Edmonton Baby Guide 2022-2023
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Infant Sleep<br />
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?<br />
As new parents, we put forth great effort preparing for our little one’s arrival. We learn<br />
how to bathe them, feed them and foster their development. It’s also great to know a few<br />
facts about infant sleep; read on for some helpful tips!<br />
The First 3 Weeks<br />
Babies are very sleepy during their first few weeks earthside. This is in part due to the<br />
maternal melatonin that remains in their bodies from their time in the womb. Melatonin<br />
is a sleep hormone that rises and falls throughout the day and night according to our circadian<br />
rhythm (a.k.a. our body clock) and babies don’t produce their own melatonin initially.<br />
Newborns may sleep for 16 hours out of the daily 24 and may only stay awake for 40-60<br />
minutes at a time before needing to sleep again. This is called an “awake window” – the<br />
time a baby is awake before their next period of sleep. As babies get older their awake<br />
windows will lengthen as they will be able to stay awake for longer periods.<br />
In these early weeks babes haven’t begun to distinguish between day and night so they<br />
may disperse their awake and asleep time equally throughout the 24 hours of the day,<br />
some even having more of their awake time during the night.<br />
These early weeks are for you and your baby to get to know one another!<br />
www.modernmama.com | EDMONTON | A RESOURCE GUIDE | <strong>2022</strong>/<strong>2023</strong> Edition • 9