Illustration: Stephanie Baxter
Day-night confusion

According to paediatric sleep consultant Alanna McGinn, day-night confusion happens because newborns have yet to develop their internal rhythms. ?These clocks drive our circadian rhythms and create an internal timing mechanism that makes us more awake during the day and more tired at night,? she explains.
Leigh Anne Newhook, a paediatrician in St. John?s, Nfld., says that for the first six to eight weeks, many, even most, newborns have their days and nights mixed up. So what can sleep-deprived parents do" ?Keep your infant exposed to sunlight and everyday noises during the day, even while she sleeps. At night, turn the lights low and keep your interactions quiet,? McGinn says. ?Nighttime feeds and soothing should be brief and boring.? Hunger pains

Around-the-clock feedings play a big role, since little ones have a high biological need to eat, and their tiny tummies empty quickly. Newhook adds that a new mom?s oxytocin and prolactin levels are elevated at night, which means she produces more milk, encouraging babies to feed frequently.
Too young to self-soothe

Young babies just don?t yet have the skills to self-soothe, says Jennifer Garden, a registered occupational therapist and sleep consultant with sleepdreams.ca. Around three or four months of age, as they learn to bring their hands to their face, they can begin to develop self-soothing rituals. ?This allows them to rub their ear, play with their hair or suck the...