Do babies need a night light: Night Lights and Baby Sleep

Night Lights and Baby Sleep

So often, parents ask about incorporating night lights in the nursery. They’re wondering when and how to use a night light. The truth is light and darkness play such a huge role in baby sleep. Let’s talk about it. 

Should you use a night light in a baby’s room?#

Babies truly sleep best when a room is really dark. I know that some families worry their baby may be afraid of the dark, but I want to reassure you that these fears typically don’t develop until age two or older. Night lights in the nursery aren’t necessary for baby sleep. 

However, there are times when a night light in the nursery or the room that you share with your baby can be helpful. Night lights can be a great tool for night feedings, diaper changes, or other nighttime activities. If you choose to use a night light, consider a night light that has a very dim setting and the option to change the light color.

When should I introduce a night light to my baby?#

There is no need to introduce a night light into your baby or toddler’s room before they ask for it. I usually like to wait until at least 2 years old before using a nightlight for sleep – if it’s needed at all. But if your toddler or preschooler is telling you they are afraid of the dark, this would be the time to introduce a night light. When introducing a night light, use the dimmest possible setting with the option for a red color light. 

What is the best night light? #

My favorite ones are those where you can dim the light and choose the light color like the Hatch Baby Rest. But, it really doesn’t need to be fancy. Simply swapping out a light bulb in the room for a red bulb and using that for the times that you need a little light in the room can be a great option.

What color night light is best for babies? #

I recommend the color red. Red lights are shown to be less disruptive to sleep.

Should newborns ever sleep with the lights on?#

I get this question all the time. Here’s what I think you’re seeing: Before 10 weeks, you probably noticed your newborn would fall asleep in the bright living room with no problem. Light doesn’t seem to keep newborns from sleeping. However, around 10-12 weeks you’re going to see a change: your baby will become so much more aware of her surroundings. This can make a bright room too stimulating for sleep. 

Now, you don’t have to wait for things to be hard to make the room dark. You can start your baby napping in a dark room whenever you are ready, but if your baby is 10 weeks or older and napping is difficult, try a dark room! 

Yes, you can offer naps in the dark even if your newborn is struggling with day-night confusion.

How dark should my baby’s room be at night? #

We want your baby’s room to be DARK at night. In fact, we want it so dark that you can’t see your hand in front of your face.

Do babies need to nap in the dark?#

Babies are just like us; they sleep best in the dark. Why? Light is stimulating to your baby’s brain, while darkness promotes sleep. That means light is perfect for awake time, but darkness is best for nights and naps.

Even though darkness is best for sleep, you don’t have to lock yourself in the house every time your baby needs to nap. Just know that when you’re out and about, baby naps may not be perfect. And that’s okay! My goal is for you to have a great little napper but ALSO the flexibility to thrive.

If your current sleeping setup is working for your family – it’s not super dark, and your baby is sleeping well  – there is no need to change anything. But if you are dealing with short naps or early morning wakings, having a dark room can make a huge difference for sleep.

If you have concerns or questions about napping, dark rooms, and how this plays out at daycare, look at Daycare & Baby Sleep.

I don’t want my baby dependent on a dark room for naps. What should I do?#

If you have a great sleeper who is sleeping through the night and can nap for over an hour, try adding some light into the room gradually. Think light that seeps under the door from the hallway or a bit of sunlight shining in around the curtains. If your baby or toddler continues napping well, you can try adding a bit more light. If short naps or early mornings creep in, you might need a dark room for a little longer.

But please know, you don’t HAVE to add in any light for sleep. Light truly stimulates the brain, and there’s no need to mess up a good thing if you don’t want to!

How do I make my baby’s room dark enough for sleep?#

Let me tell you about the hand test. Close the curtains and blinds in the room, turn off the lights, and close the door. You want the room to be just like you have it when your baby sleeps. Give yourself a moment or two to let your eyes adjust. Next, put your hand in front of your face. Can you see your hand? If you can, your baby’s room may not be dark enough, and this could be the reason your baby is taking short naps or waking early in the morning. 

There are several ways to make your baby’s room dark enough to pass the hand test. I’ve got a great video for you where I show you several products you can use to do this.

Don’t forget to look for light coming from electronics in the room. Here are a few to consider.

• Are you using a night light in your baby’s nursery? Check to see how bright it is and consider unplugging it to eliminate the extra light. 

• Are you using a humidifier in your baby’s room? Check to see if there is a way to cover up the green “on” light or opt for a humidifier with a light that turns off.

• Are you using a clock in the room? Check to see if it has a dim setting or consider removing it from the room.

• Does your baby monitor have lights shining directly on your baby? Consider moving it or covering the light, if possible.

What if sleep is still a struggle even if the room is completely dark?#

If sleep is still a struggle, my classes can help. Select the class for your baby’s age, and I will hand you the developmentally appropriate tools to get you and your baby set up for success. You don’t have to struggle alone.  

Baby Night Lights Do’s and Don’ts (And Our Top 5 Recommendations)

Lots of parents assume that a night light is one of those baby essentials that every nursery requires. After all, a well-placed night light can reduce the fumbling usually associated with middle-of-the-night diaper changes and feedings. But is a night light distracting to your baby? Do you really need one? What kind of night light should you buy? Keep reading for our baby night light do’s and don’ts, as well as a list of our top 5 favorite baby night lights!

Baby Night Light Do’s and Don’ts

1. DO place the light close the areas of the room that you’ll need to use at night, but DON’T place the light too close to your child’s sleeping area.
2. DO ensure that the light is low-wattage and dim enough that it won’t disturb your child’s sleep.
3. DON’T use a night light that casts cool, blue-toned light, but DO use one that casts warm, red- or yellow-toned light.
4. DON’T assume you or your baby will need a night light; you might not!
5. DO try a night light as your baby grows, if he suddenly develops nighttime fears or separation anxiety.

1. DO place the light near areas you’ll use, but DON’T place it too close to your child’s sleeping area.

When your baby is young, the night light is really more for you than for him; it can really help facilitate middle-of-the-night diaper changes and night feedings. So place the night light near the areas of your baby’s nursery that YOU will use, like the changing table or the glider. But be sure not to place it too close to your baby’s sleeping area, as even dim, soft light can be distracting for some babies and can interfere with sleep.

2. DO ensure the light is low-wattage and dim.

This probably goes without saying, but you don’t want your night light to be too bright! 4-7 watts is typical for most night lights. You’ll also want to be sure that the light itself is shaded and diffuse, so that your baby isn’t disturbed by any harsh glare.

3. DON’T use a light that has blue tones, but DO use one that casts warm red or yellow tones.

Fun fact: did you know that blue light is bad for sleep? It’s true! Blue light interferes with the body’s production of melatonin, a natural, sleep-inducing hormone. This is one huge reason why we never recommend keeping a TV in your child’s room, and why many experts advise that children should stop all screen time a few hours before bed. So avoid blue-toned night lights; instead, opt for night lights that give off warm, red- or yellow-toned light.

4. DON’T assume you and your baby need a night light.

It’s interesting – a lot of parents assume that a night light is necessary, but this isn’t always the case. For one thing, some babies really are distracted by night lights and have trouble falling asleep in a room that has any light at all (baby temperament has a lot to do with this). And if the light turns on and off by itself (when it senses daylight, for example, or when it senses motion), that might be doubly-distracting for your child. And don’t assume you need one, either; lots of parents have told us that leaving the nursery door cracked open and using the light from the hallway for diaper changes and feedings works just fine.

5. DO try a night light as your baby grows, especially if he develops nighttime fears.

You may find you can do without a night light at first, but as your baby grows, a night light might become useful. Some parents find, for instance, their children get anxious about being left alone in the dark as they grow older; this is probably natural nighttime fears mixed with some separation anxiety. A night light can really help in instances like this; it can provide a little reassurance and comfort in the middle of the night. Nighttime fears can become a real problem during the toddler years, too, so even if you manage without a nightlight for a while, don’t hesitate to try one out if your two-year old is suddenly afraid of the dark.

Our Top 5 Night Light Recommendations

Greenic Dusk-to-Dawn LED Nightlight (in Amber)

This night light is super basic, but also super effective! It casts just enough diffuse light to help you find your way around for diaper changes and feedings, but not so much that it’ll make it hard for your baby to sleep. Just be sure to buy one in a warm color; we like the amber-colored one best.

Albrillo Baby Night Light

The Albrillo Night Light is a customizable light with a rechargeable battery that lasts 200 or 6 hours in dimmest or brightest settings, respectively. And, the bottom button disables touch control and boosts brightness by 30% for outdoor visibility, if you like to go camping and the like. What we really love is that you can touch the top for half a second to enter night light mode for breastfeeding at night, for example, or you can tap the logo twice to set a 1-hour timer to comfort your toddler to sleep. This way, your toddler has a night light as he goes to sleep, but it won’t wake him in the middle of the night.

Bubzi Co. Penguin Plush & Projector

This adorable little elephant doubles as a night light and a lullaby player; it plays 10 different lullabies and projects a beautiful, soft starlight scene for a total of 30 minutes before automatically shutting off. This could work as a great bedtime routine tool; to signal to your baby that your routine is over and that it’s time to go to sleep, simply turn on this little plush owl. Note that some babies might find the starlight scene distracting; however, the projected image doesn’t move, so it should work for most babies. The added benefit here is that this little plush owl is portable; it runs on batteries, meaning you can easily move it around your home (from pack-n-play to crib, perhaps), or take it on the go. Best of all – by purchasing this Bubzi Co. product, you’re giving back! A percentage of every Bubzi Co. purchase is donated to Postpartum Support International, an organization that helps new moms look after their perinatal mental health.

Space / Animal Projector Night Light

This may or may not make a good baby night light; the moving stars or animals and multi-colored lights might prove too distracting. However, your toddler might really love it! This projector offers soft light that’ll keep your toddler feeling comfortable and secure, and it also projects a rotating scene that could be just the thing to keep an antsy toddler interested (and in bed!). If you have a jack-in-the-box toddler who is constantly popping out of bed or who finds bedtime boring, this nightlight might be a great choice. In addition, this could be another great bedtime routine ender – if you consistently end your routine by turning on the projector, it could send a strong signal to your toddler that it’s time to settle in and go to sleep.

Munchkin Light My Way Nightlight

Oh my GOSH, is this thing adorable! This portable little nightlight (another owl!) could work well for babies and for toddlers. It casts a nice warm glow, and it’s also small and portable, meaning it’ll travel well. What’s more, this light automatically shuts off after 15 minutes – but if your toddler wakes in the night and wants her night light on, she can simply press a button for another 15 minutes of light. Extra bonus – your toddler can carry this with her for middle-of-the-night trips to the potty! And you can easily move it around your baby’s room as needed.

Hungry for more night light info? Check out more recommendations here!

Does your baby use a night light? Any night light tips to share? Share below – we love hearing from you!

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Need Baby and Toddler Sleep Help? We Have the Resources You Need!

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Should you use a baby night light?

With all the middle-of-the-night waking your little one — and you — will be doing the first year of their life, a night light may sound like a good idea. But do babies need a night light? Not necessarily. However, there are benefits (as well as drawbacks) to having your baby sleep with one. 

“If you’d like to use a night light in your infant’s room, or your room if you’re sharing a bedroom, that’s perfectly OK,” says Dr. Amna Husain, F.A.A.P., a pediatrician at Pure Direct Pediatrics in Marlboro, New Jersey. “It will be easier to see what you’re doing in the middle of the night when it comes to feedings and diaper changes.”

While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to babies and night lights, there are a few things to keep in mind before you invest in soft lighting for the nursery. Here, experts weigh in on everything parents should know before using a night light in their infant’s room.

What to know about using a baby night light

It can affect baby’s circadian rhythm

An infant’s circadian rhythm, or body clock, needs to set properly to let a baby start sleeping less during the day and more at night. In order to have your little one start logging more zzz’s when they’re supposed to (as opposed to sleeping all day and partying all night), it’s a good idea to keep things dark when it’s time for bed. 

“When you keep the room very dark or dim in the evenings and let the natural light in during the day, it will help develop your baby’s circadian rhythms,” says Husain. 

According to Sleep.org, when an environment is lighted, the production of  melatonin — the hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle — is inhibited.

That said, if your child is using a night light and sleeping well — great! Sleep.org also acknowledges that for some babies, “the little bit of light [may make them] calmer or less anxious. ” 

Night lights make feedings less disruptive 

According to Linda Szmulewitz, a certified gentle sleep coach and owner of Sleep Tight Consultants, night lights, while more for parents than babies, can mitigate even bigger disruptions during the night. 

“When babies are still waking in the middle of the night, it can be helpful for parents to have a very dim night light on so that they can see where they’re going in the room when responding to their baby,” Szmulewitz says. “Night lights make it so that you don’t have to turn on all the lights in baby’s room, making it too bright and causing a lot of disruption in baby’s sleep.”  

Tips for using a baby night light

Camouflage it

If you’re on the fence about putting a night light in your baby’s room, here’s a good compromise: Camouflage it. 

“When parents use light in their child’s room, I often recommend that they put it behind a piece of furniture so it’s more diffused, as opposed to being a glowing beacon that baby will likely stare at,” Szmulewitz says. “Babies, particularly newborns and even children up to 6 months old are often distracted by lights and will stare at them [since their vision is so blurry in the beginning]. Parents tell me all the time that their baby is looking at them in their video monitor, but really, they’re likely staring at the lights on the monitor in their room.”  

Stick to the basics

As with all baby gear, night lights have come a long way since their humble beginnings as just, well, lights. Night lights that play music, night lights that project stars — parents can now pretty much find a night light that does anything short of changing baby’s diaper. 

But as cool as these products are, you should probably just stick to the basics when choosing a night light. 

“I discourage parents from using night lights that play music — or playing music in baby’s room at night period — since music during sleep can prevent your brain from getting into a good sleep pattern overnight,” Szmulewitz says. “If parents are playing music at bedtime, I always have them turn it off when their child is then going into the crib to sleep. If parents want to play something continuously throughout the night, I suggest white noise, which is a consistent sound that can also help block out household noises.”

Consider a red light

While lights at night have been proven to suppress melatonin production, there is one type of light that affects circadian rhythms the least: red lights. 

“For parents who want to use a night light in their baby’s room, I usually recommend a red light, which is a color that doesn’t block melatonin production, due to its low color temperature,” says Szmulewitz. 

There are a number of red night lights available, but if you’re the DIY type, sleep.org claims using a red Christmas bulb in place of the one that’s in your baby’s regular night light will do the trick just as effectively. 

Go with your gut

Statistically speaking, lights at night can be disruptive to sleep, but that doesn’t mean you need to unplug your little one’s night light if they’re snoozing fine with it. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to look at their child as an individual and see how they sleep best — in the complete dark or with a little light. After all, no one knows baby’s sleep patterns better than the person getting up with them each night. 

HOW TO CHOOSE A NIGHT LIGHT IN THE CHILDREN’S ROOM

In order for a child to develop without compromising health, there must be a “correct” light in his room: moderately bright and uniform. A lamp by the bed to read at night or for entourage (after all, many children are afraid to fall asleep in the dark). Table lamp on the table – for classes and creativity.

A good lamp represents strength and safety. A table lamp should remain intact when dropped, and a pendant lamp should be securely fastened. Of course, it is worth considering the wishes of the baby. Favorite character and pleasant motives will set you up for a good dream. It is better to choose LED bulbs, they do not heat up, which means they will not burn. Read more about everything in the article.

Read: How to choose the right baby monitor – which one is better: 5 top life hacks

What are the night lights

To create multi-level lighting in a child’s room, different types of lamps will help.

You need to choose, focusing on the age of the child. Consider the most convenient and safe options.

Remote controlled night light

Electronic mobile, remotely controlled when switched on, rotates to music. Has several operating modes:

• light on,
• playing melodies,
• movement.

Each function can be used simultaneously or separately.
She is amazing with kids. In addition, the bright colors of hanging animals and music develop the child’s hearing, vision, and ability to concentrate.

Clothespin night light

Mounted on the back of the crib, small size. Often in the form of a musical or ordinary toy. Works from the usual battery which is reliably hidden from the child. A small luminous flux of such a night light is better suited for a newborn.

Projector

Fixed LED night light that displays a programmed pattern on a wall or ceiling. The minimum amount of light does not interfere with night sleep, with sufficient visibility for feeding and caring for the baby.

An interesting article: How to choose the right playpen: 6 OK in the age-old “which is better”

Night light toy

More often, such a night light is a plastic or plush figurine of an animal. Glows dimly, makes sounds imitating animals. This feature motivates the child to go to sleep without whims, takes up little space and has a positive effect on sleep.

Useful article: How to choose the right car on the radio: which one is better from 7 options

Pillow-night light with a projector

It looks like an ordinary soft toy, but after unfastening the Velcro, it turns into a pillow. It projects the starry sky or the outlines of animals onto the wall or ceiling. It glows in one color to choose from, or simultaneously with several, but for about twenty minutes, then turns off. This is enough time for the child to fall asleep.

Night lamp

Mounted at the head of the crib. Suitable for children over three years old. As a rule, images of their favorite cartoon characters delight kids and they themselves turn it on before going to bed. The light is sufficient to look at the pictures in the book and does not interfere with falling asleep.

Night lamp

Mobile, with sufficient room illumination. Design solutions for the design of lamps have no boundaries, for every taste and interior: animals, figurines, houses, etc. They are often equipped with an air purification function due to the built-in ionizer, which creates good conditions for healthy sleep.

Informative article: 50 unusually interesting facts about Lego that you definitely didn’t know about

How to choose a night light for a child’s room

With the advent of a baby in the family, purchasing a lamp solves several serious problems: getting up to the child at night – there is no need to turn on the general light;

peaceful sleep, because the children are afraid of the dark.

Lighting should be soft, dim and non-directional to help your baby sleep at night. This is what table lamps do. Soft semi-light favors fast falling asleep, preventing fears and fears of the dark, which is extremely important.

For older children, a night light is necessary for orientation in space: to drink water, find mom and other important things. The main task of such a lamp is to create diffused light in order to consider the outlines of objects, and not interfere with sleep.

What to look for when choosing a lamp

When choosing nightlights for a child’s room, pay attention to the quality of workmanship, confirmed by the relevant certificate, and to the following nuances:

When connecting to a socket, the length of the wires is important: it is undesirable to place the crib near sockets, it is better to connect it through an extension cord. And it should not be within the reach of small hands, so that the fidget does not get tangled in the wires.

The best option is LED lamps. They are safe and do not get hot. Battery powered nightlights are also very common. The selection criterion is an increased level of protection: it is impossible to get to the elements, the child has only the power button at his disposal.

To the topic: How to choose a table lamp

How to choose the right nightlight for a child’s room

I have been asked many times to tell you how to choose lamps for a child’s room.

I thought and wrote down a few points that you should pay attention to when choosing a night light.😊

When do we usually think about a night light? If a child has appeared or a child appears with friends and close relatives.

In rare cases, when one simply does not like falling asleep in the dark, for example, because of fear))

Well, I’m talking more and more about children, of course! So, the advantages of a night light:

– Convenient for parents. If a child suddenly wakes up at night and cries, then there is no need to stumble in the dark and hastily look for at least some source of light.
– Comfortable for the child. It is easier to fall asleep, it is not scary to wake up at night.
– Cozy. If you choose the right night light according to the type of glow, it will add comfort even in a cold room.
– Beautiful! Simply beautiful))

Since we choose a lamp for children, we first of all pay attention to the safety of the device.

⭐️ Body material

There are a lot of nightlights on the market, perhaps even 80-90% of all products are made of plastic.

Yes, plastic can take on the most bizarre shapes and can be painted in otherworldly colors. But plastic plastic is different.

Cheap plastic – breaks, badly dyed, smells bad of chemicals…

Safe plastic that is not scary to give to children – uniform, well colored, but extremely rare in nature!

That’s why I personally always support natural materials. Children’s night light made of wood is filled with positive energy.

It is pleasant to hold, pleasing to the eye, versatile for any interior. For my nightlights, I use birch laminated board.

⭐️ Paints

Natural materials are good, but this is not a guarantee of the safety of a night lamp.

Why? Because some manufacturers stupidly save and paint products with cheap and chemically unsafe paints.

In the best case, the paint will simply peel off over time, exposing the base …

In the worst case, a “bump” class nightlight will dirty your hands, smell unpleasant and emit all sorts of nasty things into the atmosphere of your beloved home….

So every time , when you are chasing the price, remember that there are such risks…

Agree that good healthy sleep, and even more so for children, is not something worth saving on! I use water-based paint recommended for children’s rooms.

⭐️ Assembling

When choosing a lamp, make sure that all wires, switches, bulb holders are assembled neatly and fit snugly together.

Also, pay attention that there are no splinters sticking out anywhere, so that everything goes smoothly and the child cannot be injured.

For the final assembly I use pva wood glue and additional fixing materials. So more reliable!

⭐️ Light sources

Today, many nightlights on the market are produced with the usual electric incandescent lamps.

Is it necessary to explain how fragile, easily breaking such a lamp is. Even a very small but active child can easily unscrew it from the cartridge. And besides, such light bulbs have to be changed 3-4 times a year.

Personally, I love LEDs and only use them in my nightlights.

However, LEDs also come in different qualities. There are cheap ones with terrible glow characteristics, which literally “cut” the eyes with their light. A very unpleasant feeling.

A high-quality LED has soft and even lighting that does not irritate, but, on the contrary, calms.

⭐️ Nightlight control

An ideal lamp should turn on and off with a slight movement of the hand.

Until now, there are a lot of models in the “night lamp” category with a switch located on the wire.

As a mother, I am sure that an extra wire is not needed in the nursery, especially with 220 !!! Wires, it seems to me, are already tired of everyone!

All Masaihome nightlights have touch control – convenient, simple, beautiful and safe)).

Even the smallest child can turn it on. And without any consequences!

⭐️ Reliable seller!

Choosing a beautiful night light is half the battle. It is important that the pleasure of buying is not spoiled by an unscrupulous seller!

I often hear stories about how people ordered goods, but received something completely different from what is in the picture. Or they made an advance payment, but the package never reached them…

Ostapov is always enough!

Therefore, when ordering goods in the online store, check whether the seller is registered as an entrepreneur.

An honest seller has nothing to be ashamed of and afraid – he places the details in the public domain.

Also on the website and in social networks, the methods of communication are indicated – phone, email, address, skype, viber and others.

You can always find reviews about the company and its products, just study the account history, for example!

⭐️ Summary

A good children’s night light should be safe, and the seller should be reliable.

When choosing a night light in an online store, look at:

– case material (preferably natural)

– lighting principle (high-quality LEDs)

– coating (resistant safe paints that adhere well to the surface)

– adequacy of the seller and feedback from grateful customers.

That’s all for today!)🌟

Next time, I’ll write some tips on how best to match the night light to the interior!

Sleep of a newborn.

Tips from Pampers expert Tatyana Butskaya

Komsomolskaya Pravda

Dom. FamilyMom and babyBUSINESS PRESS

Tatyana BUTSKAYA

January 22, 2016 1:00

Immediately after birth, the child does not know that there are concepts of “day” and “night”. In general, it is very difficult for him to get used to the new world, in which there is no familiar aquatic environment, darkness, silence and a constant temperature of 36 degrees

Advice from Pampers expert Tatyana Butskaya. Photo: Courtesy of Pampers

Seemingly so small and defenseless, they are stronger than us adults. And in order to adapt to extrauterine life, newborns are constantly SLEEPING!

Sleep in the first months of a child’s life is as necessary as air, as breast milk. In the first 10-14 days, children are practically not sensitive to external stimuli, they are protected by sleep. If the baby does not sleep well, he will lag behind in development. The brain grows during sleep!

However, how much sleep should a newborn baby have? Often you can find information about 16 – 20 hours of sleep. But this is the “average temperature in the hospital”, because the corridor of normal values ​​​​is quite wide here – from 14 to 22 hours! If a child maintains a certain interval of sleep and wakefulness, eats well, gains weight, falls asleep without screaming, then his biological clock is set to such a schedule. For information, I will say that according to science, a newborn needs short 40-50 minute periods of activity. During this time, the child should wake up, eat, change clothes and fall asleep again. Not life, but a fairy tale. Like any fairy tale, it eventually ends. And this happens somewhere by 3-4 weeks of life.

If during the first month parents do not accustom their child to the concept of “day” and “night”, then later they will have to make a lot of efforts for this, including sacrificing their sleepless nights. Important information: the most useful sleep for a person of any age from 0 to 99 years old is before 12 am (more precisely, from 19.00 to 01.00) – everyone knows this, but everyone also ignores it. It seems to us that we will catch up later. We won’t catch up. The structure of sleep in the morning is completely different; it does not contribute to the development of the brain in a newborn and the full recovery of his parents.

I am often asked “How can a newborn be taught to sleep at night if he wakes up every 2-3-4 hours to eat?” This is the right question, because the child has two main dominants: sleep and food. The ventricle is small, less than 100 ml of food is placed in it, which means that it asks to eat often. We accept these laws of nature without intending to change them. We adapt to them.

Advice from Pampers expert Tatyana Butskaya. Photo: Courtesy of Pampers

From the first weeks of a newborn’s life, parents must live in a day/night rhythm. During the day, the apartment is bright and sunny, the curtains are open, the lamps are on. Nobody whispers or walks on tiptoe. This does not mean that you need to turn on your favorite radio station at full volume. Extremes are not our friends. As well as development methods that are not age appropriate. The abundance of emotional impressions during the day and especially in the evening can lead to crying at night – this is a reaction to excessive nervous tension. Pay more attention to tactile and verbal communication with the newborn. Hug him, kiss him, stroke him, talk to him, sing lullabies. But it is better to leave the lesson on the system of early development with CDs until the moment when the child’s eyes begin to look at the world in an adult way. This will happen closer to the age of one month. Although it is still very, very early to accustom a child to a TV screen and a tablet a month.

Next, learn to recognize REM and NREM sleep. This is not a theory, but a real practice, I’ll tell you why below. So, during REM sleep, the pupils of children actively move, they move their arms and legs, make faces, reproduce sucking movements with their mouths, and make various sounds. In this phase, sometimes the newborn may begin to cry in his sleep. If at this moment you grab the child in your arms and begin to soothe, then the result will be the opposite of what was expected – the baby will wake up. Remember, during REM sleep, it is better not to disturb the child. He will sob a couple of times and fall asleep further.

Babies can also wake up as they transition from one sleep cycle to another. Such momentary awakenings are needed to control the situation – “Is everything okay? Are your parents around? Am I wet? Do I want to eat?” And if the parents rocked the child in their arms, and then put them to sleep in the crib, then after 20-40 minutes the child can wake up, scan the situation and turn on the panic button. In a second, the parents will hear a loud cry. If the situation repeats – motion sickness in the arms, and sleep in the crib, then after a certain short time the child will wake up again. The conclusion is that you don’t want to become hostages of a “manual child” with neurological symptoms caused by frequent microconcussions of the brain – teach your baby to fall asleep in a crib. Sit next to him, hug him, sing a song, but do not take him in your arms. After a couple of weeks, the child will understand that the crib is the norm and will no longer perceive it as an aggressor.

What to do with the hands that live their own lives in newborns and interfere with falling asleep or wake up with a careless movement? First, you need to understand that this is not a pathology and not a feature of your child, but just a congenital Moro reflex. Secondly, you need to swaddle. Though freely, even though only handles, it is better to fix them and let the baby fall asleep than to fight for the freedom and independence of an eternally sleepy child.

Pampers. Photo: Courtesy of Pampers

Tips for young parents:

1. Half an hour before bedtime, dim the lights in all the apartment, turn off the sound on TVs. It should be NIGHT in the apartment. In the children’s room, a night light can be turned on, no more.

2. If dad comes home from work five minutes before the newborn lights out, then this is not a reason for fun games. Dad’s happy face is already an irritant for the child’s nervous system. There are two ways out – either dad tries to come an hour earlier, or kisses the already sleeping baby. There is also the option of communication between a newborn and dad at night, but this option is rarely used, because men need to get enough sleep before a working day. In fact, nursing mothers also need to get enough sleep, and this is the next paragraph.

3. A calm mother is one who sleeps enough. Even taking into account night feedings, you can get enough sleep if you live in the rhythm of a newborn. He fell asleep – you fell asleep, he woke up – you woke up. Usually, 3-4 such intervals are enough for a mother to feel good.

4. When a child wakes up at night, it is necessary not only to feed him, but also to change his diaper. Proper diapers that do not leak, do not irritate the skin, do not cause prickly heat and allergies – this is the key to a healthy sleep for a child. Pampers baby diapers are as soft as silk, as gentle as a mother’s kiss, and will keep your little one awake. If the child peed, then the liquid is distributed over the entire surface of the diaper, if he pooped, then the liquid fraction is immediately absorbed and does not irritate the skin. For children in the first days of life, there are diapers with a slit for the navel, the irritation of which can disrupt the baby’s sleep.

5. When you feed your baby and change a diaper at night, do not turn on the light or go out into another room. Do not speak loudly or play with your child. The processes of feeding and changing clothes should take place in darkness and silence.

6. Newborns should sleep on their back or side. There are special positioners that help keep the child in the correct position. Often parents say “my child, like me, loves to sleep on his stomach.” This is dangerous. The baby can bury his nose in the mattress.

7. Children under 1 year of age should sleep without a pillow.

8. Do not use on newborn duvets. The child may turn unsuccessfully and end up under the covers. If you want to cover the child with a blanket, then knitted is better. Tuck it under the mattress.

9. Avoid overheating the child at night and keep the temperature in the child’s room comfortable for adults, preferably around 20 degrees.

10. Air humidifiers are useful for newborns, because in standard apartments, especially in winter, when the batteries are heated, the humidity is sharply reduced.

In conclusion, I would like to say that sleep problems in a child can be associated not only with disruption of the rhythm of the day or physiological discomfort. Allergic diseases accompanied by itching, colic, tormenting children from birth to 3 months, gastric reflux, iron deficiency anemia, rickets, respiratory malformations – such diagnoses are made by a pediatrician and it also treats them. Any self-treatment, especially on the Internet, is harm and quackery.

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