Infant States

Newborns move from waking to sleeping and back again throughout the day (and night too!). Researchers have learned that babies cycle through six states of alertness. There are 3 waking and 3 sleeping states. These six states are:

• Quiet Alert State: Babies' eyes are wide open and seem very bright. Arms and legs are still.
• Active Alert State: Babies' arms and legs move during bursts of activity.
• Drowsiness: Just before falling asleep or waking up, babies may be drowsy. You may notice that your baby's eyes are half-closed, or seem glazed over. There may be small movements of the arms and legs and breathing may be a little bit faster and not as regular.
• Quiet Sleep State: Babies' faces are relaxed. There may be small changes in facial expressions but eyes and bodies are still. The baby's breathing is regular.
• Active Sleep State: Babies' eyes are closed but may open from time to time; you may see the eyes moving under the lids. There are some movements of the arms and legs and breathing may be a little bit faster and not as regular.
• Crying: This is the newborn's only way to tell parents that he is hungry or uncomfortable.

Adapted from Healthy Steps. Edited and Compiled by the Center for Promotion of Child Development Through Primary Care 2011