Sleep Guide for Parents with 1 Month Old Babies

As a new parent, one of the most common concerns is understanding and managing your baby's sleep. At just one month old, your little one is still adjusting to life outside the womb, and sleep plays a crucial role in their growth and development. Here’s what you need to know about your 1-month-old’s sleep needs.

How Much Sleep Does a 1-Month-Old Need?

At one month old, babies typically need about 17 hours of sleep within a 24-hour period. Your baby’s sleep will be spread out over several naps, typically around 2 hours long, followed by some potentially longer periods of sleep overnight, this could be 3-4 hour stretches. These sleep patterns can seem fragmented and short, but are entirely normal and can reflect your baby's need to feed frequently, especially overnight.

Understanding Your Baby’s Sleep Patterns

Newborns, including 1-month-olds, do not have a fully developed circadian rhythm, the internal body clock that helps us distinguish between day and night. As a result, their sleep patterns can start to become irregular and unpredictable. Over the next few months, as your baby’s circadian rhythm begins to develop, you may notice more defined sleep-wake cycles. You can also assist your little one's circadian rhythm by taking steps to differentiate day and night for them. This would look like:

• not letting them nap for more than 2 hours at a time during the day
• having their awake periods in natural light
• using a very dark room for naps and night sleep (no nightlights!)
• keeping night wakes/feeds quiet, dark and "sleepy"

During the first month, it’s also common for your baby to have a mix of deep sleep and lighter sleep stages. You may observe that your baby is more likely to wake easily during light sleep stages. This can lead to frequent awakenings throughout the day and night if something is bothering your baby, such as wind, hunger, being too hot or cold, or being unswaddled.

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Signs Your Baby Needs Sleep

At this age, it can sometimes be challenging to recognize when your 1-month-old is tired, especially since their cues can be subtle. It is a good idea to work off both your baby's cues and also off the clock to know when to put your baby down for a nap. At one month old, babies should only be awake for 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 40 between naps. If they're awake longer than this they will quickly become overtired and very difficult to settle. On the flip side, if you are still aiming for very newborn sleep patterns with your baby and are trying to put them to sleep much earlier than this, they might be resisting settling or only napping for short periods because they simply weren't perfectly ready for sleep yet. (Yes, that's totally a thing!) 

In addition to keeping an eye on how long your baby has been awake for, look out for signs such as:

• Yawning: A classic sign of sleepiness.
• Fussiness or irritability: Babies may become cranky when they are overtired.
• Rubbing eyes or face: Another common indicator of fatigue.
• Staring into space or losing interest: If your baby suddenly seems disinterested in their surroundings, it may be time for a nap.

Creating a Sleep-Friendly Environment

While your baby’s sleep patterns are still developing, there are steps you can take to create a soothing environment that encourages restful sleep, both during the day and at night:

• Establish a calm bedtime routine: Even at this early age, a simple routine can signal to your baby that it’s time to sleep. This could include dimming the lights, playing soft music, or giving them a gentle massage.
• Keep the sleep space safe and comfortable: Ensure your baby’s crib is free of any loose bedding, pillows, or toys that could pose a safety risk. The room your baby sleeps in should be kept as dark as possible, at a comfortable temperature, and white noise should be used to both soothe your baby and to mask household sounds.
• Encourage day and night differentiation: During the day, keep the room bright and engage with your baby during wakeful periods. At night, keep lights low and interactions quiet to help your baby begin to recognize the difference between day and night.
• Swaddle your baby for all sleeps: This is the oldest sleep trick in the book (for good reason). Swaddling helps your little one to feel snug and secure, activating their parasympathetic nervous system and initiating a calming reflex. Swaddled babies sleep better.

Feeding and Sleep

At one month old, babies need to feed frequently, often every 2 to 3 hours. This need for regular feeding means that your baby will likely wake several times during the night. While this can be tiring for parents, it’s important to remember that these frequent feedings are essential for your baby’s growth and development.

Over time, as your baby grows and their stomach capacity increases, they will start to go longer between feedings, which can help them sleep for longer stretches at night.

If your little one is waking more at night for milk, then sleeping longer stretches during the day and waking less, it could be that they have their days and nights mixed up. Try waking them from their naps in the day so that they're sleeping no longer than 2 hours at a time, and encourage big feeds during their awake periods.  This should help their circadian rhythm start to differentiate night from day and you should see some longer stretches of sleep overnight.

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What to Expect Moving Forward

As your baby continues to grow, their sleep needs and patterns will evolve. By around 3 to 4 months, you can start to notice longer stretches of sleep at night and more predictable nap patterns during the day. But don't get comfortable! Baby sleep is constantly changing and it is important to keep on top of that development so you know how to best support your baby to sleep well.

Final Thoughts

Understanding your 1-month-old baby’s sleep needs can help you provide the care and support they need during these early weeks. While the frequent wake-ups and irregular sleep patterns can be challenging, it’s a temporary phase that will eventually give way to more regular sleep cycles - and you can always take a more active approach to helping your little one start to regulate their sleep patterns. The goal at this age is to focus on gently setting up great sleep habits, creating a comforting sleep environment and getting to know your baby’s cues, knowing that each step and each day brings you closer to a more settled routine.

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