Second Night Syndrome & What You Can Do

You did it. You gave birth. You went through hours of labor, pushed your body to the absolute limit, and brought your beautiful new baby into this world. You both get some rest, falling into a deep sleep for the first 24 hours or so. You may often wake to check on your baby to make sure they’re still there. They're still breathing. They’re still the perfect little bundle of joy you created and brought into this world just the day before. 

And then, your baby wakes up. And it seems like they may never sleep again. 

The constant soothing sound of your heartbeat and whooshing of amniotic fluid are gone. Suddenly there are lots of bright lights, loud sounds, new smells, and what seems like an insatiable hunger that won’t go away. 

This is a phenomenon that has been called “Second Night Syndrome” (SNS) in which your baby realizes that their cozy place of residence for 9 months is no longer their home. They’re trying to figure out their new reality, and it’s often scary. 

If you’re reading this remembering back to your second night with your little one and having that AHA moment, you probably lived through SNS. Not every newborn experiences it - some settle right into their new world with no issue. But those babies who experience SNS often struggle with the transition and it shows up in some of the following ways:

Wakefulness 

Babies go into a REM sleep (light sleep) first, and then cycle between REM and deep sleep every ½ hour. This explains why your baby may pop awake as soon as they’ve fallen asleep feeding and you try and move them, or as soon as the nipple (bottle or breast) is out of their mouth  they wake back up.

Extremely Frequent Feedings

Newborns bellies are about the size of a marble after that first 24 hours, so the frequent feedings are part of your baby’s way of getting the nutrients they need while also preparing your body for what’s to come. Within the first week, babies will begin to need more and more milk, and the frequent feedings help your milk come in to sustain your baby’s growing needs from then on.

Crying/Fussiness 

As we said before - this new world is scary! Your baby doesn’t know anything in this world besides you are their parent and you will keep them safe. They may fuss or cry because they aren’t sure what else to do!

If you’re reading this going “oh my gosh, how on earth do I help my baby transition?!” Here are a few tips to make SNS transition a little smoother for you and baby: 

Know That It Will Be Okay

If your baby is experiencing SNS, it is normal. There is nothing wrong. You are doing everything correctly, the transition is just hard. For everyone. Know that the best thing you can do is be with your baby and be there for your baby during this transition. 

Snuggle and Sleep Skin to Skin 

We already know skin to skin contact is best for baby, especially during those critical first few days. As mentioned above, babies REM cycles are light and quick. The best time to move them from nipple/bottle to sleeping position is roughly ½ hour after they’ve dozed off, when they’ve entered into their first deep sleep cycle.

Remember - they don’t necessarily want to be or need to be put down into a bassinet or crib. It’s okay to adjust their position to a neutral, upright position and continue to soak up all those snuggles while they sleep! 

Keep Things Low-Key

The first 48 hours your baby is earth side are hectic, not only for them but for you. And of course, you want nothing more than to show off that precious new bundle of joy to anyone and everyone who wants to meet them! However, as mentioned in a previous post, the practice of “lying in” and limiting visitors until you and baby have had ample time to bond and get into your own routine before introducing others to the mix. 

Remember - This Is Not Forever

These moments with your newborn are fleeting - good, bad, and in between. SNS can have parents in tears too, wondering what they’re doing wrong or will their baby ever sleep again! The answer is yes, they will. There will come a time when six months from now, a year from now, ten years from now when your children sleep through the night, these days will seem like they never even happened. Keep going!