How to teach babies to distinguish day and night

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Vu Quoc Anh - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Newborns up to one month old sleep almost all day and night and only wake up to feed (every 2-3 hours). Because the baby cannot distinguish day and night, the baby can sleep throughout the day and wake up more at night (8-9 hours during the day and about 8 hours at night).

Some babies have a habit of staying up at night right from the womb. The mother can fully realize this when she notices that the baby is moving in the belly more at night. In the first few days after birth, the mother cannot change this habit of the baby immediately, but can only start teaching when the baby is two weeks old.
Parents can apply the following guidelines to help children create the right bedtime routine.
During the day
Let your baby be active, play freely Talk and sing to your baby while breastfeeding Make sure the bedroom has plenty of light during the day Give your baby moderate exposure to common sounds during the day such as television , radio, washing machine... If your baby is sleeping while nursing, gently wake her up

At night
Keeping quiet and talking quietly during night feedings, feeding your baby at night in your baby's room helps to shorten meal times and make your baby realize that nighttime meals are different from daytime meals Keeping the room dark (yes) You can leave the night light on) and be quiet, don't talk to your baby. During the day, it can be very good to play and talk with the baby after eating, but at night, gentle patting should be applied to the baby. Try to save play during the day Teach your baby to know that night is sleep right from the time he is 2 weeks old, it should not be too late, it will be difficult for the child to get into the routine Respond to his request quickly every time baby cry, comfort and feed as soon as possible Put baby to bed when sleepy but still awake

The first 3-4 months is the right time to help your baby form a good sleep pattern, this is also the time when the baby can sleep on his own without the help of adults and the mother will not have difficulty in sleeping. put your baby back to sleep or wake him up.
Adopt the habit of putting your baby to bed when sleepy but still awake for the first 3-4 months of life. This helps the baby form the habit of not waiting for her mother to lull her to sleep at night.

Putting the baby to sleep by rocking or feeding is not wrong, but this action will form a habit that the baby will only sleep when being rocked by the parents or being breastfed by the mother. Or if your baby falls asleep in his room and then suddenly wakes up in his crib in the middle of the night, he'll cry because he doesn't understand what's going on.
The infant's circadian sleep clock is programmed to wake them up at night. This is to ensure that your baby is getting enough nutrients during his period of growth and development. So during the first 3-4 months of life, babies need to be fed and lulled by their mothers at night. However, during this period, your baby's sleep habits and rhythms mature rapidly. Parents can take advantage of this time of change to instill good sleep habits in their children.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment. Master. Dr. Vu Quoc Anh has nearly 10 years of experience as a resident doctor and treating doctor at Hue Central Hospital and Danang Children's Hospital. Currently, he is a Pediatrician - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.