Sleep promotes sleep and it is a fallacy to think that if you keep your baby awake all day he will sleep better at night. The reverse is actually true.

In these early weeks a baby is very portable and can usually sleep in any room. It is very important to watch for his tired signs and anticipate that they will occur. At this early age tired signs begin about one to one and half hours after they wake.

A newborn will usually wake when he is hungry, so nurse him straight away. You can always change his diaper part way through the feed. This will wake him up if he is falling asleep to ensure he completes a full feed.

Some babies are sleepy day and night during the first two weeks. If you have a sleepy baby during the day, ensure that you wake him for a feed every three hours. This will help him establish his day/night rhythm as well as providing him with the required nutrients for growth.

Back: Night Waking

By Jan Murray from www.settlepetal.com Co-author of Caring for your newborn: How to enjoy the first 60 days as a new mom