Your baby arrives home in a newly-fitted carseat but, once inside, must be laid to sleep on their back. At this stage, they’ll usually be waking every 2-3 hours to feed and stay alert for a bit before drifting off again. A newborn’s stomach in the very early days is marble-sized meaning they need to feed often. Their brain grows while their body’s at rest. Your newborn won’t need a lot of entertainment, the world is still pretty astonishing and there’s lots for them to process when they’re awake. Always offer milk if you think they might be hungry, if they don’t feed properly before sleep they’ll wake up again after a short spell.

When can I begin a sleep routine for my newborn?

In the first days your baby will be with you all the time, around the house in the day and in your room with you at night. They won’t be ready to sleep through the night for several weeks or to engage in a proper sleep schedule until about three months but you can try to establish a routine, such as a bath or wash followed by a feed, before putting them down. You and your partner can tell stories, sing lullabies or try a white noise machine. It’s also a good idea to start getting them used to light and darkness - so lots of daylight during the day and keep things darker in the evenings and overnight to help their circadian rhythm (or natural body clock), which isn’t fully formed until your bundle of joy is around 3 months old.

How can I get my baby to sleep?

Babies aren’t born knowing how to put themselves to sleep, this is learned behaviour and will take some time. They like being rocked to sleep, and in the early days you and your partner would usually oblige. After four to six weeks, it’s good for them to try going to sleep on their own. Put them down in the cot awake so they can learn to do this. Once a baby learns to fall asleep by themself, they are more likely to do it when they wake during the night (which we all do regualrly throughout the night, even as adults), unless they need milk. Swaddling can help your baby feel secure and settle them but not all babies like it.

How do I know if my baby is tired?

Babies are typically very good at signposting their need to sleep, from rubbing their eyes to yawning or becoming fussy or agitated. If they’re crying, hunger is the no.1 reason but sleep is always a close second at this stage.

Should I use a dummy?

These can be controversial but a dummy used purely for sleep can really help soothe some babies. If you want to use them, consider taking one in your hospital bag and start while you’re in recovery. To establish it as a sleep-only tool, try keeping it in the cot or Moses basket. If your baby wakes every time they spit their dummy out and you’re going in multiple times a night to put it back in, it’s time to take the dummy away completely. This ‘cold turkey’ approach – as well as powering through a bit of crying and fussing– saves you time and sleep.

Where should my newborn sleep?

Your baby can sleep in a carrycot or Moses basket, or in a cot. You should consider placing their cot near your bed for more convenient breastfeeding and parent contact for the first six months. If you buy a cot secondhand, buy a new mattress as there is a possible link between toxic bacteria in second hand mattresses and cot death.

What are the right bedclothes to buy?

Lightweight sleeping bags without hoods are safe for newborns from 7lbs (3kg) and are designed to be worn alone, with your baby wearing a vest or sleepsuit. They are considered safer than blankets because babies can’t wriggle beneath them and get stuck. Never put your baby in a sleeping bag that is too big as they can slide down and overheat or struggle to breathe.

What are the safe sleeping rules for newborns?

Always put your baby on their back for every sleep, day and night, as the chance of SIDS is particularly high for babies who are sometimes placed on their front or side. Do this even if your baby has reflux unless told otherwise by a medical professional. Don’t worry about them choking on vomit. Babies turn their heads to the side when they’re sick, even during sleep.

Stuffed toys pose a suffocation risk. Keep them out of your baby’s cot or basket until they are at least a year old.

Do not allow smoking in your home. Smoking in pregnancy increases the risk of cot death by 40% and smoking in a house where a baby lives increases this risk by a frightening 80%.

Don’t let your baby overheat. Too cool is better than too hot overdressing your baby can be dangerous as at a young age they are not terribly good at regulating their own body temperature.

Don’t sleep with your baby in your bed. If you feel strongly about co-sleeping, use a co-sleeping cot that latches onto your bed. This will give your baby space and protection while keeping them close to you.

Don’t fall asleep on a sofa or chair while holding your baby.

Breastfed babies are at lower risk of cot death. We’re not sure exactly why, but research shows it to be protective.

Is it normal for my baby to make noise at night?

Yes! Many first-time parents are surprised by their baby’s nighttime symphony of snuffles and grunts. It will be hard not to worry at first. Their airways were filled with fluid while in the womb and although most of this clears with their first breaths, there can be a lot of coughing, sputtering and sneezing in the early days as they attempt to clear it. Although the sounds are troubling, babies are really very good at clearing their airways and don’t usually need help with this.

What if my baby appears to be sleeping for too long?

It’s normal for newborns to sleep up to 18 hours a day, often in 2-3 hour bursts. Newborns who sleep for longer stretches should be woken to feed. If you need to do this, try tickling the baby’s feet or ear.

What are some sleep rules mums with newborn babies should follow?

You need your sleep to be the best mum you can be, there’s just no accomplishing all you need to when you’re tired, but constantly beating yourself up about it is counterproductive. Here are some simple rules that can be hard to follow but will help if you can manage them.

Take a nap in the middle of the day until your baby is sleeping through the night. Just power down for an hour. You’ll enjoy time with your baby more.

Don’t stay up late. We know there’s heaps to do, from household chores to reconnecting with the outside world, but once you start it will be 1 a.m. before you know it! Try setting an alarm for bedtime as well as to help you wake up.

Prioritise your sleep. Don’t worry about cancelling plans or cleaning the house. Part of being a good mother is having the energy to cope, so tuck yourself in as often and as early as you can.

Delegate. If people offer to help, take them up on it! And if they don’t you are well within your rights to ask friends and family to give you a hand with some of the mundane tasks that need doing so you can concentrate on yourself and your baby.

What do I need to know about my newborn's sleep?

Unii shares what you need to know about you newborn's frequent sleeps.