newborn - 8 weeks
Sleep facts about your baby
- Adult sleep cycle lasts around 90 minutes, but a baby's cycle is much shorter, lasting 20 to 50 minutes.
- Babies lapse into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep - also called active sleep - almost as soon as they doze off and they spend much more time in this REM sleep than adults do.
- Active sleep is thought to boost brain development and optimise oxygen levels - which it's suggested may help protect against SIDS.
8 - 16 weeks
Sleep facts about your baby
- During pregnancy, a mother’s circadian rhythm and melatonin governs her growing baby’s night-day cycles and optimises baby’s development. But after baby is born, they have to learn how to do this all by themselves – and it can take some time!
- Babies who sleep less than their cohort usually self-correct their sleep habits as they grow older.
- During the first six months of life, the most significant developments in sleep organisation happen - during this time, babies are hard at work learning how to sleep.
16 - 24 weeks
Sleep facts about your baby
- Babies under 6 months don't have the brain function which inhibits the movement of muscles in their arms and legs during sleep. This is why they can wriggle around a LOT during sleep. In their second 6 months of life, the brain begins to develop this function.
- Babies in active sleep may even open their eyes and appear to be awake. But they are actually still dozing!
- Babies’ sleep cycles contain plenty of non-dreaming, restorative deep sleep. This sort of sleep begins to decline in the teenage years.
Need some specific advice from a sleep expert who's going to help you tackle your particular sleep challenges? You can book a one-on-one session with a sleep expert to help you (and bub) get a good night's sleep.
It's easy! Just follow our three simple steps:
- Schedule a session with your favourite sleep expert
- Fill out our short questionnaire so we know what your sleep challenges are before your session
- Start sleeping better
Not sure what you need? Email us at experts@babyology.com.au and we can explain how the expert consultations work.
Pinky McKay
Pinky McKay is Australia’s most recognised breastfeeding expert and specialises in gentle parenting styles that honour mothers’ natural instincts to respond to their babies. She is an IBCLC lactation consultant, mum of five and the bestselling author of 4 titles including Sleeping Like a Baby.
Chris Minogue
Chris Minogue is a much-loved mothercraft nurse with over 30 years of experience in providing care and support for parents of newborns, infants and toddlers. Chris is the author of Bringing Baby Home.
Jo Ryan
Jo Ryan was a Registered Nurse for nearly 20 years, with much of that time spent working in paediatrics. As well as being a Registered Nurse, Jo has a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Public Health and has recently completely a year of Infant Mental Health Advanced Training. Jo’s is also the author of BabyBliss, Australia’s must-have guide to sleeping, settling and establishing routines for your baby.