A–Z Glossary

Infant sleep cycle

A sleep cycle is a repeating pattern of sleep stages that includes brief arousals when a baby may partially wake between cycles.

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Why baby wakes up at night

Why baby wakes up at night

Night waking is often normal in infancy Babies are not born with a fully mature circadian rhythm, the internal timing system that helps coordinate sleep and wakefulness across a 24-hour day. In the early weeks, many infants cannot reliably distinguish day from night. Their sleep is distributed across multiple periods, and nighttime may look very […]

How often babies wake at night

How often babies wake at night

What counts as normal night waking? Infant sleep is organized into repeated sleep cycles rather than one uninterrupted block. Babies may briefly arouse between cycles, move, vocalize, or open their eyes. Some return to sleep without assistance, while others signal for a caregiver. Parents therefore may notice only some arousals, and reported waking frequency can […]

How long baby naps should be

How long baby naps should be

Typical nap duration by age Nap duration changes as the infant nervous system matures. In the newborn period, sleep is distributed across the entire day and night rather than organized into a stable pattern. Mayo Clinic notes that newborn naps often last approximately 3 to 4 hours and occur between feedings. Some newborns sleep for […]

Baby wakes every hour

Baby wakes every hour

Why a baby may wake every hour Infant sleep is biologically different from adult sleep. Babies spend substantial time in active sleep, a lighter phase that may include facial movements, brief vocalizations, limb movements, and irregular breathing. They may appear awake even when they have not fully emerged from sleep. As one sleep cycle ends, […]

How to teach baby to self-soothe

How to teach baby to self-soothe

Understand what self-soothing means Infant self-soothing refers to behaviors a baby uses to reduce arousal and settle without immediate caregiver intervention. These may include sucking fingers or a pacifier, holding a comfort item when developmentally and safely appropriate, rubbing the face, changing position, vocalizing briefly, or pausing quietly before returning to sleep. It does not […]