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Sleep periods develop as the brain matures. This means that there are times during the day and night when a baby's brain will become drowsy and less alert. These times are the best times for a baby to be soothed to sleep, because the restorative power of sleep is greatest when it coincides with the brain being in a drowsy state.
Daytime Sleep:
Between three and four months, day sleep organization will develop. The reason that daytime sleeping (naps) sometimes become a problem is that there may be too much stimulation (light, noise or motion) and too many errands or activities which interfere with good quality sleep.
Nighttime Sleep:
Although you can't control when a baby will begin to sleep for longer periods of time, babies typically develop night sleep organization at about six weeks because:
- We have darkness as a time cue
- We slow down our own activities and become quieter
- We behave as if we expect a baby to sleep
From the book Understanding Children. |
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Good Sleep Time Practices
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| 1. |
Be sensitive to a baby's need to sleep. Young babies need lots of sleep — about 16 hours per day. Therefore, a young baby should not be kept awake for intervals longer than a few hours and should be put to sleep at the first signs of drowsiness. |
| 2. |
Establish a regular sleep time routine. Doing the same series of activities consistently before going to bed helps a baby understand that it is time to go to sleep and this lowers stress levels. So try holding, feeding, rocking or a singing to a baby before nap or bedtime. |
| 3. |
Be consistent with your routine. Although it may seem inconvenient, you must be willing to adjust your schedule so that the child can sleep at both nap and bed time. |
| 4. |
Eliminate motion. While the rhythmic motion of a swing or moving stroller is a great way to soothe a baby, it may prevent her from falling into a deep sleep. |
| 5. |
Accept that a child may cry. As a baby grows into a toddler and you teach her to go to sleep on her own, some tears may be inevitable. This "protest crying" often occurs in the process of teaching a child healthy sleep habits, and will not cause any emotional or psychological effects. |
From the video Begin with Love.
From the book Understanding Children.
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What sleep time practices work for you?
Your ideas could appear on our site. Send them to Civitas.
Special thanks to Marc Weissbluth, MD, author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child |
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Keeping a sleep diary will help you to be specific in addressing a young child's sleep habits. You might also notice that the child is sleeping more than you thought.
Our downloadable sleep diary will help you keep track of: |
| o | Sleep time routines |
| o | Number of hours a baby sleeps |
| o | Time he goes to sleep |
| o | Number of times he wakes up at night |
| o | How you soothe him back to sleep |
| o | Length of time it takes to fall back to sleep |
| o | Time he wakes up in the morning |
| o | Time and duration of naps |
| o | Any events that may cause stress |
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From the book Understanding Children. |
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