In this episode of the Birthful podcast, I talk with Sleep Consultant Rebecca Michi about newborn sleep. How do newborns sleep, and when do they start sleeping through the night? What’s the best way to set down a healthy sleep foundation? Are there things you should avoid doing? How can you get more sleep? Listen to the answers to all these questions and more.
What we talked about:
- How do newborns sleep?
- When does it all change?
- Will your baby ever sleep through the night?
- Rocking, nursing, swaddling, patting, shushing, skin-to-skin, singing… are these bad habits?
- The 4 – 6 am party time
- Encouraging melatonin
- Helping is good, but don’t “over help”
- Tips for laying down a healthy sleep foundation
- Sometimes you need to adjust your sleep habits
Newborn sleep resource links, and more:
- Infant Sleep Myths Busted and 5 More Infant Sleep Myths Busted! by Rebecca Michi
- Children and Sleep, or what the National Sleep Foundation recommends
- Newborn Sleep Patterns, from Stanford’s Children Health
- Signs your baby is tired video by SettlePetal
Related Birthful episodes:
- Safer Bedsharing, with Teresa Pitman
- Your Baby Mammal: Sleeping & Solids, with Diane Wiessinger (Part 2)
- Back-to-Work Sleep Considerations, with Kim West
- Effects of Sleep Deprivation, with Dr. Kimberly Fenn
About Rebecca Michi
Rebecca Michi is a British born and trained Children’s Sleep Consultant based in Seattle, WA, USA. She works with families all over the globe. Rebecca is passionate about helping children and their parents build healthy habits so they can finally get some sleep. By transforming drama into dreamland, her mission is to help your children—and you—get a good night’s sleep all without ever having to leave your child to cry-it-out.
Rebecca works with families in a private setting and as part of The Michi Sleep Academy, but you can also find her giving talks at MommyCon as well as regularly offering gentle sleep advice with Shari Criso and TheBabyGuyNYC on Facebook. She is the author of the book Sleep and Your Child’s Temperament.
Find all about Rebecca at her website rebeccamichi.com, or join the conversation on her active Facebook community. Every month she host two open Q&A session, there.
Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).
Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).