Sleep is one of the most popular conversations among parents– we constantly wonder when our child will sleep through the night; often parents compare stories or share their “triumphs” with other parents because they feel as if they have reached a monumental milestone or success. When, in reality, your baby calls the shots. I read a very interesting article from The New York Times yesterday, A Child’s Nap Is More Complicated Than It Looks. In this article, it goes into detail saying that sleep patterns, and the amount of sleep your infant requests or requires, directly correlates with how much sleep your baby will need as an older child. Interesting, right? I wonder if it goes for adults, too. Cause I must have required a lot of sleep as a baby.
…children who slept less than their peers as infants grew into older children who seemed to need less sleep.
While I turn to a helpful chart (How Much Sleep Does Your Child Need on Baby Center), which points out a general rule of thumb about how much sleep your child will need at specific ages, when naps usually combine into one nap a day, and the estimated total amount of sleep your child should need based on his or her age… I also take it with a grain of salt. These are guidelines only. Each child is going to be different and the New York Times article better explains this.
“I think there’s a dire need for adults in general to be in tune with individual children’s physiology,” Dr. LeBourgeois said. “What are the capabilities, and what are the limits?”
While I use a Sleep Chart as a tool, I also crosscheck it with a general Growth Spurt Guide. I found that it is difficult to remember (thanks, sleep deprivation) when sleep changes usually occur as well as which growth spurts were coming up. I check both the Sleep Chart and the Growth Spurt Guide and a light bulb goes on above my head when the rational side of my brain isn’t functioning properly.
That’s why he was sleeping so well yesterday and not today!
I love having resources for support.
Kellymom.com has a page on Growth Spurts that I really like using for reference purposes.
Common times for growth spurts are during the first few days at home and around 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months and 9 months (more or less). Babies don’t read calendars, however, so your baby may do things differently.
Growth spurts don’t stop after the first year – most moms notice growth spurts every few months during the toddler years and periodically thereafter on through the teenage years.
Do you set sleep expectations for your child? Do you create or alter a routine or schedule? Do you consider any sleep charts or growth spurt guides?
I’ve been called “maternal” since the day I could hold a baby doll. I’ve become a pregnancy, baby and parenting resource since having my first child almost 10 years ago. This is my blog and where I share my journey through parenthood with you.
When my kiddos were babies they had a more regular sleep schedule except for when they were teething and growth spurts (helllllo cluster feeding. That wasn’t fun!), etc. Now that they are newly sharing a room (a 20 month old and a 3 1/2 year old), nighttime is a battle. It’s been “you-know-what” on earth trying to get them to bed at a decent time some nights. I still have to go in their room with them and lay on the floor between their toddler beds until they fall asleep. Then I sneak out. The last couple of nights I got to spend the entire night in my own bed (knock on wood)! So yes, they used to sleep perfectly and without a fight, but now not so much. I just go with the flow and try do handle each day as it comes.
As for napping, the older one occasionally falls asleep during the day, and the younger almost always takes one nap right around lunch time, or recently I should say as he is eating lunch. Yep, he falls asleep in his booster seat and I just let him sleep there.