the middle of the night we check to see if the baby is wet, we make sure that the baby at least looks alright. Sometimes babies will vomit at night time and we have to check for that. Lauire Garey: When my son turned about three months old everything changed. The first two months were growling, the third was like I had a new child. He started sleeping longer. I’ve got—probably if I have six hours out of him at night and stretch and it was wonderful I was sleeping then too.