Understanding your new baby

Understanding your new baby

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Becoming a parent is an amazing experience in so many ways. It is an incredible time in your life. It can also be very demanding, both physically and emotionally. We enter into a dance with our baby, and like any dance it takes practice.  

Learning to understand the signs our baby gives us and discovering how to meet their needs takes time.   

Getting to know your baby

We learn how to parent ‘on the job’. By engaging with your baby, playing with them and sharing cuddles, smiles, laughter and cries, you develop a strong and positive bond.

This special time helps you learn how to communicate and respond to them in ways that work for both you and your baby.   

About crying 

Crying is your baby’s way of communicating. Research has shown that infants cry an average of two to three hours a day. Babies use crying to attract their parents attention and let them know that they need something.  

Your face, your voice, and your cuddles are the tools you have to reassure and respond to your baby when they cry or are unsettled. Keeping them close, using a reassuring voice and smiling as you feed or change them will work wonders. 

It isn’t possible to spoil a newborn. The attention you provide to your baby helps your baby to grow and is an important part of development. 

Babies learn through their senses – touch, vision, hearing, smell, taste and movement – so using those senses to respond will work well.  

As you spend time observing, responding and getting to know your baby, you will soon get better at knowing what they want. It is like any other relationship where we take time to learn what people need.  

A few common reasons why babies cry
  • Hunger: This is the most common reason for crying. A hunger cry is often loud and demanding, as hunger is a drive. Crying will not stop until you feed the baby. Feeding baby may soothe them, almost immediately.  
  • Discomfort: A baby may try to attract your attention after wetting their nappy as it is an uncomfortable feeling. They will also cry when they are too hot or too cold.  
  • Tiredness: The tired cry alerts you that your baby needs to sleep. This cry is like a moan and a grizzle. It can be intermittent at first and then loud and persistent if your baby gets over tired.  
  • Pain: If your baby is in pain or is unwell, crying is often in very high-pitched tones and sounds frantic. This cry is piercing and you will not miss it. See your local doctor for help.  

Use this flowchart to help you find the reasons and possible solutions for crying.  

Want to know more?

Raising Children Network – Newborns (0–3 months) 

Raising Children Network – How to settle a crying baby (video) 

Kidshealth – Communication and your newborn  

Zero to Three – How to support your child’s communication needs

Healthy parents – exercise

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Staying physically active after your baby arrives will benefit both you and your whole family. When you are fit and healthy, your ability to parent well and cope with stressful situations improves.

Try to keep yourself motivated by reminding yourself of the benefits of exercise and make time in your busy parenting schedules to stay on track.   

Returning to exercise after pregnancy

  • Returning to exercise can be challenging as you get used to life with a new baby. Take things slowly as you adjust to any tiredness, mood changes and any physical issues you may be experiencing, like backache or incontinence. 
  • Remember, getting used to exercise again could make you feel even more tired than usual to start with, but stick with it, because within two weeks your fitness and energy levels will increase.   
  • If you had an easy pregnancy and birth you can start light exercise, such as walking, stretching, pelvic floor and abdominal exercises,  immediately.  
  • If you had a difficult birth or caesarean (c-section) it is important to see your doctor or midwife before starting exercise. This is usually at your six week check-up when healing is well underway and your body is getting back to normal.  
  • Your joints will be loose for up to three months after the birth so ease into heavy exercising to avoid injury.  

What type of exercise is safe for new mums? 

  • Walking is a safe start. You can increase your walking intensity and distance as you feel able. Brisk walking for at least 30 minutes on most days is an easy and free way to keep fit. You can walk at any time and your baby, other children and partner can join you. Pram walking is also a good way to settle the baby while getting some fresh air.  
  • Other suitable exercises you can do early are: swimming, light weight training, dancing, cycling, yoga and Pilates.  
  • Heavier exercises, such as running, aerobics, and basketball, increase the risk of injury to your body in the first three months after birth. 
  • Pelvic floor exercises are important to tone and strengthen pelvic floor muscles that may have been weakened by pregnancy. You may want to consider seeing a women’s health physiotherapist. 
  • Your abdominal muscles will be stretched and may have separated during pregnancy. You can start gentle tummy toning exercises but you should wait until the gap between your abdominal muscles is closed before you do strenuous exercises such as sit-ups. Other exercise ideas with pictures can be found in the postnatal exercise pamphlet.  
  • It is important you warm up before any exercise to avoid injury. You should start your warm up with gentle activity then complete some simple muscle stretches.   

Some ideas for you to try

  • If you are nervous about the level of fitness classes, join one for women who have recently given birth. These classes are often run by a physiotherapist. They run at a gentle pace and focus on increasing fitness as well as improving muscle tone and pelvic floor strength. Most are baby friendly and either involve the baby in activities or provide child care.  
  • Invite your partner or friend along for some social contact and to help you both keep fit.  

Exercise when breastfeeding

As long as you drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise, moderate physical activity will not affect the quality or quantity of your breast milk.  

Signs to slow down

  • It is normal to have some muscle soreness the day after starting a new exercise.  
  • Joint and muscle aches or sharp pain are signs to slow down.  
  • Too much exercise can use up your energy leaving you feeling tired and drained of energy for daily life. 
  • Vaginal discharge (lochia) is normal for about a month after birth. Signs that you may be exercising too hard include: an increase in blood flow, a change of colour from pink to red, or if bleeding starts again after stopping. Check with your doctor if you see any of these signs. 
  • Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard. If you are not feeling like exercising one day, then rest or do a lighter activity. Slow down – but don’t give up regular activity.  
  • Eating regularly will help prevent tiredness.   

Want to know more?

The Raising Children Network – Pelvic floor care – in pictures 

Pregnancy, birth and baby – Looking after your body   

 

Healthy parents – sleep and rest

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Your sleep will be interrupted for the first few months after your baby arrives, so it is important for you to look after yourself. Try to sleep when your baby sleeps during the day so you can get some rest.

Most newborns need an adult to help them go to sleep and to settle back to sleep during both day and night. Most babies are more settled at night by 12 weeks of age.  

When you don’t get enough sleep, you may be less able to respond well to your baby and be the parent you are keen to be. Prolonged sleep deprivation will make it harder to manage any anxiety or low moods you may experience.       

Improving your sleep

  • Try to go to your bedroom when you feel tired, close the curtains and switch off the light. Don’t just fall asleep in front of the TV.   
  • Avoid smoking (nicotine) and caffeine – that includes coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate.   
  • Try to drink eight glasses of water each day. If you are dehydrated, you will feel even more tired.  
  • For the stay-at-home parent, take as many short naps as you can through the day. Lots of mini-naps (5 to 30 minutes) are really helpful for tired bodies and can help you get through the tough days and nights. 
  • Accept offers of help from your partner or friends. Ask them to help by watching your baby, making dinner or doing a little housework to allow you to get some extra time to sleep or rest.   

To help you relax before you sleep

If you are tired and find yourself feeling angry, stressed, annoyed or tearful, develop and practice a “calm-down” plan of your own. For example:    

  • Phone a good friend to talk  
  • Keep in touch with friends on social media    
  • Do deep breathing exercises  
  • Get out in the garden or park for a walk and some sunshine  
  • Listen to some of your favourite music  
  • Read a book, magazine or newspaper  

Want to know more?

The Raising Children Network – How to sleep better: for parents  

Healthy parents – eating well

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When you become a parent it is easy to focus all your energy on your little one and forget about looking after yourself. By maintaining your good health, you will be able to be there for your child more.  

Parents are important role models for their children. Research shows that your meal patterns and food choices will shape your child’s food habits and food choices as they grow up.

Focusing on you

Now you are a parent, ensuring that you eat a balanced diet may need more planning and better time management. Your instinct will be to give your child the highest priority, but you may need to make a special effort to pay attention to your own diet and health.  

A good diet helps fuel the energy needed to care for baby. Diet is especially important for those recovering from the demands of pregnancy and birth. A healthy diet helps in returning to pre-pregnancy weight and reduces the risk of weight gain.

Healthy eating tips

  • Eat regularly  
  • Eat a balanced diet  
  • Choose carbohydrates with a low Glycaemic Index  
  • Choose low-fat options  
  • Balance how much you eat with physical activity  
  • Drink plenty of water  

Keep some easy-to-prepare, healthy food in your fridge. For example, fruit, vegetables, cheese, or yoghurt.   

If you are breastfeeding

  • Drink plenty of water 
  • Avoid drinking alcohol 
  • Avoid smoking and other drugs 
  • Monitor caffeine intake 
  • Try to grab a snack every couple of hours rather than skipping meals 
  • Be careful about the mercury content of certain fish  
Diet during breastfeeding
  • During breastfeeding, a woman’s vitamin and mineral needs are up to double the usual requirements. 
  • Breastfeeding uses more energy than during pregnancy.  
  • The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) provides advice about how many serves of the five healthy food groups are needed by breastfeeding women. 
  • Breastfeeding mums need to eat more from all the five food groups, especially fruit, vegetable and protein foods. The Australian Breastfeeding Association has information on the recommended serves of food groups for women during exclusive breastfeeding. 
  • When you introduce solids to your baby, your food needs may begin to decrease. Milk is still the baby’s main source of nutrition for the first year of life.

Want to know more?

The Australian Breastfeeding Association – Breastfeeding information  

The Raising Children Network – Pregnancy health and wellbeing  

 

If the going gets tough

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Many parents say that being a parent is the toughest job they have ever had. We know that having a new baby increases the risk for experiencing stress, anxiety and postnatal depression (PND) in new parents.  

Up to one in every seven new mums in Australia can experience PND, and about half of their partners.   

If you feel that you or your partner may be suffering depression, anxiety or stress, make sure that you talk to each other and to friends and family. The start of PND may be gradual and many people experience it without realising it.   

If you think that it’s not something that you can handle on your own, or with your partner and family, seek professional support. Don’t let things go on for too long.   

Getting advice and information for yourself and your partner is a positive action. Beyondblue have some great resources on emotional health and wellbeing.  

Some facts about postnatal depression (PND)

  • During the first week after birth, up to 80% of new mothers will get the ‘baby blues‘. That means you may feel quite sensitive, teary, have mood swings, feel irritable or anxious. This happens because your body is withdrawing from the placental hormones.   
  • These symptoms usually peak 3 to 5 days after delivery and go away in about two weeks. If your low mood lasts more than two weeks you may be having something more than the baby blues. It could be postnatal anxiety or postnatal depression. It is important for you to talk to your GP or Child Health Nurse as soon as possible.   
  • Anxiety occurs in about one in five women after birth and postnatal depression occurs in 16% of women.  
  • It is also very common to experience postnatal anxiety and postnatal depression at the same time. In fact, in up to 50% of cases these two conditions co-occur.  

Symptoms of PND

There are many ways to treat postnatal depression, but the first step is to know the signs and symptoms and find help. Common symptoms include:

  • Feelings of sadness, anger, tiredness, anxiety, panic and low self-esteem 
  • Sleep problems, low energy, changes in eating habits, lack of interest in everyday activities  
  • Difficulty concentrating or making decisions 
  • Thoughts of running away or hurting your baby   

Not everyone with postnatal depression will experience all these symptoms. If you have been experiencing any of these symptoms for more than a few days, it is best to speak to your doctor.  

Every parent needs to look after themselves whether or not they are experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression.  

Factors contributing to PND

The exact causes of PND are still not known. Some contributing factors might include: 

  • Physical changes: Even an easy birth has major effects on the female body. The sudden drop in pregnancy hormones affects brain chemicals. Broken sleep and exhaustion can also contribute to depression. 
  • Emotional changes: Adjusting to parenthood can be hard. New parents have to deal with the constant demands of a baby, broken sleep, changes in the relationship with their partner, and often the loss of independence.  
  • Social changes: Society puts lots of demands and expectations on new parents, which they may feel they need to live up to. You may find yourself less able to keep up contact with friends and workmates.   

It’s OK to get support

“It takes a village to raise a child”.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help and support in taking care of a new baby and yourself. Identify who you can call on for advice and support, like friends and extended family members and discuss any feelings you may be experiencing with them sooner rather than later.    

Plan for how you can deal with busy times in the household such as meal times, bath and bedtimes, appointments, chores, work times and time out for yourself.  

Make yourself familiar with the places in the community where help might be found, like parent groups, community, child, and parent centres, your local child health professionals or other groups where you will find like-minded people.       

Getting symptoms of depression and anxiety under control can improve your quality of life, overall experience of parenthood and relationship with your new baby. Don’t hesitate to seek help.  

Want to know more?

The Raising Children Network – New mums: the first weeks 

Raising Children Network – Parents: looking after yourself 

Raising Children Network – Grown ups: looking after yourself videos 

Department of Health – Emotional health for new parents 

KEMH – Common emotional problems 

Post Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA): 1300 726 306  

Contact your local child health nurse: 1800 022 222

How newborns sleep

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Sleep is necessary for all of us. It helps our brains and bodies to develop, restore and repair. That’s why growing babies need so much sleep.  

Sleep range

11.8 to 20.5 hours out of 24, although most babies sleep about 15 to 18 hours.

Sleep patterns

Most babies sleep for a one to three hour block.

Awake patterns

Usually tired after one to one and a half hours of awake time. 

Sleep cycles

When we sleep we go through a series of sleep-wake cycles. We become drowsy, fall asleep, move into a deep sleep and then back into light sleep again. This is called a sleep cycle.  

Your baby will start with short sleep cycles of 15 to 20 minutes, but over time these will get longer.  

Within these sleep cycles there are two types of sleep:  

  • REM (rapid eye movement) is light sleep, usually after midnight. 
  • Non-REM is deep sleep, usually before midnight. 

REM sleep is very important for your baby’s brain development and learning.  

Your baby will spend 50% to 75% of their sleep in REM. As your baby sleeps their brain is sorting out what has happened during the day. It orders memories and stores them in the right parts of the brain so the information can be remembered. Your baby can be easily woken during REM sleep.  

When your baby is in deep non-REM sleep, they will lie quite still, breathe deeply and be difficult to wake. If woken they may be upset or confused. 

The key to longer sleeps is to help your baby link their sleep cycles. 

By helping your baby to self-soothe and settle they will learn to link their sleep cycles for longer periods of time. When we repeat routines of soothing and resettling, babies begin to learn that these are signs to sleep.   

A baby’s daily routine of feeding and sleep will mature over time. Babies have different abilities to settle themselves so you will need to get to know what help your baby might need to link their sleep cycles.    

Melatonin is the hormone that makes us tired and helps us to differentiate night and day, as the sun goes down we begin to produce melatonin. The release of melatonin is regulated by our circadian rhythm, the cycle that our body becomes accustomed to for our day and night routine. So maintaining the quiet, darkened space for your baby to sleep helps them maintain this rhythm.  

Newborn sleep routines

As your baby grows, sleep patterns will change. From stage to stage, you will adapt and find ways to help your baby settle. There is no quick fix, but in time your baby will develop the ability to self-soothe.  

Up to six months of age, most babies wake two to three times a night for a feed. Breastfed babies may wake more often.  

Sleeping patterns often change at the same time as major milestones. Babies are growing and learning fast in their first year. This influences their sleep and waking. When your baby starts to roll over, crawl or has a growth spurt you may notice a change in their sleep routine.  

A return to night waking after periods of sleeping through the night is normal. This is usually linked with a leap in brain development and processing new things they have learnt. Teething and illness or a change in the sleeping environment will also affect their sleep.  

Average Sleep Patterns

The average sleep patterns from newborn to four years of age is represented in our sleep chart: Average Sleep by Age.

Want to know more?

Raising Children Network – About newborn sleep 

Raising Children Network – About sleep

Frequently asked questions

How much will my baby sleep?

The amount of sleep that babies need varies from child to child. The amount will decrease over the first three months and then stabilise during their first 12 months. 

My baby doesn’t sleep at night!

Don’t worry, your baby will quickly learn to respond to the patterns of light and dark, night and day rhythms. Some babies need more help than others. 

A 6- to 12 month old baby may wake repeatedly at night. This is due to a number of factors and is quite normal. Mainly they are overcoming their anxiety of being separated from you, and are learning to become more independent.  

When will my baby have a sleep routine?

It may take up to 14 weeks – as their brain develops – for babies to start a pattern of responding to changes in night and day rhythms. You will help them to develop a routine with soothing, settling and sleep cues. 

Your baby’s routine may be affected by factors in their environment. The Raising Children Network has further information on light and noise at sleeptime. 

The act of going to sleep is one of your baby’s first experiences of being apart from you. Considering this, it’s easier to understand if they are wakeful. This is a normal developmental stage. Your consistent responsiveness will make your child feel secure and trusting – you are not ‘spoiling’ your child. 

Settling your baby to sleep

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Being able to settle off to sleep is a learned skill for most babies. Our job as parents is to help our baby to make a smooth transition.  

There will be crying and fussing while they are learning. Your baby needs you to respond for comfort and reassurance so that they feel secure and loved. 

Settling into rhythms

At about four months of age, babies begin to establish their awake and asleep rhythms. This is the time to begin to establish day/night bedtime routines. 

Crying is to be expected and distressed crying can occur for several hours a day. It will often peak when your baby is about six weeks old but usually lessens after this time.   

It takes time for you to get to know the different cries and your baby’s individual body language.

All babies cry

No one response fits all types of cries. Try and observe your baby’s body language and listen to the cries to work out which response will work best for you. 

Holding a crying baby over your shoulder for a prolonged period can be hard work. It is very loud and can add to your own stress levels.  

  • Place pressure on your baby’s abdomen by laying him/her across your knees, or along your forearm. 
  • Slow your own breathing down-this sometimes helps to settle a distressed baby and helps you remain calm as you learn about what your baby needs  
  • Try the “C” position. Hold your baby upright. Face them outwards so the back of his or her head lies against your chest. Draw baby’s knees up to his/her abdomen so he is in the foetal position. 
  • A change of scenery can help – head out into the garden. 
  • Use a baby sling. Ensure baby’s face is not covered or buried in sling. 
  • Pat or rock baby (ensure slow and rhythmic movement). 
  • Hold baby upright for a short period of time following a feed. 
  • Massage with circular motion, clockwise on baby’s back or abdomen.  
  • Take baby for a walk in the pram. 
  • Cuddle baby: try skin-to-skin contact or lay down with baby. 
  • Sing to baby: rhythmic nursery rhymes, songs or stories . 

Believe in yourself and trust your own judgement – all babies cry.   

Waking up

Waking regularly during day and night sleeps is common. This may be a sign that your baby does not know how to settle without you. 

You can also try a consistent gentle touch, rocking the cot or singing a lullaby or putting on their regular going to sleep music. 

Research shows that babies about four months old who are placed in a cot while drowsy are better able to self-soothe both at the beginning and between sleep cycles. 

Some babies need more adult support to calm and settle. It is normal for your baby to need a number of attempts to settle depending on their age, health and level of tiredness. 

“Controlled crying”

You may have heard of “controlled crying” or “controlled comforting” as a way to change how babies settle. This can mean different things to different people.

At Ngala we promote gentle settling and we do not agree with leaving babies to cry themselves to sleep.  

Babies are sensitive to the nurturing they receive from caregivers. Newborns as young as six weeks of age become distressed if their relationships with caregivers are non-responsive. 

Responding to a crying baby makes them feel secure. It is important to support babies as they learn to self-settle to sleep. 

Want to know more?

Raising Children Network –Newborn sleep 

Raising Children Network – Patting and settling technique to help babies sleep 

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby – Sleep and settling

Frequently asked questions

My baby wakes up after being put in the cot. How do I get my baby back to sleep?

If your baby falls asleep being rocked in the comfort of your arms, close to your heartbeat and then wakes up in bed alone, it’s probably a bit of a shock.  

When your baby falls asleep in your arms or during a feed, aim to wake them just enough so that they are aware of their surroundings as they go off to sleep; maybe check their nappy. This will help to reduce the anxiety of waking in a strange place. 

If your baby wakes frequently or soon after you try to put them down, you may need to look at the following: 

  • How long have they been awake? 
  • What are you doing to help them get to sleep? 
  • What could you do less of to get your baby to sleep? 

Walking during pregnancy

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Walking is a fantastic, free way to maintain your health. Thirty minutes of brisk walking on most days is all you need to stay in good health. There’s no need to sign up for expensive exercise classes to get fit, all you need are some comfortable shoes and clothing. 

Walking regularly will help keep you toned, help maintain a healthy weight, and keep a positive mind-set. It also helps to prevent chronic disease such as diabetes. 

How to start a walking regime

  • A good long term goal is to walk for 45 minutes every day. If you are a beginner, this may need to be achieved slowly. Consistency is the key. 
  • Set some time-oriented goals. Complete these at a comfortable pace, though you should be breathing slightly heavily and working up a sweat. Do a “talk test,” where you should be able to talk comfortably while still exerting yourself. Moderate-intensity when walking is a safe exertion level when pregnant. If you are feeling short of breath or light-headed you are pushing yourself too hard. The aim of exercise is to get your blood pumping and muscles working enough to tone-up and release the ‘happy hormones’ without causing any specific body aches and pains. 
  • A pedometer is an easy way to count your steps during the day. Adults, including pregnant women, should aim for 10,000 steps per day.  

 How to continue a walking regime

  • Set achievable goals. 
  • Change the routes and locations for variation to keep you interested. 
  • Walk for purpose when you can e.g. to the shop, school or work. You could also train for the next fun-run event!  
  • Find a walking buddy. Studies have shown that people who exercise together are more likely to maintain consistency.  
  • Find a walking group which is a great way to stay fit and build up a new support network. 
  • Ask friends or people at your antenatal class, local recreation centre or find a group close-by through the Heart Foundation. 
  • Listen to music that makes you feel like moving. 

Want to know more?  

Baby Center – Great pregnancy exercise: walking 

Tired signs and cues

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Your newborn baby may be tired after just one hour of being awake. Generally, babies under three months of age will be awake for only one to one and a half hours at a time. 

Common signs of tiredness

There are many signs you can looks for that might mean your baby is getting tired. These include:

  • grizzling 
  • low repetitive tone 
  • disengaging 
  • clenched fists 
  • yawning
  • rubbing eyes or ears 
  • change of face skin colour 
  • arching back 
  • jerky movements 
  • having difficulty focusing or going cross-eyed 
  • sucking fingers as a way of self soothing to sleep 

How babies express their needs

Your baby will signal to you that they: 

  • want affection from a caregiver (engagement cues) or 
  • have had enough of a situation (disengagement cues). 
When your baby wants to ‘engage’ with you they may:  
  • reach out to you 
  • make eye contact 
  • be still or smoothly move their arms and legs 
  • smile 
  • have their hands open 
  • cry 
When a baby is tired and wants to ‘disengage’ they may:  
  • be irritable
  • turn their head away 
  • cough  
  • arch their back 
  • move jerkily 
  • yawn 
  • breathe faster
  • frown 
  • hiccup 
  • stick out their tongue 
  • show a change in facial skin colour 

Your baby may give mixed cues when they are stressed or tired. The main thing is to be sensitive to their needs. You will gradually learn what most of their cues mean, and will be able to respond promptly and sensitively to meet their needs. 

Want to know more? 

Raising Children Network – Tired signs in babies and toddlers 

Raising Children Network – Baby and toddler cues in pictures 

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby – Sleep and settling your baby    

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when my baby is tired?

When your baby becomes tense, frowns and clenches their fists after being calm and content, they are showing tired signs. This will progress to a grizzle and cry. 

You may also notice that your baby is not keen on feeding when they are tired. They may also disengage from your attempts to have eye contact or chat. 

When you see these signs within an hour of your baby’s wake time, it is time to settle your baby. 

Sleep and growing brains

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At birth a full term baby’s brain weighs about 400 grams and has around 100 billion brain cells.  

The brain develops in a particular order; the brain stem is the least complex and develops first and is fairly mature at birth. The brain stem controls basic functions such as heart rate, temperature, sucking and digestion. The limbic system matures next, which is responsible for sleep, appetite, emotions and the ability to form attachment.  

By the time they are 3 years of age the brain weighs 1100 grams! The increase is size and weight can be attributed to the connections that are forming in the brain and good nutrition.  

New connections

Every experience your baby has is new and is forming a new connection in the brain. It is exhausting which is why your new baby needs so much sleep. When babies sleep they rehearse their new learnt skills. 

All those nappy changes and feeds provide a wonderful opportunity to form connections in the brain. Much of what a baby needs for brain development occurs within relationships with other people.  

  • Talk to your baby while you feed.  
  • Chat and ask questions when you change a nappy.  
  • Talk about what you are doing- while it might feel awkward at first you will get better at it and enjoy the response you get from your baby. 

REM sleep and brain development

Sleep is important for healthy brain development and creativity. Sleep helps the brain to form patterns and lays down memories from and about experiences. Sleep improves motor and perceptual skills. 

Over the last ten years researchers have tried to provide insight about the developmental functions of sleep. During the late foetal stage and early weeks after birth, there is a high percentage of REM sleep. This is a critical period in brain growth, function and maturing. During REM sleep, experiences and activities are consolidated in the brain. 

Circadian rhythms are those natural signals in our bodies that tell us when to eat and sleep. Circadian rhythms are not developed in babies until they are four to six months old. As a result, babies can become hungry or tired at any time of the day or night. With regular and repeated cues from an adult, babies learn to understand the experience and begin to form a feed, play, sleep pattern. 

Babies encode memories during REM sleep. Their memories are the ones formed through the senses. They include the sound of their parents’ voice and smell, the sounds of home, the warm sensation of being cuddled and repetitive experiences of being responded to when they cry. 

Researchers suggest that by day ten, your baby can remember the way you smell. At one month they can remember when they are fed and come to expect to be fed at that time. 

What can parents do?

  • Tune in to baby’s tired signs to avoid overstimulation and help them sleep. 
  • Help to resettle to sleep if they wake after a short sleep cycle. 
  • Warm and responsive parenting helps babies feel safe and calm. This helps to form positive memories through their senses and daily experiences while they sleep. 
  • Babies also learn routine by regular cues from parents in the way they are settled to sleep. Pat, rock and stroke your baby to calm them. Stop calming them when they are quiet but still awake so they learn to fall asleep during this calm state by themselves. 
  • Keep the light dim during sleep times as the sleep hormone melatonin level is dependent on the amount of light. Keep household noises normal as babies become familiar with these sounds and it helps them to feel secure. 

Want to know more?

The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne – Brain Builder