The average newborn baby sleeps much of the day and night, waking only for feedings every few hours. It is often hard for new parents to know how long and how often a newborn should sleep.
Unfortunately, there is no set schedule at first and many newborns have their days and nights confused. They think they are supposed to be awake at night and sleep during the day.
Generally, newborns sleep about 8 to 9 hours in the daytime and about 8 hours at night. Most babies do not begin sleeping through the night (6 to 8 hours) until at least 3 months of age, or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds.
However, this varies considerably and some babies do not sleep through the night until closer to 1 year. Newborns and young infants have small stomachs and must wake every few hours to eat.
In most cases, your baby will awaken and be ready to eat about every 3 hours. How often your baby will eat depends on what he or she is being fed and his or her age. Make sure you talk with your doctor to determine if it is necessary to wake a baby for feedings.
Watch for changes in your baby's sleep pattern. If your baby has been sleeping consistently, and suddenly is waking, there may be a problem such as an ear infection. Some sleep disturbances are simply due to changes in development or because of overstimulation.
About video: It is normal for newborns to sleep up to 20 hours in every 24, although not all babies will sleep this much. In the following short film Dr Carol Cooper explains sleeping patterns in your newborn baby and when should your baby sleep.
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