Understanding sleep and your baby

Although we’re unaware of it, sleep occurs in cycles. The first phase is known as ‘light sleep’ and it takes us into REM (rapid eye movement) or ‘dream sleep’. 

This stage is so-called because our eyes move quickly under their lids, but apart from the odd twitch our bodies are still. The other stage of sleep is known as ‘deep sleep’ – in this stage we don’t dream but lie extremely still and are ‘lost’ in a deep level of sleep.

Newborn babies need nearly twice the amount of sleep that an adult requires and even when they’re around 18 months old they’ll still need, on average, five more hours of sleep than their parents do. They spend a lot more time in the REM stage – which means they rouse fairly often and are easily disturbed. On the other hand, when they’re in the ‘deep sleep’ phase they’re hard to wake and will make little sucking movements with their mouth. She may also ‘startle’ in the same manner that adults do as they are falling asleep.

Before the age of three months, your baby won’t be able to differentiate between night and day, so her sleep will be spread across the 24-hour period. After the three-month stage, your baby will start to learn that night equals a longer period of sleep than the daytime naps that she receives. As she grows older, you’ll find her naps become less frequent but more predictable and longer than the frequent but short ones of her early months.

By six months you can reasonably expect more of a routine.

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The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.