Mothers are quiet concerned about their baby’s overall health when he arrives a little earlier than expected. They are worried about all the extra care he requires at this time. You may also want to know about how much sleep he needs to remain well. Your baby requires extra attention and care for the first few years of his life which includes his overall sleep pattern. Since your premature baby looks so tiny and frail at this stage, it is natural to get all worried. Sleeping properly along with proper breastfeeding will allow your baby to gain health and weight.
Here are some useful tips to make your premature baby sleep peacefully:
- Your premature baby requires more sleep
If you are wondering whether premature babies sleep more than babies born after full term, the answer is yes. The brain of premature baby is not fully developed compared to the baby born after complete 9 months. He is definitely going to sleep more than babies usually do but for shorter durations. It is not surprising to find premature babies for few hours only. Sometimes they don’t even remain awake for a complete hour and they are off to sleep again. Your baby is going to take about two months after birth to stay awake for considerable amount of time.
- Your premature baby is safest in your room
Don’t make your baby sleep in a separate room at least for the first few months of his life. It is safer for him to sleep in your room but in his own cot. This way you can always be around your baby and keep checking if there is anything he needs or there are any alarming signals. It is a good idea to keep the cot of your baby next to your bed. This makes it easier for you to feed him at night. Your baby require more night time feeds for the first few months of his life and keeping your beds closer helps you to easily nourish your child with much-needed nutrition at this stage.
- Your premature baby requires more feeding sessions in the night
Your premature baby is weak and frail right now. He requires more nourishment throughout the night which means you will have to feed him more frequently. He will wake up more than those babies who are born after complete nine months. You need to feed your baby every three hours during the first few months of your premature baby’s life. This helps to keep your baby from becoming dehydrated. It is better to feed at regular gaps and in smaller amounts to reduce the occurrence of spitting up after a feed.
- Your premature baby should always sleep on his back
The sleeping position of your baby matters a lot. Never put your premature baby to sleep on his stomach. Always make him sleep on his back just like babies born after complete nine months. Secondly, check whether the mattress that you are using is firm. Remove blankets, toys, comforters and pillows from the cot in order to minimize chances of sudden infant death.
You might become a little impatient because your premature baby is going to take more time than other babies to get into his comfortable sleep routine. Remain patient and try to get rest whenever you can. Utilize this time to create a priceless bond with your baby.
