Not getting enough sleep is something most parents-to-be worry about during those months just before baby arrives. Babies are notorious for repeatedly wakening their sleeping parents nightafter night once they get home and it is true. Babies are far more apt to be asleep during the day and awake at night.

Most newborns only sleep two to four hours at a stretch. The average is three and a half hours. The typical age for "sleeping through the night" (at least being asleep between midnight and five a.m.) is three months, although some babies do it sooner. As a baby gets older sleep begins to become more like that of his parents. Although some babies will continue erratic day and night sleep-wake patterns for a year or more.

One big reason that babies wake up so much is that they are born with very tiny stomachs that can only hold a small amount of milk at a time so their bodies demand constant refueling day and night.

Research shows that even before they are born babies already have clear-cut patterns of being asleep or awake and alert. Surprisingly, toward the end of pregnancy expectant mothers' bodies align their sleep wake patterns with those of their unborn babies. Once the baby is born the mom's sleep cycle quickly returns to normal. So that is one reason why you are tossing and turning in the middle of the night during those last weeks before giving birth -- nature is prepping you for upcoming night time demands. (Plus you are waking up to go to the bathroom and in response to the odd aches and pains and jumpy legs of those last weeks).

Baby Sleep Patterns

You will notice that when your baby gets sleepy her eyelids get heavy, they may turn red and flutter open and closed. Underneath the lids the eyes have a dull, glazed look to them as though they're not focused. You may also see the whites of your baby's eyes when they roll back in the head. Within minutes your baby will be asleep, and there is no use to try to feed a drowsy baby.

Babies usually fall into active sleep first followed by deep sleep, then travel through transitional phases between those two. About an hour after falling asleep many babies will predictably cry out briefly as they move from deep sleep back into active sleep again.

When your baby is in active sleep his eyes will move back and forth under his half opened eyelids. He may chew, chomp and move his mouth like he is nursing and he will stir around restlessly. In fact, young babies move more during active sleep than when they are awake. There is very little difference in baby brain waves between active sleep and waking hours when she is sucking or fussing.

During deep sleep your baby will lie motionless and his chest will rise and fall rhythmically. His eyelids will be completely shut. There is hardly any mouth movement going on and his face will be relaxed. If you accidentally jiggle the crib during this phase your baby will jump, but during active sleep the jiggle may not affect him at all.