Your Baby and Wake Windows

Trying to understand your baby’s sleeping pattern can be a difficult task. A key factor in determining your baby’s sleeping pattern is your baby’s “wake windows.” You might be wondering, what does this mean? This article will go over wake windows and their importance in reference to your baby’s sleeping patterns. Understanding your baby’s behavior is essential in protecting your baby’s developmental health and limiting the stresses of parenting.

What Are Wake Windows?

Wake windows refer to the time your baby is awake between sleep (happiest baby). A determining factor in your baby’s wake window is their age. Younger newborns, like those between the ages of 0 months to 1 month, have shorter wake windows than a baby who is 8 to 10 months. Generally, the younger your baby is, the shorter their wake window is. For newborns, babies that are younger than one month, wake windows will be between 45-60 min.

Why are Wake Windows Important?

Predicting your baby’s sleeping pattern can alleviate the stress of trying to put your baby to sleep. How so? By following the general pattern of how long your baby stays awake and when they go to sleep, you can set up a sleeping schedule that works for you as a parent and lets your baby get the adequate amount of sleep it needs to properly develop.

Steps You Can Take

These are steps you can take that will help you determine your baby’s sleeping pattern:

• Once your baby is awake, time how long your baby is awake until they start displaying signs of fatigue. You will know once your baby starts yawning or rubbing its eyes.

• Your baby is exhibiting signs of fatigue? Put your baby to rest immediately ideally in a room that is free of any stressors or distractions. A humidifier for your baby’s sleep environment could be a good idea to ensure your newborn gets proper sleep. The Miro MH7000 would be a perfect addition to your newborn’s room as it is equipped with humidity sensors and UV capabilities to kill any bacteria that your newborn might breathe in.

• Monitor how long your baby sleeps. When they wake up, repeat the same process except put your baby to bed slightly earlier than you did before. The goal is to put your baby to bed before they start displaying signs of fatigue.

• Repeat the process until a consistent sleep pattern is found. By doing so, you will be able to accurately predict when your baby will fall asleep and limit your stress as a parent when it comes to getting your baby to bed. However, no method is perfect for predicting your baby’s sleeping pattern. It is important to remember that your baby’s wake windows will change as they get older, so what might have worked for them when they were 2 months old probably won’t work when they are 10 months old. Just remember, it's a process!