Newborn Sleep: What to Expect in the First Weeks
What newborn sleep really looks like in the first weeks, the ABCs of safe sleep, whether you can sleep train a newborn, and how to get more sleep yourself.
By Karen, Certified Postpartum Doula
Everyone warns you about the lack of sleep. Few people tell you what newborn sleep actually looks like, or what you can do about it.
Newborns don’t have a schedule yet
In the early weeks, newborns sleep in short stretches through the day and night and wake to feed. They don’t know day from night yet. That’s normal, even though it’s exhausting.
Your pediatrician will tell you how often your baby needs to eat, and whether you should wake them for feeds. Follow their advice over anything you read online, including this article.
Safe sleep comes first
All of our postpartum doulas follow the ABCs of safe sleep when your baby is in our care. We encourage you to follow them whenever your baby sleeps unsupervised:
- Alone: no pillows, stuffed animals or blankets in the baby’s sleep space.
- Back: baby lies flat on their back.
- Crib: baby sleeps in a bassinet, crib or other firm, flat surface. No swings, loungers or car seats for overnight sleep or when baby is unmonitored.
Can you sleep train a newborn?
Sleep coaching is for older babies. Our sleep consulting service is for babies and children after 6 months old. In the newborn weeks, the focus is on feeding, safe sleep and gentle routines.
Gentle routines in the early weeks can make sleep coaching easier later. Our overnight doulas settle babies back to sleep after feeds and start those routines from the first night.
Getting sleep yourself
You can’t control when your newborn sleeps. You can get help so you sleep more:
- Take turns with your partner so each of you gets one longer stretch of sleep.
- Nap when someone else is with the baby.
- Bring in overnight help, so someone else handles the night and you only wake for feeds, or not at all if your baby takes bottles.
What families tell us
“She gave us so many useful tips to help our little guy sleep longer through the night.”
“She also assisted us with the transition from the bassinet to the crib and our daughter has been sleeping through the night since 8 weeks!”
How we can help
Overnight postpartum care is $55 to $75 an hour, with an 8 hour minimum and up to 12 hours. Your doula takes the night and you wake up to notes on how it went. Once your baby is past 6 months, our sleep consulting is available in person or by video. Read more about our night doulas and what happens during an overnight shift.
Call 508-881-2200 or text 508-766-0100.