How Much Sleep Does My Child Need?
“Is my baby sleeping enough? Is my baby napping enough? My baby is sleeping so little, what am I doing wrong!” Do you find yourself asking those questions? Do you feel like you are constantly in a doubting mood when it comes to your baby’s sleep? This blog will help you understand sleep needs and have a reference in your pocket to go back to as your baby grows.
The number of hours:
On average, children need the following amount of sleep per 24 hours:
0-3 months: 14-17 hours
4-11 months: 12-15 hours
1-2 years: 11-14 hours
3-5 years: 10-13 hours
Please remember that this is an average.
What about naps?
Naps are a key component when it comes to a baby’s sleep, it’s not a substitute for night sleep. Each nap will come with different benefits, to help the baby grow: mentally and physically. Nap length is highly dependent on the age and biological needs of each child. As a general guideline for all ages, we aim to have 1 complete sleep cycle, as babies grow older and learn how to sleep independently, they should be able to sleep longer naps with more than 1 cycle. The average sleep cycle is 45-60 minutes. Newborns up to 4-5 months might have short naps, which is fine because their bodies are still developing and maturing to have the day sleep organized. Below is your reference to the number of naps broken down by age:
Newborn babies (0-3 months): varies
Starting 4/5 months: 4-3 naps
Starting 8/9 months: 2 naps - Sometimes it happens around 6 months
Starting 15/18 months: 1 nap - Until the age of 3-5 years old
How do I know if my child is getting enough sleep?
I don’t want you to focus on quantity only and forget sleep quality, sleep quality is as important as sleep quantity. Good sleep (quantity and quality) will show on the baby’s behavior; fresh, happy and focused (for older babies and toddlers). Such babies will have a predictable consistent schedule and do not fight sleep.
You may notice the following if your child is not getting healthy sleep:
Inconsistent schedule
Short/random naps
Nightwakings
Early rising
Fighting sleep
Cranky most of the day
SUPER active (for toddlers)
I would like to encourage you to track your baby’s sleep quantity and quality to ensure that he/she is rested, to grow, and thrive!
Need help figuring out healthy sleep needs for your baby? You can get started here: newborn or baby & toddler
