Parents in our pediatric wellness program get more than just a trusted and experienced provider for their children, but access to our childhood wellness guidance resources online 24/7. As we combine the best of functional and conventional medicine with Christian wisdom and years of parenting without driving you to unnecessary fear, you get our guidance for parenting in this fallen world. Here we offer a sample of our wellness resources for birth through age five. You can sleep better at night knowing we will work with you to individualize your child’s health care.
Sleeping Babies During the First Days (Newborn)
Newborns have had 9 months of peace and slumber in a warm environment. Then they have gone through the birth canal or a C-section opening, and they are in a brand-new world they have never experienced before. What is normal can be a wide range. Some are wide awake at first, others are sleepy. Some are very sleepy. Newborns sleep a lot. Some can sleep up to 20 hours in a 24-hour period even. This does not necessarily mean we should let them sleep that long, especially during the day. We would recommend regular feedings no less frequently than every 2-3 hours during the day. If your newborn is sleepy and does not want to wake for a feeding, we would recommend removing clothing if necessary to help them get less comfortable so they wake up to feed or can also try to give sponge bath as well to help them awaken. Nighttime feedings can be on demand as long as your baby is growing and feeding without any issues or concerns.
Wake up a sleeping baby you say? That might sound crazy to some, but we are playing the long game here. If we keep regular feedings during the day, you have more chance to eventually get a little longer stretch at night helping to facilitate that natural circadian rhythm. It will be worth it in the long run.
By Lynn Day PA-C and Dr. Eric Potter MD
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
