When Baby’s Days and Nights Get Mixed Up

As we navigate those first few weeks home with the baby, it can feel like you’re working an all-night shift as your little one establishes their new routine. If your little one has days and nights mixed up, it may even feel like your house is a “party all night” and “sleep all day” kind of house.

We’ve been there! We know how frustrating it can be when a baby sleeps so great during the day, and then you can barely get thirty minutes of rest out of them at night!

Why do babies’ days and nights get mixed up?

One possibility is that, in utero, your movements and activity during the day allowed that little one to sleep. You may have even noticed tons of movement in the evenings and nighttime when you were still and trying to rest.

Circadian rhythm (their little internal body clock) will not really start to come into play until about three months of age.

All of that to say, they simply do not know the difference between daytime and nighttime!

Here are a few things we can do to help switch things around and create great habits as we navigate those first few weeks.

1. A routine that includes feeding every three hours during the day.
   • Moms on Call’s Books and Online Courses include typical day schedules from newborn up to toddler years that provide great routines to follow.
   • Use the Moms on Call Scheduler App to keep your schedules at your fingertips, at home, and on the go. 
2. Naps during the day can have natural light.
   • Try to limit each nap to about two hours.
3. Daytime activity for a few minutes after each feeding.
   • This does NOT mean making them stay awake. Just love on them, talk to them, and do some tummy time or back time every few minutes.
4. An evening routine that consists of bath time (or pretend bath time if you are not doing it every night), tender time (even if it only lasts a minute or two), and a nice bedtime feeding. Then put them down in the crib.
   • If under 12 weeks, swaddle well before putting them down.
   • Here are some tips for Creating the Ideal Sleeping Environment.
     • Your baby’s crib should be less than 5 years old with a new mattress, mattress cover, and tight-fitted crib sheet.
5. Use a sound machine
   • White noise is reminiscent of the noise babies heard inside the womb.
   • The white noise machine should be kept on all night long, turned up loud enough for you to hear on the other side of the door, and should be kept 12-24 inches from the head of the crib.
6. During nighttime feedings, limit noise, light, and interaction.

Most importantly, remember that this is normal. Longer stretches of sleep will come, and you are doing a great job! Children are strong, adaptable, and resilient…and so are you! 

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