By Claire Lerner and Rebecca Parlakian
Birth to 12 Months
Newborns usually don’t have trouble falling asleep, and they typically sleep a lot,anywhere from 8 to 16 hours,waking when they need something such as milk or a diaper change. They don’t yet know the difference between day and night, and they sleep for different lengths of time each day. An unpredictable sleeping pattern is normal in very young babies, which can be difficult for parents as they may be up a lot at night.
You can help your baby to sleep more at night by encouraging wakefulness during the day time. Try to spend some time outside each day. This provides good sunlight exposure and helps babies stay awake. Being outside also helps babies learn that daytime is when it’s bright out and they are active and social, and nighttime is when it’s dark and quiet.
By about 3~4 months of age, babies learn the difference between day and night. By about 6 months old, most healthy babies are capable of sleeping through the night. They are able to take in enough milk and other food during the day that they do not need to eat during the night. However, many babies are still waking up because they are used to falling asleep while being fed, rocked, or comforted in some other way. When they wake up,which we all do several times a night,they don’t know how to get themselves back to sleep on their own. Babies who have learned how to soothe themselves by, for example, sucking and getting their bodies into a comfortable position on their own (such as curling up in the corner of the crib) generally have an easier time putting themselves back to sleep. So it is a good idea to encourage self-soothing behaviors when your baby is distressed during the daytime.
12 to 36 Months
Most children this age sleep about 12~14 hours and take two naps a day. Between about 12~18 months, many children give up the morning nap and take one longer afternoon nap. However, as with all areas of development, there is wide variation in the amount of time children sleep. Like adults, some children need more sleep than others to function at their best.
