How much does a new baby sleep?
Probably nobody’s baby sleep a darn sight less than most parents ever expected. Though sleep is a big part of our lives, we are still wondering how it revives tired brains and bodies. But the thing we are sure about is without sleep we would soon fall apart.
Sleep deprivation is not just unpleasant, it is a form of torture. Secret police use it to soften up those they bring in for a chat. Have a think after a week of disturbed sleep the average parent is about ready to confess to do anything.
Most babies in the world anywhere, in the first three months are going to wake once or more every night. You may become resigned to this fact and when it happens view it as normal. If by some great fortune you score a super sleeper, then that’s a bonus and a pleasant surprise. By six months about three-quarters of all babies sleep through to sunrise but this still leaves one-quarter who contiune to wake, many of whom keep up the antics right through toddlerhood.
The sleep-deprived mum can be spotted at a distance of one hundred paces. She has bags under her eyes and the defeated stoop of someone who run (and lost) a marathon. Such is her exhaustion and despair that anyone who could cure the problem would probably be left money in her will.
All children are not born with an equal capacity to sleep. A few will sleep perfectly, right from birth, many will wake a bit and others will be total disaster areas. The most difficult sleep problem I ever cured was a boy who, at eight months, had never sleep for more than one single hour at a time and never for more than four hours total in a day. When I say cure, he eventually slept for six hours each night and none by day. This may be unimpressive to the average mum but for this one felt it was a miracle.