Baby's sleep: accompanying and understanding it

The divine child has arrived! After nine months of waiting, your dream of holding him in your arms, seeing his little head of love and feeling his little neck has come true. You've lovingly prepared his room and chosen the KUMI cradle for his first months. But here's the thing. Behind this new-found happiness lies the fatigue of sleepless nights and a host of questions. Is my baby getting enough sleep, and when is he going to sleep through the night? These are legitimate questions, and every parent asks them. Relax, Charlie Crane comes to the rescue to answer them! Accompanied by Audrey Ndjave, nurse and founder of the Centre Périnatal, we explain everything you need to know about baby's sleep.

Ideally, where should baby sleep?

Audrey Ndjave: Ideally, for the first few weeks, we share our room with baby. This prevents cot death, because parents, especially mothers, are more alert and reactive. Sleeping with your baby reinforces parenting skills and shortens night-time awakenings by a few minutes. What's more, baby can hear his parents close by, which is reassuring for him.

Which bed to choose for the first few months? 

Charlie Crane: For the first few months, we recommend a cocoon bed. It's a small bed that can be used anywhere in the house, from the parents' bedroom to the living room for naps. Cots with bars are not always recommended, especially as they can trap children's legs or arms. That's why we've designed our KUMI crib. This crib is ideal for the first few months of life. We designed it without bars, but with a flexible lace, covered with a pretty veil for optimum safety and openness to the outside world. For naps in the first few months, the LEVO bouncer is perfect. And after 6 months, we move on to the evolving KIMI bed, which will accompany the child until he's 5 years old. Here again, no bars, but a lace to personalize.

What is the average sleep pattern of a baby under 6 months?

Audrey Ndjave: The rhythm depends on each person's biological clock, but as a general rule, a baby under 6 months of age can take 3 or 4 naps a day, with a longer sleep period at night. To keep track of your baby's rhythm, keep a sleep diary and observe your baby's wakefulness. This is the first phase of the support program I've created.

How do you support baby's sleep during the day and at night?

Audrey Ndjave: To help your baby sleep well, it's important to know him well! It's also important to have realistic expectations based on your baby's age and what he's capable of doing or not doing. What's more, don't hesitate to call in the professionals if you have the impression that something is slowing down baby's sleep.

Charlie Crane: Rocking is a trick as old as time. It's a movement that reminds babies of being in their mother's womb. The KUMI cradle features a gentle side-to-side rocker to recreate this comforting movement.

My baby doesn't nap or only naps for a short time. What can I do? 

Audrey Ndjave: There are many causes of short naps. It's possible that baby is not in favorable conditions for sleep: cycle not respected, too much stimulation, discomfort, baby's rhythm not known.

When will my baby sleep through the night? 

Audrey Ndjave: Babies already sleep through the night with a different sleep structure. The human sleep cycle is made up of alternating cycles of more or less profound wakefulness. In other words, there are at least 5 times during the night when we go back into a waking state. A baby's emergence from this light wakefulness can be explained by its affective, neurological and emotional immaturity...

What can you do when your baby sleeps very little and you're exhausted? 

Audrey Ndjave: The first thing to do is understand what's going on. How old is my baby, what period is he or she going through? How long has this difficulty been going on? Paramedical health professionals can help with comprehensive care.

How can parents catch up on their sleep? 

Audrey Ndjave: It's very important not to neglect the lack of sleep of parents and mothers! Lack of sleep is a factor in post-partum depression. It leads to dissociation from reality and accentuates the post-partum state, which is already a major upheaval. You need to find help around you, have your own circle of family carers and call on a trained health professional who can take charge of the family. That's what we offer at the center!

Do we give babies bad habits? 

Audrey Ndjave: Sleep is a basic need. You can't say that fulfilling a basic need is a bad habit! It's a virtuous circle based on three elements: the signal, the ritual and the reward. The repetition and regular chaining of gestures and actions lead to a reward: a state of well-being that ultimately helps to establish a habit in baby. The signal is a behavior that the adult interprets and to which he responds with a ritual that then meets a need: sleep, for example. What we might call bad habits are rituals that are not adapted to baby's signal. For example, letting your baby cry on purpose is a bad habit!

Many thanks to Audrey Ndjave for her answers and join us on Instagram to share your parenting issues.