Do Newborns Have Their Days & Night Mixed Up?

Newborns are known to wake-up in the middle of the night for a feeding and hopefully drift back to sleep with relative ease. Much to the chagrin of some new parents, their "bundle of joy" seems to be nocturnal. When a newborn mixes up his days and nights he's experiencing what is referred to as day-night reversal , explains HealthyChildren.org, a website published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Backward sleeping infants will eventually figure out that nighttime is sleep time but in the mean time parents may experience chronic sleep deprivation.

  1. Significance

    • No newborn understands the difference between night and day, but infants who have their days and nights mixed up tend to sleep more during the day and are raring to go when the sun goes down. Newborns typically sleep at least 16 hours in a 24 hour period -- usually only a few hours in one stretch since they need to be fed frequently, explains MayoClinic.com. A more predictable or normal sleep schedules usually falls into place once a baby is able to go longer between feedings.

    Promoting Regular Sleep Habits

    • A newborn's upside down sleep habits are temporary although it may seem like an eternity while you wait for them to sync up more closely with your natural sleep schedule. You may be able to help move things in the right direction sooner rather than later by creating an atmosphere that clearly distinguishes night from day. For example, don't engage in play with your baby at the end of the day. Instead limit your nighttime interactions to feeding, changing, and comforting when needed. Talking in a soft voice and using dim lights may also help. When your baby is awake during the day encourage her to be active by playing, singing and talking.

    Additional Tips

    • Don't feel compelled to tip toe around the house so as not to wake-up your daytime sleeper. Place your infant in busy areas of the house where the television is on or music is playing. Feel free to talk on the phone. Wake your baby during the day when you need to run errands. Your baby may doze off during the car ride home but she's learning that daytime is meant for activity not sleep (See Reference 1.)

    Considerations

    • There is light at the end of the sleep-reversal tunnel. By mid-year nighttime stretches of nine to 12 hours of sleep are possible. That said it's also important to take into account your baby's biologically programming. If your infant was born to be a night owl or an early bird, it may be in your and your baby's best interest to tweak schedules and routines to help accommodate his natural sleep patterns. For example, if your little one is high energy during the evening allow him to stay up a little later than you would an infant who's at the top of his game early in the day.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Is there anything you can do to increase your chance of conceiving a baby boy?
      I understand youre curious about increasing the chance of having a baby boy. However, its important to remember that there is no scientifically proven method to guarantee the sex of a child. While some old wives tales and folk remedies exist, none h
    • Can a baby be born with gonorrhea?
      Yes, a baby can be born with gonorrhea. This is called congenital gonorrhea. Heres why it happens and the potential consequences:* Transmission: Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, the bacteria can
    • How long is a baby at 4 months premature?
      Its impossible to give a specific length for a baby born 4 months premature without more information. Heres why:* Gestational age matters: A baby born 4 months premature (at 28 weeks) will be significantly smaller than a baby born 4 months premature