All new parents will know it is one of the most exciting times in your life, but it comes at a cost.
Newborn babies will not be sleeping soundly through the night, rather they will be keeping you up throughout the day.
At this age, their little bodies haven’t acclimatised and all they want to do is feed and nap.
Understanding what to expect and when babies will finally sleep through the night may make the challenges of parenthood a little easier.
Paediatrician and parenting expert Dr Harvey Karp, creator of the SNOO smart sleeper, spoke to The Mirror about the sleep patterns of babies and when they will finally sleep through the night.
Zero to two months
This can ben the most restless time for both parents and babies, as at this age children sleep only in small chunks throughout the day.
They will sleep for an average of 14 to 18 hours a day but babies will also make a fuss for feeding around 10 to 12 times a day.
As Dr Harvey explained: “Your baby will take lots of little naps and the daytime cycle is one to two hours of awake time then one to two hours of napping. Night-time sleep starts around 10pm.
“Your new-born will drift on and off through the night, punctuated by occasional feedings. The longest stretch of sleep usually goes up to four hours in the first month and four to eight hours by two-months of age.”
Two to four months
At this point babies typically sleep for significantly less time throughout the day, though parents should still brace for sleepless nights.
“You can expect babies to sleep a total of 13 to 14 hours of snooze with two to three daily naps, totalling four to eight hours of sleep,” As Dr Harvey explains.
“Night-time sleep shifts a bit earlier, with your baby going down around 9pm. They will start to sleep longer, still waking for a feeding or two.
“The longest unbroken sleep is usually around to eight hours (some may sleep an even longer stretch, especially if using a sleep aid).”
Four to eight months
Things will start to get a little easier here, but parents should still expect to not have a perfect night sleep.
This is the beginning of the end though, as at the six months mark most babies will start to sleep through the night, though this can vary from child to child.
“At four to eight months you might start to see your baby’s sleep improve with some babies starting to sleep through the night,” Dr Harvey continues, adding: “The day starts between 6-8am, depending on your baby, of course.
“You can expect two to three naps, totalling three to five hours a day. Night-time will start to vary more and more but it is recommended to start around 7-9pm.
“Your baby may have an unbroken piece of sleep of six to 10 hours, which most anyone would call ‘sleeping through the night’!”
Eight to 12 months
Finally, at this point your night sleep may start to return to normal, as babies will be sleeping throughout the night for longer.
Dr Harvey states: “At the eight to 12-month mark, your baby is still taking two to three naps a day but night-time sleep starts around 7- 9pm now.
“Your baby’s longest stretch is likely a glorious seven to 10 hours at night which means parents can finally get some well-deserved uninterrupted sleep.”
