Parent Sense: Does Bright Light (Sunlight) Affect an Infant’s Sleep?

"I see room darkening shades and drapes that are available for babies (infants). Does the bright light (sunlight) affect infants such that it could possibly keep them awake?" – Eileen McKeon, Garden City resident

We believe that the first few months after giving birth is pure "survival mode" for new parents. Anything that might help you or your baby sleep is a huge plus. Personally, I (Rebecca) have always had room darkening shades and drapes for my children's room. I feel they are a must for helping a baby to nap well, fall asleep and stay asleep when the sun is up.

There are many websites where you can find medical information that explains sleep cycles of a newborn/child versus that of an adult. What I have found (and if you have ever taken care of a newborn you know this too) is that a newborn sleeps a lot but is not naturally on a day-wake/night-sleep schedule. As children get older, moving them toward a proper day/night schedule is critical toward reaching the milestone of sleeping through the night.

To answer your question – no, most newborns/infants can sleep almost anywhere. 

That being said, I do believe that early exposure to a day-awake/night-sleep routine is a good thing, as it will get your child off to a fine start toward sleep training. Here are a few general suggestions that may help:

• Get your baby used to the routines of (your) daily life. Such as daily noises, house-hold chores, visitors, etc. Most importantly, do not try to be quiet while the baby is napping.
• Be sure to wake your baby every three hours during the day for feedings. A newborn will give you one period of four to five hours of sleep in a 24-hour period and we want that to occur at night.
• Keep light to a minimum and reduce stimulation at night. When feeding your newborn overnight, try to do it as quickly, calmly and quietly as possible.
• Enjoy the sun and/or open the shades during the day. Play outside and get lots of exercise, as that will also help with natural body rhythms.

If you have questions about this topic or any other, contact us at:parentsense@theparentsense.com or visit www.theparentsense.com.

(Editor's Note: Garden City residents Rebecca Kammerer and Beth Karcher, both moms of twins, are co-founders of Parent Sense, Inc. Using their "back-to-basics, functional approach" to parenting, they will answer residents' questions about the many challenges of parenting in this new monthly column. The opinions in this article are those of Parent Sense, Inc. The opinions are not medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician about any changes you are contemplating.)