Many parents of newborns realize their infant arrives with a sleeping pattern. Experts have monitored many newborns and identified six states of sleep and wakefulness.
Because each baby has a personality, how a baby goes from one state to the next is unique to each child. Some move gradually from state to state, others abruptly. Some simply by their nature spend more time in one state or another.
Deep sleep. This state is when your baby is still and extremely relaxed; there's actually a rhythm to her breathing. She might jerk her body or make sucking movements with her mouth, but she's sleeping soundly. This is not the time to rouse her in an attempt to feed or play. If you do, the baby will only awaken briefly and then fall back to sleep.
Light sleep. This is the most common sleep state of newborns. The child moves a bit, makes brief crying sounds, sucks and makes a variety of facial expressions. The infant's breathing is irregular. It's apparent that the child responds to stimulation: sounds, touch, temperature, smells and movement. In this state the child might waken or eventually fall into deep sleep.
If your baby is sleeping lightly and moves or cries quietly, there's no need to rush in and pick baby up or attempt to feed him. Often the baby needs to sleep longer, therefore wait as your baby might be falling into a deeper sleep. If not, then it's time to provide care.
Drowsy. In this state the child is neither completely asleep nor awake. The baby is obviously sleepy, yet her activity level varies from active to inactive; she may even startle from time to time. This drowsy period is not so different than how you feel when waking from an afternoon nap. The child's eyes may not focus; sometimes they appear cross-eyed.
The infant's breathing is irregular and reacts drowsily when parents attempt to stimulate the child. The child will either return to sleep or eventually become alert. Parents often have a choice when their baby is in this state; they can avoid stimulating the child thus allowing the child to sleep longer or they can wake him up by talking to him, picking him up or offering the child something to suck.
Quiet alert. This state is when your infant is most attentive; therefore it's the period that is the most pleasing and rewarding for parents. The baby is calm and still, yet focuses attentively on what she sees and hears. The baby recognizes the parent's face and voice, feels content and is actually learning. Parents can sing and talk to their baby, engage the baby by establishing eye contact.
Active alert. In this state the child is either hungry, tired or sensitive to too much handling. The baby can't lie still; a fussy period may occur. The child is wide awake yet she is not as attentive as when in the quiet alert state. Breathing turns irregular; it even seems as if the child is making faces. This active state is when your baby needs you to feed and comfort her. If she is not hungry, take her to a quiet spot and rock her softly.
Crying. Crying is the only way your baby can tell you that he cannot cope. The child may be telling you he's hungry, gassy, wet, cold or warm, sick or overstimulated. Sometimes, crying is a release that enables the child to transition into another state. Usually the child needs you to feed or comfort her.
While parents can't really control these sleeping and waking patterns, they are usually able to identify the various sleeping or waking states. By doing so, they find caring for their baby easier and more appropriate.
Jan Faull, a specialist in child development and behavior, answers questions of general interest in her column. You can e-mail her at janfaull@aol.com or write to: Jan Faull, c/o Families, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists
