How Should Babies Sleep Patterns Month by Month?

Sleep patterns in babies are a topic that parents are as curious about as nutrition. In this article, we have touched on all the details you need to know, from newborn sleep patterns to 2-year-old baby sleep patterns.

If you are ready, let’s get started!

Newborn sleep pattern

The newborn period is a difficult period for parents. While the new parent is trying to adapt to their identity and life order; On the other hand, meeting the needs of the baby has to organize every moment of the day. However, babies have just left their mother’s womb, which has surrounded them for months, and they are coping with adapting to life.

Since they cannot distinguish between day and night yet, newborn baby sleep patterns do not occur in the first place. Newborns sleep an average of 20 hours a day. During this period, breastfeeding should be according to the baby’s signals, not adjusted according to the hours.

2 month old baby sleep schedule

During this period, your baby is more dominated by reflexes. We see tonic neck, finger catching, moro (jump reflex), walking, babinski, seeking reflexes. In particular, the moro reflex can be triggered when the baby is suspended in the air (for example, when putting him to bed) and then the 2-month-old baby may wake up by jumping in his sleep. For this, keeping your baby close to his body while putting him to bed and putting him close to the bed helps him to continue to sleep.

In the first months, the daily flow of these two needs is intertwined, as the baby sleeps and suckles frequently. Over time, the 2-month-old baby starts to settle into a daily routine in his sleep pattern. Sleeping and breastfeeding continue on their own course.

Especially in this period, it is the healthiest not to use breastfeeding as a sleeping method and to meet both needs according to the baby’s signals. During this period, sleeping with feet free and hands tied in a swaddle helps the 2-month-old baby sleep pattern.

You may wonder, when do babies sleep schedule set? After completing 6-8 weeks, your baby will start to sleep longer at night. However, every child’s schedule is different. While some babies sleep well at night, some babies may wake up frequently at night for 12 months.

3 month old baby sleep schedule

In the 3-month-old baby sleep pattern, the baby is expected to take 4 naps during the day, but may take one more short nap. Babies know the smell of people they know, especially the mother. For this reason, they prefer to have these people with them to sleep. Their strongest sense is touch. For this reason, close contact such as skin contact and being carried on the lap are the moments that give the baby the most confidence.

Meanwhile, babies don’t indulge in too much skin-to-skin contact and cuddles. On the contrary, they store confidence in their future independence steps.

Night sleep in babies

During this period, many sleeps may be on the lap of the parents, but for both the baby’s safe sleep and the mother’s rest, the lap should be balanced with the bed. Especially at night, they can sleep in a bed close to the mother or in the same bed if security measures are taken.

4 month old baby sleep schedule

Due to the baby’s tendency to attach to the mother , there is a developmental attack in the 4th month and sleep regresses. Life returns to normal in about 10 days. The schedule of the day becomes clear and your baby needs to protect it even more now. 6-month-old baby sleep goes from 4 times to 3 naps. However, the waking times can be up to 2-2.5 hours.

5 month old baby sleep schedule

Babies can sleep an average of 14 hours a day this month. The attention of the baby, whose vision, hearing and perception skills are developing, begins to be easily distracted and turns to every new sound, image, and human being. During this period, it becomes difficult to breastfeed and put the baby to sleep. So , how to create a 5-month-old baby sleep pattern , let us help you. Breastfeeding and sleeping in the same room, in the same position, in environments with low stimuli is one of the infant sleep training methods.

At the same time, babies who are so open to stimuli can get very tired in wakefulness. For this reason, it would be good to rest the baby a little, especially after the experiences where the stimulus is high, and to balance the nervous system before sleep.

6 month old baby sleep schedule

The emotional development of the baby usually requires high contact sleep until the 6th month. For this reason, the most ideal sleeping method is to sleep while still sitting and on the lap, accompanied by a light swing, slap or lullaby. Although the oscillation is a very normal support for the pre-sleep pattern, the speed should not increase and the baby should be stable if possible at the time of diving. Contact is very important in 3-6 months baby sleep patterns.

Although babies are accompanied by contact until the last dive, some babies can show the ability to sleep in their beds before 6 months . This may vary depending on the infant-parent relationship and the infant’s overall level of stress and independence.

During this period, the baby gets to know the first-degree relatives, and in this way, other than the mother can put the baby to sleep. He can talk to himself, especially before sleep. At these stages, you should not engage in conversation with your baby at bedtime, but calmly lead him to sleep.

6-12 month baby sleep patterns

If the bond between the baby and the parent, the baby’s independence and stress levels and tolerance skills are in the right balance, the baby can be supported for independent sleep in his bed from 6-7 months. During this period, the baby’s night awakenings decrease, decreasing to an average of 2 times.

With the developing motor skills of the baby, his movement increases before and during sleep. Sleep security becomes even more important. Sometimes, since this increased movement makes it difficult for the baby to fall asleep, directing the baby back to sleep with soft movements and limiting the movement with soft prompts makes it easier for the baby to prepare for sleep.

With increased movement, the baby may become very tired in wakefulness, and tired sleeps may be shorter and more fragmented. For this reason, balancing the baby’s movement motivations with skin-contact, calm games creates a good resting opportunity.

9 month old baby sleep schedule

Attachment attack in the 9th month, which is one of the most important attachment attacks, is one of the periods that most negatively affects sleep. Separation anxiety that develops in this month causes the baby to fall asleep difficult and it is difficult to separate from the parent. This is a perfectly normal period of emotional development and should be managed by responding to the baby’s needs and confidently responding to anxiety. When the 10-month-old baby sleeps, 90% of the babies are on average all night and day. It is seen that he sleeps 10-13 hours.

What should be the pre-sleep nutrition in babies?

With the transition to solid food, sleep may be affected, and as with any change, this transition should be phased out. It should be balanced with breastfeeding, the baby should not be fed just before sleep, time should be given for digestion, and foods that are difficult to digest and cause gas should be avoided in the evening meals until the age of 1 year. Daytime sleeps are reduced to 2 and the waking time reaches 3-3.5 hours.

In infants receiving formula, night feeding may be discontinued if the doctor deems it appropriate for their physical development. In breastfed babies, on the other hand, the baby determines its own needs and can be continued with a decreasing pattern until the end of the breastfeeding period, with several suckings per night.

1 year old baby sleep schedule

Babies sleep about 10-13 hours a day during this period. Between the ages of 18-21 months, the daytime sleep falls on one. After the age of one, autonomy emerges as the most important motivation. Supporting these attempts of the baby for autonomy and independence is important for proper management of stress and quality alertness. Many basic gross motor skills such as walking, running and climbing stairs develop during this period and sleep may be adversely affected at the very turning points.

In terms of emotional development, especially after the 15th month , a state of attachment is observed. This may be more effective in the future. Attachment attacks that affect the 18-month-old baby’s sleep pattern are observed. Sleep is adversely affected during this period.

In the 18th month of the baby , daytime naps fall into one sleep. Night awakenings decrease to 1 and end at 2 years of age. Night breastfeeding is gradually reduced in breastfed babies and completely disappears towards the age of 2 years. Stress may be the cause of sleep problems in babies approaching 2 years old. Negative emotions are expressed in an environment of trust as soon as they belong and do not remain hidden in the body. Accumulated stress causes sleep disorders in babies .

2 year old baby sleep schedule

Babies resist not sleeping in this period, as they are more interested in the outside world. Daily sleep time is about 10-12 hours and daytime sleepiness is decreased. It is enough to sleep 1-2 hours 2 times a day.

Storytelling can be added to the pre-sleep ritual. When choosing baby sleep stories, it would be more appropriate to choose a story that your baby knows and loves. You should never risk reading a book before bed for the first time, especially if you haven’t read it before.