There are a lot of things new parents adjust with after the baby is arrived and establishing their sleeping pattern is a task. Their sleeping patterns can be erratic and it is not necessary for them to sleep for hours once you put them down for a nap.
Waking up after short intervals can be difficult for parents as it becomes tough to focus on other tasks when the sleeping patterns are so unpredictable. The doctors name it ‘catnapping’ when babies wake up after 30-45 mins.
This kind of sleeping pattern is seen in newborns as it takes a while for them to form a napping routine. Once the babies turn 4 months, it gets better but why does this happen?
Reasons for catnapping
Newborns do not possess the ability to go back to sleep and are generally in the REM stage of a sleep cycle. Once they grow up and the part of their brain matures, babies learn to sleep for a longer time.
In these cases, babies mostly depend on their external surroundings and activities to fall asleep, for example holding a toy or being breastfed. They may wake up from their nap crying or irritable but can be consoled through different ways.
If you have a newborn and have been seeing a similar sleeping pattern, there is no need to worry as it gets better. If your baby is inconsolable and has been very irritable due to catnapping, you can also take help of your doctor to understand the reason behind this.
