One of the most frustrating sleep myths out there is parents hearing they should sacrifice sleep for several years once their baby is born. Sleep deprivation is a serious problem and not a badge of honor. How is sacrificing your health and mood something that should be done for several years? And, if you’re exhausted from a broken night’s sleep, your child must be feeling it too.
To be clear, a newborn will absolutely be up for a feed multiple times a night. Although, there is a lot you can do to lay a foundation for great sleep for newborns. By the 4 month mark, babies are able to consolidate sleep, and most only need 1 feed if healthy and gaining weight. By 6 months, many babies can sleep 11-12 hours without a feed.
Let’s talk about the benefits of sleep for your child. For most of us, once they are sleeping well, we can then start to sleep well again. It’s a win-win.
Know Your Child’s Sleep Needs
Babies and kids need way more sleep than adults do. The first step to understanding the importance of sleep for your child is to know how much sleep they need according to their age.
Newborns need a ton of sleep. As a baby gets older their sleep needs decrease. Here is a breakdown by age of how much sleep your child needs in a 24 hour period from the National Sleep Foundation.
Newborns (0-3 months) need 14-17 hours
Babies (4-11 months) need 11-15 hours
1-2-year-olds need 11-14 hours
3-5-year-olds need 10-14 hours
6-13-year-olds need 9-12 hours
Adequate Sleep Is Just Plain Good For EVERYONE
Sleep is absolutely the foundation of good health. It’s beneficial to our physical & mental health, mood, and learning. Here is a list of the benefits of great sleep for babies and kids.
Improved attention & behavior
Consolidated learning and memory
Vocabulary acquisition
Executive function and motor skill development
Growth in early infancy
Level of happiness
Mood regulation
Cell recovery
Immune system boost
Higher scores on school tests
Improves academic performance
Prevents obesity
And the magic of sleep happens when kids are getting the amount of sleep they need and it’s unfragmented. Meaning, they are not waking up multiple times throughout the night. In a nutshell, your child will be healthier and smarter if they sleep well.
When Kids Don’t Get Enough Sleep
According to the America Academy of Pediatrics, a quarter of children under the age of 5 are not getting adequate sleep. Even slight sleep deprivation can impact a child’s health and development. Poor sleep is associated with children being misdiagnosed with ADHD as kiddos who are sleep deprived have a harder time focusing, may be hyperactive, and struggle in school.
Other health concerns that are linked to poor sleep are obesity, problems with the immune system, high blood pressure, depression & anxiety.
Sleep Tips For Babies & Kids
What can you do to make sure your babies and kids are getting adequate sleep?
Know how much sleep they need
Have a consistent bedtime routine for your baby to help prepare them for bed each night
Go to bed at the same time and in the same place each night
Create the perfect environment: dark, cool & quiet
If getting great sleep is a problem in your home, ask for help. My sleep program will have your baby or child sleeping well in about a week. Schedule a free discovery call and we’ll talk about how to make it all happen.