Newborns sleeping a lot are worrying?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ngo Thi Oanh - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital. Uncle Ho has over 10 years of experience working in the field of Pediatrics and has strengths in examining, diagnosing and treating respiratory, digestive, urological, and child nutrition diseases.

Normally, babies need at least 16 hours of sleep a day, sleep for babies is usually 3-4 hours of naps interspersed with feedings. The reason is that the baby's stomach is quite small, so it can't hold much food, so the baby has to get up to get more energy.
During the postpartum period, the mother should not let the newborn sleep for too long without feeding. After about 3-4 hours, the mother can actively wake up the baby to feed the baby. However, you should not be too worried about babies sleeping too much if they still eat well, eat and sleep normally. Breastfeed your baby on demand.

Children in the neonatal period usually sleep from 18-20 hours at any time of the day, each sleep can last 2-3 hours and do not follow a rule, children sleep more during the day than during the day. night.
Sleep for children is very important in the process of nervous and emotional development. When babies sleep, they also process the information received during the day and produce growth hormone that is useful for the development of bones and muscles.

Unless there are unusual symptoms, children often sleep more than usual without any cause for concern. Some common reasons for babies sleeping a lot are:
Babies are going through a growth and development milestone Children have mild illness (colds) Children who have just been vaccinated Children have not had enough sleep before due to lack of sleep. an upper respiratory infection that makes it difficult to breathe In addition, a baby who sleeps a lot can also be jaundiced or not eat enough In some cases, some medical reasons can cause a baby to sleep too much Breathing and heart rhythm disturbances can affect a baby's sleep, and premature babies often sleep slightly differently than full-term babies.

The most dangerous thing when a baby sleeps a lot is that the baby is not fed enough according to demand, affecting the child's physical and development. So when the baby sleeps too much, the mother should wake the baby every 2-3 hours (8-12 times a day) to feed the baby. Infants younger than 4 weeks old should not be left without food for longer than 4-5 hours.

When waking the baby up, you can try stroking the baby's cheek as this can stimulate the baby's instincts. If stroking is unsuccessful, gently shake the baby's toes and gently stroke from under the baby's feet.
Each child's dietary needs are also different, so parents should consult a doctor or specialist for advice on the child's nutritional needs and development.
Normally, babies will sleep a lot for the first 1 month. In case the baby sleeps too much, slows down in weight gain, or has abnormal symptoms, the mother should take the baby to a medical facility for examination soon.
Children need to provide enough elemental zinc/day for them to eat well, reach the correct height and weight and exceed the standard. Zinc plays a role in affecting most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the breakdown of nucleic acids, proteins... Organs in the body when zinc deficiency can lead to a There are a number of diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and guide them to appropriate zinc supplements for their children.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.