Babies start dreaming even before they are born.

Your baby has more dream sleep than you.
It's thought that spend about 80 per cent of their sleep in REM
sleep. At full-term, up to 50 per cent of a
baby's sleep is REM. Adult dream sleep only takes up 20 per
cent of our total sleep. So while you dream
for between one and two hours a night,
your newborn baby dreams for up to eight
hours. By your baby's , dream sleep will have reduced to about a thirdof
her sleep. Your baby willhave had REM sleep while
she was in your uterus (womb), when you
were about or pregnant with her. During REM sleep your
baby's eyes dart back and forth under her
eyelids, while the rest ofher body is very
still. She will have the occasional twitch,
and her will be irregular.In quiet sleep, your baby will breathe
deeply and regularly, sometimes with a big
sigh. She will lie still, butmay move her
arms or legs and make little sucking
movements with her mouth, or suddenly
give a start. These sudden movements of the whole body are called hypnagogic
startles, and are perfectly normal. After the first month her dream sleep will
gradually become more continuous and the
startles will disappear.


Share >