What are awake windows? Awake windows are times your baby is awake from the time they come out of bed until the time they are placed back into bed for naps.
What does an awake window look like for a newborn baby?
Babies form 0-6 weeks, their awake windows are 45-60 min – yes you read that right. It’s very short, hence why majority of babies fall asleep in your arms or babies are overtired because they’ve been up for too long.
So what happens in this short time frame!
The time starts when your baby comes out of bed. Many parents think it’s as soon as baby wakes but because babies also wake between sleep cycles, it’s important to allow your baby time to be awake in bed. This is why we start the awake window form the time you pick them up out of bed.
What happens in this short awake window?
Your baby will – Feed, Burp, Feed again, cuddle, nappy change, play and then it’s time to go back to bed.
Breastfed babies will often fill their tummy in the first 20 mins.
Anything after that is extra and can result in comfort feeding. Remember baby’s tummy is small. So if you have good lactation, good flow and your baby feeds well. It may not take 40 min of feeding to fill their tummy
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Then it’s time to burp. Keep burping to around 10 min. You might need to do it between sides or at the end of the feed. One good burp is fine. I don’t believe you need to keep burping to get many out.
Then my suggestion is to place your baby on a play mat and leave them to explore for a few minutes. This is so important, not only for them but also for you. You can use this time to look after yourself and give your baby time too. During playtime it’s easier to recognise their tired signs. Now remember, their tired signs can be very confusing. They are the same for a hungry baby, tired, discomfort and also a frustrated baby. Once you are confident, you will feel more informed. If you recognise their tired signs, it’s time to tuck them back into bed.
This is a routine you can use during the day only.
It’s a game changer
Need help with creating routines or have challenges with feeding and sleep, get in touch.