The number 1 thing to remember for baby sleep #babysleepconsultant #baby #babysleephelp #newborn

Sleep begets sleep. You may have heard it, but what does it mean?
The better a baby sleeps during the day, the easier it will be for them to fall asleep and stay asleep at night.

So while you may want to have your baby skip a nap to “tire them out” or get them to bed earlier, they will likely become overtired and have the opposite effect.

When a baby is overtired, adrenaline and cortisol increase causing a hyper-alert state. This makes babies irritable and fussy and prevents them from falling asleep easily. Cortisol counteracts and suppresses melatonin (the sleep hormone) which in turn, makes it difficult for your baby to fall asleep. That’s why daytime sleep begets nighttime sleep in babies.

Furthermore, cortisol prevents your baby from sinking into a deeper sleep. Even if your baby falls asleep, they will wake up more frequently throughout the night.