{"id":2182,"date":"2013-05-13T08:38:56","date_gmt":"2013-05-13T12:38:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mayahoodblog.com\/?p=2182"},"modified":"2024-02-19T12:14:40","modified_gmt":"2024-02-19T17:14:40","slug":"how-much-sleep-does-my-baby-actually-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mayahoodblog.com\/how-much-sleep-does-my-baby-actually-need\/","title":{"rendered":"How much sleep does my baby ACTUALLY need??"},"content":{"rendered":"

What’s the favourite topic de jour<\/em> amongst new moms?\u00a0 SLEEP or rather,\u00a0lack of it.\u00a0 We all want to know how long each other’s babies slept for and if there are\u00a0any “tricks” that we can apply.\u00a0 What we wouldn’t do to get\u00a0one night of uninterrupted sleep!!\u00a0 Whether it’s your first, second or fifth child, we can all use help in the sleep department.\u00a0 Tracy Braunstein is a kid sleep expert and here she shares with us some information on the sleep needs of children and provides tips as well.\u00a0Here’s to nights full of Zzzzzzzzzs.\"image001\"<\/a><\/p>\n

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n

Sleep. It\u2019s a thing you used to get a lot of before you had kids\u00a0\ud83d\ude09 Now it\u2019s seems to be a distant memory.. but here\u2019s the good news, it doesn\u2019t have to be that way!<\/p>\n

Babies and children require sleep. Lots of it. It is not a luxury, it is a biological need. When a child is well rested and getting the sleep they need, it allows them to be at their optimal. The best little people they can be. Sleep is to the brain as food is to the body. It causes memory consolidation, enhances organizational skills, planning, multi-tasking and executive functioning. When a child is not getting sufficient rest, they are more irritable, frustrated and tend to get easily angered or upset.\"iStock_000015093634Small\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So how much of the \u201cgood stuff\u201d do they need? Here is a guideline for you (per 24 hr period) This is just a guideline, some children may need slightly more and some slightly less, but it will give you a good starting point:<\/p>\n

Newborn- 4 months: 14-18 hours<\/p>\n

4-12 months: 12-15 hours<\/p>\n

1-3 years: 11-14 hours<\/p>\n

3-5 years: 10-12 hours<\/p>\n

So now you know how much they should be sleeping, now you are probably asking \u201cHow do I ensure they are getting the sleep they need?\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are some key components we need to have in place in order to establish healthy sleep:<\/p>\n

1. Sleep Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether your child is in your bed, a co sleeper or in their crib, there are certain aspects that should be present:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Dark. Think cave. A child\u2019s room during sleep should be as dark as possible. Black out blinds are essential.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Temperature. The room should not be too hot or too cold. Approximately 68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Crib Safety. The crib should be associated with nothing but a safe comfy place to sleep. Although tempting, we want to avoid mobiles, aquariums or any toy or device that plays music or has lights. These only distract our babies from the mission of getting to sleep. Simple bedding is all you need. But it will be beneficial for the child if you learn details like cotton vs polyester sheets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2. Schedule:<\/strong> Our babies have biological sleep cycles. What this means is that there are certain times in the day when their little bodies are meant to be asleep, and certain times that they are meant to be awake. If we have them up when they are meant to be asleep and vice versa, then we have problems. When we are aware of these cycles and ensure that we have them sleeping on the correct schedule, we find not only longer more restorative quality sleep, but they also have an easier time falling asleep and staying asleep. Even without selecting an actual sleep training method, just getting your baby on the appropriate biological schedule will make a huge difference and set our children up for success in the quest for healthy sleep!<\/p>\n

3. Self Soothing Skills:<\/strong> Does your baby have the ability to put herself to sleep without intervention? Do you need to nurse, rock, sing, pat or swing your baby to get him to sleep every time he wakes? If the answer is yes, then your baby is lacking self soothing skills and as loving and nurturing parents, we want to help them to develop this important skill.<\/p>\n

There are various methods that a family can choose from to sleep train their little ones. Some are more direct and some more gradual, but whichever method you choose, consistency is key!<\/p>\n

As an infant & child sleep consultant, I am so privileged to be able to be a part of the journey for so many wonderful families. To see the dark circles disappear, the meltdown\u2019s melt away and the smiles on everyone\u2019s face is just priceless! Should you require more information or need some help with your children\u2019s sleep issues, please email me at <\/i>tracy@sleeptightsolutions.com<\/i><\/a> or visit me online at <\/i>www.theparentingtoolbox.ca<\/i><\/a> and <\/i>www.facebook.com\/theparentingtoolbox<\/i><\/a>.\"IMG_6927\"<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n

Give your child the gift of sleep! <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What’s the favourite topic de jour amongst new moms?\u00a0 SLEEP or rather,\u00a0lack of it.\u00a0 We all want to know how long each other’s babies slept for and if there are\u00a0any “tricks” that we can apply.\u00a0 What we wouldn’t do to get\u00a0one night of uninterrupted sleep!!\u00a0 Whether it’s your first, second or fifth child, we can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"How much sleep does my baby ACTUALLY need?? 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