FAQs

How Much Sleep Do Newborn Babies need?

Sleep for the first 1 to 2 months of life usually occurs around the clock. The sleep wake cycle comprises sleep and walking to the fed, changed, or nurtured. Newborns an irregular sleep wake cycle and sleep anywhere from 10 to 18 hours a day. Wake times can last from one to three hours at a time. Sleep is very active and 50 percent of sleep time for a baby is spent in REM sleep.

How Can I Help My Baby Develop A Sleep Pattern?

Newborns should be put to bed when sleepy so they will start to learn to how to get them to sleep. There are many theories and many books on how to develop sleep patterns in newborns and infants, but each child will have his or her own pattern than can gradually be adapted to our society’s day night cycle. Exposure to bright light and play during the day will keep a baby awake for longer, while a quieter and dimmer environment towards nightfall will be more conducive to sleep.

Does A Breastfed Child Develop Sleep Disturbance After breastfeeding Stops?

There is currently no evidence to suggest that breastfeeding your child (which involves a lot of awake time during the night) will lead to sleep disturbances once the child comes off the breast.

How Should A Baby Be Put To Bed?

Babies should be put to bed when they become sleepy, and not when they are asleep. Make sure the head, face, and neck are clear of bedclothes and put the baby on his or her back.

Is Co-sleeping Good or Bad For Babies?

Co-sleeping (sharing a bed) is common in many cultures. There is no hard and fast evidence to suggest an increased risk of suffocation of the child. It is generally recommended that the infant be put to sleep in a separate room from the caregiver to avoid affecting the sleep-wake cycle of the adult. Many parents feel they are thereby becoming inattentive to their child’s needs. But there is some evidence to suggest that they tend to get up even more often if they hear the child crying. There is some evidence to suggest that children who later develop sleep problems experience co-sleeping in their infancy. In adults, sleeping apart has been shown to lead to a more refreshing night’s sleep.

How Does Colic In My Baby Affect His/Her Sleep?

Colic is one the more common disorder affecting sleep in infants. Usually it resolves by 4 to 5 months of age. It is characterized by fussiness that is inconsolable in the late afternoon or evening hours. It is through that colic reflects development of the brain during the first few months of life. Eventually, the colicky behaviour will settle, but associated sleep problems may not unless the parents or carers enforce a sleep wake routine consistently. Colicky infant miss periods of sleep during their attacks, which can affect their sleep wake cycle.

Once The Colic Has Resolved, How Do I Get My Baby To Sleep?

You must enforce regular daytime and night time sleep patterns and adhere to them. The morning wake up time is the most important aspect of the schedule. It must be fixed and consistent. Bedtime at night should also be strictly adhered to. Being persistent with this regimen is the single most important aspect of getting your baby back into a regular routine.

Can Cow’s Milk Allergy Cause Problem With Sleep In Infant?

Yes, it can be difficult to differentiate cow’s milk allergy from colic. However, your doctor will be able to do some blood test to establish the diagnosis of allergy. Infants with cow’s milk allergy often have very frequent night time awakenings and their total sleep time is reduced. Crying during the daytime is common and the infant appears to be fussy. Problems with behavior and sleep can be easily resolved once cow’s milk based formula is discontinued. Symptom should normalize within about 2 weeks.

My Baby Needs To Drink A Lot During The Night, Is This Affecting Her/His Sleep?

Excessive nocturnal fluid intake is a recognized cause of disturbed sleep at night both for the baby and parents. Babies who drink large volume of fluid (8-32 oz) during the night typically awaken with heavily soaked nappies in the morning. From the seventh month, the infant should not be waking up at night to feed. Reasons for awakening to eat at night include: a learned response associating food with sleep, bladder distension causing awakening, and learned hunger. If large volumes of fluid are consumed, the problem is one of excessive fluid intake. If the infant consumes small volumes of fluid, then the association of sleep the presence of a parent is more important.

How Can I Wean My Baby Off Fluids?

The trick is to gradually reduce the amount of nightly feed and fluid during the night over a period of about 1-2 weeks. Diluting milk with water can also help. If you are breastfeeding and your baby’s cry results in “letting down” of milk, it may be better for you to express this milk and feed through a bottle, diluting it gradually and weaning your baby that your way. Your letdown will stop once the baby is sleeping through the night and no longer wakes up crying.

How Much Sleep Do Toddlers Need?

Children between the ages of 1 to 3 years need about 12-14 hours of sleep in total during a 24 hour period. Naptimes during the day decrease with age and shouldn’t be more than 1-3 hours in duration the older the child gets. This is very much dependent on the sleep needs of child in terms of development and genetically determined sleeps needs that may already be apparent.

What Sort of Problems With Sleep Can Occur At This Age?

This can be a trying time for getting the child to sleep. It is a time in the developmental process where boundaries are being tested and children become more self aware. There can be resistance to going to bed at night. Children are able to get out of bed by themselves and once their imagination starts to develop, nightmares and night terrors can starts to occur. It is therefore important that a routine is kept for sleep wake times and reinforced as much as possible. Consistency is the key. Sometimes security objects (like a toy or a blanket) can be a useful. If you have more than one child of this in the household and they have different sleep patterns, it is often idea to have them sleep separately from each other, if at all possible.

How Much Sleep Do Pre-schoolers Need?

After the age of 5 years, it is unusual for a child to require daytime naps. Children of this age still need a lot of sleep through. Generally 11 to 13 hours a night. Behavioural problems with sleep can occur, with more awakening and opposition to bedtime. Once again, a consistent routine is the best way to counter this. This is the age at which sleepwalking and night terrors may start to occur.

How Much Sleep Do School Aged Children Need?

Between about 5 to 12 years of age, children have about the same sleep requirements as when they were pre-schoolers. Generally, 10 to 12 hours a night are needed to ensure maximum daytime functioning. At this period in their sleep patterns, such as extra-curricular activities, engagement with computing and television, and less supervised intake of foods and drink which may contain caffeine (such as soft drink). Disturbances to sleep wake cycle and inadequate sleep can lead to poor school performance, mood disorders, and hyperactivity. Many primary sleep disorders come to the fore during this time, including sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, sleep-walking and sleep-talking. A consistent bedtime routine is important.

How Much Sleep Is enough During Adolescence?

During adolescence, sleep requirements slightly fall, but are still more than in adults. Somewhere around 9 to 10 hours a night (especially in early adolescence) is necessary. However, there will be a lot variation in this depending on genetically determined requirements.

What Can Disrupt The Sleep of An Adolescent?

Extra-curricular and social activities and heavy homework schedule during adolescence take a toll on sleep. Many adolescents have independent access to computers and television in their own rooms that may deprive them to sleep. It is not unusual for adolescents to develop a phase shift in their sleep or for the first sign of delayed sleep phase syndrome to occur. This can have a negative impact on school or job performance. A routine and consistent bedtime schedule is important during phase of development. However hard it may be for parents to enforce it.

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