Having a new baby means watching him/her sleep and wondering if the baby is oversleeping or is sleepy enough. It is quite understandable to have such concern, however, babies ought to have a lot of sleep for their development. In this article, let’s dive into seven real and legitimate reasons why your baby may be sleeping so much and what you ought to do.
Table of Content:
- How Much Should a Newborn Baby Sleep
- Why Do Babies Sleep So Much?
- Baby Sleeping Too Much Suddenly
- Baby Sleeps Too Much: Medical Conditions
- How to Respond to Your Baby’s Sleep Patterns
- References
How Much Should a Newborn Baby Sleep?
To properly analyze the causes of too much sleep in babies, one must first know how many hours of sleep is normal in babies. Newborns are known to sleep 14 to 17 hours a day; a single period of sleep could range from half an hour to 4 hours. This sleep pattern is vital for their fast growth and healthy development of the brain in particular.
But of course every baby is different, and some babies sleep more and some sleep less than the average. This is because the mum knows the baby better than anyone else in the house and if the baby is eating well, gaining weight like other babies of similar age and range up and down like babies that are of the same age, then the baby’s sleep pattern is normal.
Why Do Babies Sleep So Much?
Babies sleep a lot because their organs and brains are developing rather intensively. During sleep, babies:
- Process new information and consolidate memories
- Produce growth hormones
- Develop their immune systems
- Conserve energy for rapid growth
Babies require sleep and therefore, it is expected that they spend the majority of their time sleeping.
Baby Sleeping Too Much Suddenly:
If you notice a sudden increase in your baby’s sleep, it could be due to several factors:
- Growth Spurt: Infants’ sleep is relevant to their development and therefore, the probable growth spurt of babies in the first year may result in an increase in the amount of time they spend asleep.
- Illness: An accompanying child, battling an infection, may sleep more because the body is attempting to use as little energy as possible.
- Overstimulation: If your baby has had a particularly active day, they might need extra sleep to recover.
- Environmental Changes: Sleep patterns are likely to be interrupted by a change in home or normal daily activities.
Although these causes are often innocuous, it is always recommended to seek your baby’s pediatrician’s advice if you observe a new pattern of sleeping habits within the kid.
Baby Sleeps Too Much: Medical Conditions
On the other hand, one may spend too much time in bed and still not get enough rest, occasionally sleep too much, which may indicate some physical illness. Some potential issues include:
- Jaundice:
- Sleep Apnea:
- Hypothyroidism:
- Heart or Breathing Issues:
What may manifest with jaundice in newborns is that the baby will sleep more than normal and at times, the baby may be quite hard to wake to feed.
How to Respond: If it is certain that the problem is jaundice, then, one should seek the services of a pediatrician immediately. They may recommend more frequent feedings or phototherapy treatment.
Though not very frequent in infants, sleep apnea may lead to excessive sleeping in the daytime.
How to Respond: These are some of the features that should be looked at for snoring or pause in breathing or even if the child is restless at night. For this if you notice any of these symptoms you should make sure to visit your doctor for examination.
This condition may also result to a lot of sleeping during the day as well as shortage in height in children and dwarfs in the case of adults.
How to Respond: If you notice other symptoms like constipation, cold sensitivity, or poor weight gain, ask your pediatrician about thyroid testing.
Very occasionally, sleep that is more than necessary can be a symptom of heart or lung conditions.
How to Respond: In case your baby is sleepy, does not want to eat or has trouble breathing, consult your doctor.
It is, however, important to note that while these conditions are not very common they do exist and one should consult a pediatrician should there be any suspicion.
How to Respond to Your Baby’s Sleep Patterns:
Now that we’ve covered the reasons why your baby might be sleeping a lot, here are some tips on how to respond:
- Keep a Sleep Log:
- Ensure Proper Feeding:
- Create a Sleep-friendly Environment:
- Encourage Active Awake Time:
- Trust Your Instincts:
- Be Patient:
- Enjoy the Quiet Moments:
Monitor the pattern of sleep of your baby that you need for helping you to know the individual habits of your baby that may also include any irregularities.
Just because your baby is sleeping through the night or is not waking up frequently to eat, do not be quick to conclude that he or she is well fed. This is especially good for the first few weeks; wake them up for what will be feedings.
Try and rule out any disturbances to your baby’s sleep, and make sure your child’s sleeping environment is cozy, sleep aid, and within the ideal temperature range.
The complete schedule should be- during the awake period, carry out various activities to encourage growth and development of the baby and also to stimulate their circadian rhythm.
If for any reason there is a discomfort that strikes sparks in your mind regarding your pediatrician, do not hesitate to seek his help. They can offer rather detailed recommendations that have to do with your child’s individual needs.
What may sound like over-sleeping at the present may be healthy sleeping for your baby according to his or her age.
You might be anxious, you can however be happy when your baby is fast asleep. It is time to charge yourself and have a break from work and from all of the exhausting activities.
To sum it up, it is utterly acceptable for babies to take many naps and parents should always be aware and in constant check of their infants. Thus, familiarizing with the causes of your baby’s sleeping behavior and the proper ways to deal with it will help your child get the required amount of sleep to develop effectively. I must stress the point that no two babies are the same and as such some methods may not favor some babies. Don’t over-analyse situations, be informed and don’t be afraid to consult with professionals from time to time.
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References:
- https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/default.aspx
- https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=newborn-sleep-patterns-90-P02632
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/infant-sleep/art-20045014
- https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-much-sleep-do-babies-need
- https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/sleep-and-your-baby.html
