So we all know I absolutely love a fourth trimester. Not only do I believe in it, we know it is imperative to the foundations of a newborn to seek and form connection. It is during this time that we want to encourage feeds to build supply should we be breastfeeding, to establish good feeding in general, to nurture their need for close skin to skin contact and to have plenty of sleepy newborn cuddles on our chest. With this being said a little balance where possible goes a long way. I do recommend plenty of contact sleeps but also plenty of offerings of our little ones to go into their sleep space to have a good sleep and to get to know their bassi or cot for example. I also recommend offering naps and night sleep in their sleep space and in the dark. Then play and feed time to be in the brighter areas of the home. The reason being is that many people feel that newborns don’t “know” and that at a later point they will start to associate things. When in fact this isn’t necessarily the case and what we often find is that if our little ones are only used to sleeping on us or in the brighter areas this can get a little distracting as they get older, unsustainable but very much is already what they know and now expect.
The process of newborns responding to consistent patterns in their sleep environment and routines begins almost from birth. Newborns are incredibly receptive to their surroundings and are already forming connections between sensory stimuli and their experiences. While they might not fully comprehend the intricacies of sleep schedules and routines in the same way adults do, their brains are actively processing and adapting to the patterns they encounter.
By around 6-8 weeks of age, many newborns start to exhibit more predictable patterns of wakefulness and sleep. This is often referred to as the "newborn sleep patterns maturation" phase. During this time, they are gradually becoming more in tune with the day-night cycle and their circadian rhythms are starting to develop.
As your babes continue to grow and experience consistent cues and routines, their brains begin to establish stronger neural pathways related to sleep expectations. By using particular practices around sleep during infancy, parents are essentially helping to reinforce these neural pathways and lay the foundation for healthy sleep habits as the baby progresses through infancy and into toddlerhood.
So whilst this process begins early, it is an ongoing one. Babies continue to develop and refine their sleep patterns and habits as they grow and their brains continue to mature. This is why establishing positive sleep associations and routines early on can have long-lasting benefits for a child's sleep health. This is where we would love to help.
I would love to introduce our brand new expectant and newborn sleep package/portal. Designed to set you up on the right track, to help guide you where you are at and support you through this time.
We have spent countless hours refining this package and our knowledge around Newborns to be able to support and guide you through what can be a really overwhelming period. Many newborn parents feel they are overwhelmed, exhausted and often helpless during this time. We want to educate and support you.
Our newborn package means we get to guide you along the way with an initial consult to learn more about your unique babe and to offer you advice and a plan. You will also get s hard copy guide plus access to our EXCLUSIVE Newborn Portal which is your one stop support place. It has our renowned newborn webinar, guidance on witching hour, a sleep and feed diary, newborn key tips printable, short naps, getting out and about and much more, including advice from incredible lactation consultants and post partum experts.
We want you to really enjoy this time, we know for many the village doesn’t exist so that’s where we come in.
https://gentlesleep.mykajabi.com/work-one-on-one-newborn-expectant
