Baby Sleep Requirements Baby Sleep Requirements www.BabySleepSolution.com

It has been shown in studies that children who donot get sufficient sleep do not tend to be as good at

learning as those who do get sufficient sleep.

A lack of sleep at a very young age can also lead to behavioural problems as the child gets older.

So, how long should your baby be sleeping?

Many experts disagree on the specific number ofhours babies need to sleep, either during the night

or in naps during the daytime.

However, it is possible to take an average of someof the expert's recommendations to give you agood idea of the number of hours your infant

should be sleeping.

The number of hours of sleep can actually vary greatly from child to child.

Some infants may sleep for up to three hours more or less than the average

figure and still be getting what is considered normal amounts of sleep.

According to recent studies, babies sleep requirements at

different ages are as follows…

For a baby less than one month oldan average of eight or nine hours

night's sleep should be expected.

Although these will not be consecutive hours dueto your babies need for a feed every three to fourhours at this age. A further six to eight hours innaps during the day should also be expected.

At the age of three months, around 10 hours of sleep at night and naps of

up to five hours in total should be expected.

At six months, an average of 10 hours a night's sleep should be

expected, with up to four hours in naps.

At 12 months, a baby will normally average around 11 1/2 hours sleep at night, with

typically 2 1/2 hours of naps during the day.

At two years of age, normal toddlers sleep requirements would be an

average of the eleven hours sleep at night, with possibly just one nap of

around an hour and a half during the day.

And at three years, a typical night's sleep would be an average of 11

hours, but by this stage daytime naps will very likely have reduced to just an hour or possibly right down to zero.

If your child is sleeping for significantly more orsignificantly less than the average, it could be dueto poor baby sleep habits. However, it would bewise to consult your doctor or paediatrician to put

your mind at rest.

By Chris Towland

www.BabySleepSolution.com