*This article is beneficial for parents with infants, ages 3 months – 18 months.
Sleep plays a major role in a child’s development, as infants need between 14-16 hours of sleep, per day, for proper brain development and physical growth. The chart below lists how many times infants typically rest during the day according their age.
A typical nap time for infants last between 30 min – 2 hours, and a typical nights rest can last between 6 – 10 hours (depending on age). With that said, it is very common for infants to struggle with sleeping for extended amounts of time. This can lead to major challenges for some parents who may become frustrated from lack of sleep and/or feeling overwhelmed.
In this article, I share three tips that have been proven to help babies sleep between 30min – 3 hours during naps and between 6 – 12 hours at night. This includes my own daughter who began sleeping 6 consecutive hours during the night at 3-months-old. She is now 23-months-old, and she sleeps 12-13 hours each night and naps for 2.5 hours during the day.
3 tips to help your baby sleep Longer
1. Make sure your baby is full.
A common reason why babies do not sleep for an extended amount of time is hunger. Ensure that your baby has a good amount of milk and/or solids before going to sleep.
Breastmilk is digested quicker than formula, so breastfed babies are more likely to wake for a mid-night feed, or wake earlier from a nap. However, most breastfed babies follow the typical rest times.
Pro Tip: This can be a challenge for parents when infants refuse to eat. A common reason why babies refuse to eat so close to bed time is because they are overtired. Try offering meals to your infant 30 min before bed time.
2. Make sure your baby is tired, but not overtired.
A child that is full of energy will not sleep. So, make sure that your child gets plenty of physical activity when he or she is awake. Infants can start tummy time as young as 2-days old! According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), infants should start tummy time as soon as they come home from the hospital.
Older infants can stay active by exploring their areas (rolling, crawling, or walking), playing with toys, or engaging in activities such as an art project. Keeping your baby active when awake will help your child fall asleep faster and sleep longer.
An overtired child will also have a hard time falling asleep. To avoid this, make sure that you are attentive to your child’s signs of sleepiness. When you notice that your child is getting sleepy, or when it is close to their usual time for sleeping, begin getting your child ready.
Pro Tip: You can avoid your baby being overtired by establishing a routine. Start your nap time or night time routine at the same time each day.
3. Establish a routine, and create a soothing environment.
The best and easiest way to ensure that sure that your baby sleeps well is to stick to a routine. Children operate best when they know what to expect. Establishing a nap time and bedtime routine will allow your baby to mentally prepare for resting. When you put your baby to sleep at random times each day, your baby is not prepared and has a lesser chance of falling asleep and staying asleep. Nap time and night time routines should always include
- Eating a meal/drinking milk
- Preparing the sleep environment
- Putting baby to bed
Creating a resting environment is a major part of the bed time routine. Most babies prefer to sleep in dark, quiet spaces with cool temperatures. So, your young infant may have a hard time sleeping in a room where a TV and lights are on, or it is warm. According to experts, the best sleeping environment for infants and toddlers includes a night light, soft music, a humidifier, and a cool temperature. This type of environment allows a baby to enter every stage of sleep, resulting in longer sleep times.
Pro Tip: As your baby grows, he or she will become accustomed to an atmosphere. So, if you put your young baby to sleep in a space that is not dark, quiet and cool, you can expect that as your infant grows, he or she will be able to sleep in that environment. However, research has shown that individuals who sleep in well lit spaces, or spaces with a tv playing, do not enter every stage of sleep, resulting in less sleep.
