How to recognise tired signs in newborn babies

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Newborn babies don’t come with a manual so we the parents need to pick up on their cues and signs. Newborn babies tend to demonstrate distinct tired signs when you know what to look for. As a new parent it’s helpful to learn your baby’s tired signs to prevent the over tiredness and distress for the whole family.

Newborn Patterns

Newborns typically become tired after 1-1½ hours of being awake and in the first couple of weeks you can literally feed your baby, burp and change them and they will be ready to sleep again. You need to remember that they have just come out into this whole new world and everything is stimulating to them – a blank wall is utterly fascinating to a newborn and taking in all this new sensory information is exhausting! As the weeks move on, baby’s day time routine may become more feed, play, sleep. Parents It is during “play” or supervised tummy time that parents need to be on the lookout for tired signs.

Walking a Fine Line

There is a fine line between a happy, contented baby and an over tired baby. You want to try tocrying might mean baby is overtired

catch a newborn before they display tired signs, so you can take them to their safe sleep space and settle them quickly off to sleep. Waiting for a late tired sign like yawning can mean you’ve missed your opportunity. Baby is beginning to develop a second wind which will mean they may fight going to sleep, fight being swaddled, cry and become difficult to settle to sleep.

Tell Tale Tired Signs

The tell tale newborn tired signs to look out for are:

  • yawning – potentially a late tired sign
  • clenching fists
  • pulling at ears
  • arching backwards
  • sucking on fingers
  • difficulty focusing – staring into space or going cross-eyed
  • jerky limb movements
  • slower movements

Watching the Clock

We recommend that there is a combination of watching for tired signs and clock watching. For babies under 12 weeks, you should start the bedtime ritual if your baby has been awake for around 1½ hours. It might be that you’ve missed the tired sign and bub is becoming over tired!

Disengagement

If you’re having cuddles your baby might disengage, become quiet and calm or snuggle into you. When baby is tired they lose the ability to concentrate – just like you do when you’re tired. These are early tired signs and an indication that you should take baby to their safe sleep space, swaddle baby and settle to sleep.

Managing Visitors

We realise with a newborn, friends and relatives like to play ‘pass the parcel’ with baby. This can be exhausting for a newborn with Aunty Beryl, Great Grandma, Pop, Nanna and your neighbour’s cousin twice removed all ooing and ahhing in your baby’s face! Baby may become tired quickly as they try to learn everybody’s new face. Consequently, baby starts to disengage during all the passing around. Most importantly, the tired sign is missed and you end up like we did on our first Father’s Day. I share a photo from our first Father’s Day, Jacob was 10 days old – “recognise tired sign” FAIL!

Sleep Concerns

Joey Pod Transitional Swaddle sleeping over shoulderAbove all, if you have any concerns about your newborn’s sleep, their health or well-being, then please raise your concerns with a health-care professional.  As the parent, you know when something just isn’t quite right. Trust your gut instinct and seek help from a health-care professional.

You can also refer to our blog on “How to recognise the tired signs in babies and toddlers“.

The Red Nose website is a great resource for safe sleep tips for your newborn.

Nicole Cassey

written by

Nicole Cassey

Nicole Cassey, Mum to Jacob and Emily, founder and general dog’s body at Bubbaroo. Nicole was inspired to create Bubbaroo and Australia’s first swaddle after the personal experience she had with her first child, Jacob.

Nicole explains "It is such a steep learning curve becoming a parent. Getting to know the baby you created and finding your groove as a parent. You sometimes feel like you need to become a detective to try to interpret your baby's cues, personality, cries and behaviour. This is my passion to help parents on their journey, especially new parents as they transition to parenthood."

Nicole has a passion for sharing knowledge and community, regularly organising and presenting at various expectant parent and sleep workshops. Nicole ensures she is up to date with the latest evidence-based safe sleep and health research. Bubbaroo collaborates with experts in their field that share similar values and philosophies and have a passion for helping and supporting parents and expectant parents.

Nicole’s attention to detail with the creation of her premium quality baby, toddler and child sleepwear is exceptional. Nicole has been committed to ensure that Bubbaroo is not just a mass market brand producing products, Nicole’s focus is on helping your baby sleep safely in products that stand the test of time.

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