Newborn baby sleeping too much – Is it concerning?

Have you noticed your Newborn baby sleeping too much?

Here we’ll discuss why babies sleep as much as they do and when it should be considered a concern.

Does your baby sleep too much?

Some babies are better sleepers than others. They just enjoy sleeping – A lot!

Some babies don’t even like waking up for their feed and have to be forced to do so. This is nothing to worry about. Like mentioned above, they just like there sleep.

However if your baby is still a newborn, it is vital to ensure they are getting fed on time regardless if there asleep or awake.

Especially in the first 6 weeks of life.

This is a stage for babies to develop physically and intellectually hence they need their nutrition on time.

Assess your child’s routine in the early days, if they are refusing to awake during feeds, then run it by your health nurse who can check if everything’s okay.

Also Keep an eye on your baby’s diapers. Their urine shouldn’t be too yellow and they should do an adequate number of stools of the right color per day.

A baby will show various signs when they are sleepy. It can be rain or rainbow basically.

A baby who doesn’t sleep enough will be clingy, whiny, hyper (my little ones go hyper if it’s past their bed time) and hard to soothe. If your baby is sleeping at it’s right time, they will sleep soundly.

Related: check here to see what your baby’s sleep schedule should look like according to it’s age.

It takes at least six months for a baby to establish their own sleep pattern. They can take time to learn the difference between night and day.

What if your baby sleeps too much

First things first – check your baby’s health.

If you have an overly sleepy baby, you’ll first need to make sure there are no medical issues causing them to sleep all the time. 

Sometimes if they are on medication, they can become drowsy causing them to sleep longer than usual.

Also – Jaundice (common in newborns), infections, and any medical procedures, such as circumcision, can make your baby sleepier than usual.

My baby caught an infection as soon as he was born. Nurses say he caught it from me during the last moments of labour. He was on anti-biotics for the first 5 days after being born, I remember, all he would do is just sleep. The anti-biotics made him drowsy as they entered his wee little body.

As long as your baby gets up when it’s time to feed, I wouldn’t say their sleep is something you should worry about.

Some baby’s do need the push to wake up even at feed time.

You can check your baby is growing well by getting his weight checked by a pediatrician. That way you will know if your baby is developing the way they should.

How to Promote regular sleeping schedules

Here are some ways you can try to promote regular sleeping in your baby so they can form a sound sleeping schedule.

Related: 5 Tips to successfully sleep train your baby

• Take your baby out for a walk or stroll during the day so they will be exposed to natural light. Natural light and a cool breeze can tire your baby out. My little ones are always in bed early on a day we’ve been out.
• Develop a calming evening routine that includes a bath, massage, a bedtime feed or some sleep music that can trigger-it’s time for bed.
• Get them dressed for bed.
• Wind them before lying them down so they don’t get tummy cramps, especially straight after a feed..

How can I tell if my newborn is sleeping too much?

If your baby is generally well and healthy, sleeping more than usual is not a cause for concern.

Related : How much should a Newborn baby sleep?

Some of the most common reasons why a healthy baby would sleep more otherwise are:

• a growth spurt  – very common at certain ages such as 6 weeks, 4 months, 6 months and 12 months.
• a minor illness, such as a cold or even high temperature, due to the body being drained out causing baby to become lethargic.
• after receiving immunizations – pretty common for a day or 2.

Babies who do not eat enough can also sleep too much. They become too tired to do anything. This can cause dehydration, loss of weight and other problems later on in life.

If your baby is sleeping too much ensure to check if they are feeding okay. Feed is usually the first indicator and if they are feeding fine, most likely they are just sleeping too much because they love their sleep. It’s when they lack feeding that too much sleep can become a concern.

In very rare instances, a severe medical condition can cause a baby to sleep too much. For example breathing and heart disorders may affect sleep, uneven blood sugar levels can cause a lot of sleep too.

As long as your baby is well and checked by the nurse regularly on their age milestones, their sleeping pattern should not be a concern if it’s too much.

When should i wake my baby?

The simple answer to this is when it’s time for baby’s feed.

Feeding a newborn whenever the baby shows signs of hunger is the best method. Cues such as rooting, sucking, or sticking out their tongue, is the best way to ensure the baby gets enough food. This way they will eat until they are satisfied instead of cluster feeding, which is eating then stopping then repeating in small increments.

It is not necessary to wake up older infants to eat. But those younger than 6 weeks may not wake up when they feel hungry. Babies younger than 6 weeks should not go longer than 4 to 5 hours without a feed.

How to wake my baby up from a long sleep?

There are many ways you can awake your baby from their sleep.

Try brushing the side of their cheek. You can stroke their feet, gently wiggle their toes or tickle the bottom of their feet. These should make the baby awake without crying. 

If you are still worried and are in doubt, see a doctor.

Only a doctor can diagnose for sure the reason why a newborn is sleeping too much.

Related post – 5 tips to put a Newborn to sleep