You hear people say it all the time, “I slept like a baby”. They really have forgotten all about being a new parent. To a new parent, baby sleep is a dream, a hope, and sometimes a glorious reality. Let’s discuss how a baby really sleeps, and how you can help them sleep better.

Those first days home from the hospital are a major challenge. Newborn babies do sleep, it’s just they don’t sleep long, and when they are awake, they require attention. You need to go into these first few weeks with a plan.

New mothers need rest, lots of rest. They have just went through a major physical ordeal, expending more energy than most men can imagine. Their bodies are suddenly going through changes at super speed. Dads, it is time to step up to the plate. During the first week, you need to take charge, and make your wife rest. You need to bring the baby to their mother for nursing. You need to help with comforting the baby. Most importantly, you also need to sleep when you see the baby sleep.

New babies are going to wake up every couple of hours and will need to be nursed. They are eating very small amounts of breast milk, and it only lasts in their tiny stomachs for a short time. As they mature just a little bit, the hours of sleep will begin to increase. You will start enjoying sleep again.

One important item on baby sleep. Until your baby can roll over in both directions easily, probably at 5 to 6 months old, you should always have the baby sleep on their back. The incidence of infant death syndrome is dramatically higher for babies who sleep on their stomach. It simply is not worth the risk.

If you baby has problems going to sleep, there are many techniques you can try. Most very young babies go to sleep much easier if you swaddle them tightly in a receiving blanket. Having their arms and legs comfortably secured gives them a feeling of being back in the womb.

When a baby becomes more alert to your face, you need to become very careful of letting them see your eyes. Many parents notice this trend, if they close their eyes, the baby will too. When a baby sees your bright open eyes, it may decide it is play time and suddenly be wide awake again.

The old saying, “Let a sleeping dog lie”, also applies to your baby. Don’t start moving the baby around, re-wrapping, changing a wet diaper, or other unnecessary things when your baby is asleep. Babies wake up easily, and after even a short nap are ready to go.

Try to work on a pattern for baby sleep. This takes time, and at first your infant may not even go to sleep on schedule. Starting turning out the lights at the same time, quieting the house, and creating a relaxing atmosphere on schedule, will help your baby adjust.

The only sure thing about baby sleep, babies will sleep when they really need it, and not necessarily on your schedule. You will need to learn to get your rest when you can. Don’t worry, as they mature, they will learn to sleep through the night, and those bags under your eyes will fade away.