“The Myths of Baby Sleep: 3 Must Know Tips from Emma Hubbard” is an informative and eye-opening video that aims to help exhausted new parents improve their baby’s sleep. In this video, Emma Hubbard addresses common misconceptions about baby sleep and offers three crucial tips to instantly enhance your baby’s sleep. Among the myths debunked is the belief that newborns should sleep in a bright room during the day to avoid confusion between day and night. Contrary to this, Emma explains that babies have no concept of day and night and that sleeping in a dark room can actually promote better sleep for babies, especially those over two months of age.
Another debunked myth is the notion that babies need to sleep in noisy and unpredictable environments to adapt to less-than-ideal sleep conditions. Emma explains that, contrary to this belief, babies sleep best in a quiet environment and that using a white noise machine can help create a soothing sleep environment. By following the recommendations in this video, parents can expect to see significant improvements in their baby’s sleep, allowing both the baby and the parents to finally get the rest they need.
A common piece of advice
You might have heard that you should make sure your newborn sleeps in a bright room during the day so they don’t get confused between day and night. However, this isn’t actually correct, and doing this can actually ruin your little one’s sleep.
Babies have no concept of day or night, and they don’t rely on the circadian rhythm to regulate their sleep. At birth, your baby’s brain only produces tiny amounts of the hormone melatonin, which promotes drowsiness and encourages sleep. Instead, at this age, your baby simply falls asleep whenever they’re tired and wakes whenever they’re hungry or uncomfortable.
It isn’t until around four to six months of age that your baby’s circadian rhythm is mature enough for night and day to actually have an influence over their sleep patterns. This is why it isn’t until this age that babies start to develop a more predictable sleep routine.
Babies have no concept of day or night
Babies, including newborns, actually find the dark extremely comforting. Sleeping in a dark room for daytime naps will help your baby settle and fall asleep quicker, and stay asleep for longer, particularly if your baby is over two months old.
If your baby is over two months old, the darkness will tell your baby’s body that it’s time to produce melatonin, making them drowsy and sleepy. It’s important to note that there isn’t enough melatonin in their system at this age for them to actually establish a clear day/night pattern, so you don’t need to worry about them getting confused.
In addition to promoting sleep, the darkness will also help your little one stay asleep when they wake between sleep cycles, which they start doing at around three to five months of age. Daytime sleep cycles are only about 30 to 45 minutes, and your baby will actually wake briefly in between each sleep cycle. The darkness helps neutralize their surroundings and make it less interesting, so during these small wake periods, it’s much more likely that your baby will go back to sleep if they’re in a dark room.
Sleeping in a dark room for daytime naps
Something else parents are often concerned about is their baby being scared of the dark. However, babies are not yet developmentally capable of having a fear of the dark or having nightmares. Children under the age of two do not have the imagination to think that a shadowy monster could be lurking under their closet or under their bed.
If anything, darkness should be a comfort to them. If your baby is extremely distressed, as soon as you take them into a dark, quiet room, you’ll notice that they start to calm down.
For these reasons, babies do not need night lights. Any light will actually be stimulating and can prevent them from falling asleep or staying asleep. It’s best to avoid using night lights altogether.
Babies are not scared of the dark
Another common misconception is that babies need to sleep in noisy, unpredictable locations in order for them to get used to sleeping in less than perfect environments. The idea is to make them more adaptable. But in reality, everyone, including babies, sleep best in a quiet environment.
Babies, particularly newborns, spend a lot of time in light sleep, which means they can be easily woken up from their sleep. In addition, up until three to four months of age, babies have a startle reflex that is triggered by loud sudden noises. This startle reflex can also wake them up from sleep.
Between three to five months of age, your baby’s sleep will start to mature, and they will start to wake up between sleep cycles. As you can see, it’s very easy to wake a young baby up.
While it may be difficult to create a completely silent environment, especially if you live in a noisy household, the easiest solution is to use a white noise machine. This machine generates static or a consistent gentle sound, which helps to mask other sounds, especially sudden loud noises. Using a white noise machine can help your baby stay asleep and reduce the potential startle reflex triggered by sudden loud noises.
Babies do not need night lights
Using a white noise machine is definitely something I recommend using in a baby’s bedroom to promote a healthy sleep environment. However, if you want to create the safest sleeping environment possible for your little one, there are a few common items that you should never be placing in their crib.
To learn what these items are and why they aren’t recommended, make sure you watch the video next. Creating a safe sleep environment is crucial for your baby’s well-being and can contribute to better sleep quality.
Thanks for reading and I hope these tips will help improve your baby’s sleep and yours. Remember to always seek guidance from your doctor or a qualified health professional if you have any concerns or questions about your baby’s health. Sweet dreams!