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Baby on the way" There?s nothing any book or article can tell you that will completely prepare you for how life with your newborn will unfold. But having some knowledge of newborn sleep can, at the very least, prevent unnecessary worry and bleary-eyed 2 a.m. Googling.
Here are six things to know about newborn sleep that could come in handy during those first couple of months:
1. For the first few days after birth, it’s normal for newborns to be extremely sleepy.

They tend to feed less frequently than in the coming weeks (and therefore may experience a small weight loss during this time). Babies born before their due date usually experience this sleepy phase for a bit longer, while babies born after their due date often don?t experience it at all. After a few days of life, a newborn?s nervous system starts to mature, which results in a more alert and wakeful state. That said, newborns still require a shockingly large amount of sleep?about 16 to 20 hours in a 24-hour period, with each period of sleep varying in length. 2. Newborns shouldn?t be kept awake for more than about an hour at a time.

Yet another reason to banish all the visitors from your living room after an hour or so! Most newborns can only withstand being awake for 45 minutes to one hour before they need to be put back to sleep. If you keep your little one up longer, she’ll become overtired. Her body will produce excess cortisol, and this imbalance will make it difficult f...