About sleep and wake patterns
Some normal sleep and waking variations
Daily diaries
In the early weeks at home, parents and the new baby (and possibly older siblings) begin to learn about each other and adjust to living together. It will help if you try and be realistic about your baby's needs and behaviours and accept that they will be relatively unpredictable in the early weeks of parenting. A predictable pattern may start to begin somewhere around 8 - 12 weeks after the birth, or perhaps not until your baby is about 3 to 4 months. Often being able to accept what is happening in the present, or 'going with the flow' (and knowing that it will eventually change), can be enough to help keep your sanity.
The unpredictable newness of your baby will eventually pass, even though the 'newness' in itself is beautiful and exciting. Any lack of confidence and self-doubt as a parent, is generally soon replaced by increased confidence and being more comfortable with caring for your baby.
Breastfeeding problems (if you have them) are usually overcome in the first couple of weeks, but for a few mothers they will resolve by about 4 - 6 weeks. For those women who persevere through these difficulties, it can become a pleasant relief and a sense of achievement, when the feeding becomes second nature and finally enjoyable.
If this is not your first child, accepting that your new baby may be very different from their older sibling(s), or if you have
twins or more that they are likely to be different from each other, can help you understand why your baby does not seem to respond to the 'tried and true' parenting techniques that worked for you in the past. Be ready to readjust you whole parenting approach for this new baby!
About sleep and wake patterns
It is amazing how often a parent is asked the question "Is he a good baby?".