The first night with newborn at home can be very exciting and also tiring and exhausting. Many parents are excited to spend their first night at home with their little ones, but there are things you need to know before you do.
You may find yourself up all night, feeling like the baby is not sleeping through the night yet. The good news is most babies sleep through the night after 2-4 weeks.
It’s important to create an environment that will allow your newborn to learn to soothe herself and fall asleep on her own.
Before you bring the baby home, make sure you have all of your supplies like diapers, wipes, crib, and swaddle to ensure a smooth first night at home.
Here are some tips to make the first night with newborn a little easier for everyone involved;
First night with newborn at Home – Tips for Preparing yourself
1) Feed the baby before bedtime. If you feed them meals prior the bedtime, they will sleep longer.
2) Make sure the baby sleeps in her own crib or bassinet that is placed next to your bed.
3) Swaddle the baby with a t-shirt during nighttime. If you feel like swaddling makes them uncomfortable, try wrapping a blanket around their body but make sure it’s not wrapped tightly around the arms and legs.
4) Make sure you have a system for diapers and clothing changes, even if that means staying up all night to do it. You will probably wind up changing your baby’s clothes multiple times throughout the night anyway because she will throw up on her clothes or poop through them.
5) Try Gro-clock. It’s a sleep trainer that will teach your baby to sleep through the night. The clock features stars and a sun to show you when it’s time for your baby to go to bed. It also lets them know when it’s ok to get up by turning the stars off.
6) Make sure the baby has a pacifier; while not all babies take them, if the baby wants it during the day they will bring one to their own at night. This can help soothe your baby and get them back to sleep easily without you having to get up.
7) Avoid the temptation to rock the baby. Rocking your baby may seem like a good idea, but it can teach them that you need to be there for them when they fall asleep. It is better to gently pat their back until she falls asleep on her own.
8) When all else fails, keep calm and enjoy this precious time with your new bundle of joy. It’s a special bond that you will never forget, and it is also a time when the baby needs you most.
9) If you have older children, try to get them involved so they can help with their brother or sister. This way, everyone in the family can enjoy a bonding experience with the newborn.
10) Keep a diary of the first three weeks. This way, you will have a record of milestones and little victories as your baby grows.
11) Make sure to surround yourself with people who support your family during those first few busy weeks. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; that is why people are there for you to support you and help you through those tough times.
12) Make sure you have a good baby carrier that you can use with the baby. This way, you will have hands free when doing chores around the house.
Read more: Baby carrier for petite mom that can make carrying newborn comfortable
13) Newborns sleep for 16 hours a day. Keep this in mind before you complain about how little they are sleeping at night!
14) Make sure the baby has a room temperature of 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit during the first few weeks. This can be achieved by using cotton blankets, lightweight plastic diapers, and undershirts.
15) During the first few months, avoid over-bundling your baby. You don’t want to make them cold or shock them with a sudden change in temperature when they are sleeping. Otherwise, this may cause discomfort making it difficult for them to sleep through the night.
16) When putting the baby in her crib, make sure she is in the same position you would normally see her when she wakes up during the night. This may create comfort for her.
17) Make sure the baby’s room has a proper level of humidity. If it’s too dry or moist, it can cause swelling, nose bleed, and even asthma later on when they are older.
18) When feeding the baby in the middle of the night, make sure to feed them in a certain area or room that you go back to every time. This way, they will learn when they are hungry and where mommy is located without making too much noise.
19) Using white noise can help with sleep training your baby. It helps to distract them and block out any other noises in the house.
20) Most importantly-Enjoy this time with your new little one. They only grow up once, and before you know it, they will be crawling or walking and not want to spend any time with mommy or daddy at all! Make sure to spend as much time with them as possible.
Is the first night the hardest with a newborn?
The first night can be difficult because there are so many adjustments to make. Yes, the baby doesn’t know how to sleep, eat or even go to the bathroom on their own yet.
And yes, it’s exhausting for you too because you’re not used to getting up in the middle of the night, and your hormones helpfully convinced you that you’ll lose all your muscle mass if you ever stop breastfeeding. But this is just one night!
When can you start taking newborns out?
It is advisable to avoid bringing a newborn out for the first two months of their life. However, it is still feasible to introduce them to fresh air and light, where a safe distance from people who are sick.
When do you start tummy time?
You can start tummy time at any time after your baby is born. Tummy time begins with 3-5 minutes of daily tummy time for healthy, full-term babies before they are three months old or weighing 10 pounds (4.5 kg).
Read More: BABY ROLLING IN CRIB HITTING HEAD – WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT?
Do Newborns sleep a lot the first day?
Newborns are basically on the equivalent of jet lag. So yes, they sleep a lot in the early days following their birth, but it’s not necessary to monitor every little snuffle. Parents soon learn that new babies have individualized sleeping patterns – some of which are very close to normal while others will require months of care and attention.
Should I wake my newborn to feed?
It is recommended that you wait to feed your baby until he or she wakes up hungry, from a few hours from the last feeding. Waking your baby unnecessarily can cause the child to become spoiled and less independent, which will make sleep training more difficult.
It is important for babies to understand that there is a link between sleeping and eating. If they wake hungry, let them eat! Setting this pattern early helps daytime naps seem shorter since they know there’s going to be food at some point soon.”
What week do newborns get easier?
The first few weeks of a newborn’s life can be very hectic, but eventually, they get easier. This is because the infant will adjust to their new home and setting over time.
In addition, some studies show that it takes infants about 90 days before they sleep on a more predictable schedule. So hang in there!
What should baby sleep in first night home?
A baby should be provided with a safe surface to sleep on, either a bassinet or co-sleeper. The recommended baby sleep position is side. Parents should never put babies on their stomachs to sleep because this increases the risk of SIDs and suffocation.
Why do babies sleep better with mom?
A new baby’s parents’ bodies emit a hormone called oxytocin, which is the bonding hormone. It helps babies fall asleep and stay asleep. This hormone makes it so that parents can start to care for their baby all night long! Babies also find nursing comforting and soothing because of the release of natural morphine in the breastmilk they drink from momma’s breasts.
In this post, we’ve given you a few of the most important things to know about your new life as a parent and prepare yourself for the first night with newborn at home. We hope these tips help make those first few nights easier and more enjoyable. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below in the comment section!
