A Newborn Routine That Works Every Time
A day in the life of a newborn :-
5-minute read
Newborn babies seem to mostly sleep, eat, cry and poo. But as you and your baby get to know each other and bond in your early days together, your day will also involve cuddling and playtime. All babies are different — their eating and sleeping patterns often change, and it may take some time for them to settle into a routine.
You may prefer that your day-to-day activities follow what your newborn does. Alternatively, you may like to start to establish a very simple routine. Either way, your baby and you will begin to settle into a daily pattern of sleeping, feeding and playing.
Sleeping-
Newborns spend most of their time sleeping between feeds. Each sleep period is around 2 to 3 hours. However, your baby may start to stir after 40 minutes and may need your help to settle back into sleep again. In a 24-hour period, they may be asleep for 16 hours.
Your baby cannot tell the difference between sleeping during the day and night, and will probably wake for feeds 2 to 3 times during the night. Once your baby is a month old, they may start sleeping for longer periods at night, and from 3 to 6 months they may sleep for 4 to 5 hours at a time.
Because a newborn's sleep patterns change regularly, it is a good idea in the first few months to take it slowly and remain flexible.
Feeding-
Whether you choose to breastfeed or bottle feed, your baby will need about 6 to 8 feeds in a 24-hour period, for a total of around 2 to 5 hours a day. Breast milk is easily digested, so if you are breastfeeding, your baby may even feed up to 12 times a day.
At certain times, your baby may feed very frequently, which is called cluster feeding. After the cluster feed, they might have a longer sleep.
If you want to calculate the time between feeds, you should work out the time from the beginning of the last feed, not the end.
As well as providing your baby with the important nutrition that they need to grow, feeding your newborn is a great way to have some cuddle time.
Cuddling and playing-
Making time for cuddling and play time with your baby as part of your daily activities is important for their growth and development. The key is to interact with your newborn, rather than giving them games and toys. Ideas for playing include:
* making eye contact, smiling and talking
* singing nursery rhymes
* taking your baby for a walk
* reading or telling them a story
* making faces
* blowing raspberries
Other play ideas include:
** giving your baby different things to look at and feel while talking to them
** giving your baby supervised tummy time each day
** making sounds
** giving your baby a massage
For some babies, play time might simply involve cuddling or having a quiet stretch and kick on a blanket. Some may want only 10 minutes play at one time, while others may prefer longer. It is best to pay attention to your baby's behaviour; if they seem upset or unsettled, they may be frightened, tired or overwhelmed. If so, try a quieter activity later on. Alternatively, you may notice from their behaviour that they are getting tired and need to sleep.
Crying-
Sometimes it seems as if your baby is always crying! This is normal and is a way for your newborn to communicate with you.
About 1 in 10 babies cry more than 3 hours a day. You may find that your newborn cries more in the afternoon or early evening than at other times.
When your baby is crying, check if they are hungry, tired or uncomfortable. They may need feeding, settling to sleep, a clean nappy, or your baby could be too hot or cold. They could be frightened, needing a cuddle, excited or overtired.
As you get to know your baby better, you will start to recognise different types of cries and what they mean. Responding to your baby's crying is an important part of trust and bonding.
Other activities-
Part of your daily routine will also involve regularly changing nappies and washing your baby.
What routines can I start with my newborn
It helps to remain flexible with newborns. However, you might choose to start doing simple things with your baby in a similar order when it comes to sleeping, feeding and playing:
* when your baby wakes from a sleep, offer them a feed
* in the middle of, or at the end of the feed, change your baby's nappy
* have cuddle, talk and play time
* settle your baby down to sleep
At night you may prefer to skip play time and simply try to settle them back to sleep.
You should do what you feel is best for you and your baby, but seek advice if you are not sure. Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to talk to a maternal child health nurse.
Whats a good schedule for a newborn?
