So much about parenthood is unpredictable. From pre-conception to your birth plan it usually doesn’t follow a predictable pattern. It’s a challenge, especially for a Type A mama like myself! But you know what is predictable, the science and development of your baby’s first schedule or their circadian rhythm.
I’m a science nerd so bare with me as I explain a bit about how the brain works to teach us the difference between day and night. Chronobiology is the science of natural cycles within in the body. Examples of such cyclic phenomena include the 24-hour circadian rhythm that regulates sleep or the 28-day female menstrual cycle.
The development of the circadian rhythm does not fully occur by birth, but rather the pineal gland (the one that releases the hormone melatonin) is still developing until about 1-2 years of age. Thankfully it really starts kicking into gear by about 2-4 months with starting to produce and secrete melatonin (this tells baby they should get sleepy in the evening). (Yates J. The long-term effects of light exposure on establishment of newborn circadian rhythm. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14(10):1829–1830.)
So that all being said let’s use this development to your advantage by inserting things that we know help with the development of these systems.
Here are the top 3 ways to support the development of your baby’s first schedule (AKA sleeping more at night than during the day):
- Light exposure (especially in early morning hours)
- Play during the day (tummy time, dancing together, smiles, laughs)
- Mom’s diet and breast milk when breastfeeding (if pumping be sure to label bags day vs night): Mamas make sure you have a relatively predictable sleep schedule as your melatonin is passed onto your baby. Try to go to bed and wake within 1-2 hours every day.
Remember that a newborn’s first schedule is less about scheduling a nap at 10am and more about figuring out the difference between day and night and starting to separate out their 3 main activities of the day which are eating, playing, and sleeping. And guess what you can do in between those times…enjoy the baby snuggles.
Want more newborn sleep info and guidance? Be sure to check out my newborn sleep guide!
