Calgary Baby Guide 2022-2023

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