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Sleeping Patterns for babies aged 1-3.
By this age, the amount of sleep needed varies individually with the baby, the same as it does between different adults. By 2 years, most infants only have one nap, usually in the afternoon. There are differences in how long infants maintain a daytime nap.
18 months Life is so amusing and intense for your one-and-a-half-year-old that going to sleep is the last thing he wants to do. He needs your help to calm down at night so he can get his much-needed rest. Babies at 18 months typically need 12 to 13 hours of sleep every 24 hours. This is often less sleep than their parents think - and wish - they needed. Since sleeping needs vary from child to child, you'll have to work out what's right for your one. Here are a few suggestions: • Your child may soon need only one nap each day. But he will probably need two rest periods. • Many children who are at nursery school or with a childminder might get two naps, even if they don't need them, and some only one. Find out from the nursery how often and constantly your child sleeps. If he gets a lot of sleep and you don't want to deal with a late bedtime or early waking-up time, you may want to talk to your nursery staff about changing the amount of sleep your toddler gets during the day. • If you have an older child, he may actually need an earlier bedtime than his younger sibling. • A bottle at night is a bad habit. It's bad for your toddler's teeth and if it becomes part of his routine, he'll always need it to fall asleep, even when he wakes up in the middle of the night. If the bottle at night persists, he will be more often wet at night. 2 years Your 2-year-old is still trying to twist the rules, and struggles over getting to sleep are common. Your toddler doesn't want to leave you or his exciting day. Establish rituals and routines for bedtime to encourage good sleeping habits. In general, 2-year-olds need 12 to 13 hours of sleep per 24 hours. Typically, they'll sleep 11 to 12 hours at night, with maybe one nap each afternoon of one to two hours. Being consistent every day about bedtime rules and routines is the best way to teach your child good sleeping habits and make things easier on you. Here are a few tips: • Start winding down after dinner. Slowing the pace for yourself and your child will help make the transition to bedtime easier. Reading, singing and quiet play are better than running around. Dads and their toddlers often like a rough and tumble, but do not have them an hour before sleep time. • Keep the before-bed routine short and sweet. Bathing, brushing teeth and going to the toilet shouldn't take more than half an hour or so. • Your toddler will probably refuse to go to bed at least some of the time. Be firm and consistent about bedtime rules. • Toddlers don't need their own rooms. In fact, many children this age sleep more soundly with someone else in the room. Another child between the age of 3 and 5 would make a good room-mate. • Leave a book or a quiet toy in your child's bed so he can amuse himself for a little while after waking up. He can't understand the concept of "too early", but you can tell him to stay in his room until the light comes through the window or he hears you say "good morning". 3 years The average 3-year-old sleeps about 12 hours each day. This usually means 10 or 11 hours at night and a one- to two-hour nap. However, nap times are more variable for 3-year-olds than for 2-year-olds. Baby will need more or less sleep depending on the day's events, an illness, changes in his routine, or any developmental changes he's going through. Whatever amount of time your child naturally sleeps in a day is the amount he needs. Your 3-year-old leads a very busy life, intensified by his improving language ability and lively imagination. At night, these can also set the stage for colourful and stunning dreams and nightmares. Between 3 and 7 years of age many children have nightmares and it is a normal developmental phase. You can't and shouldn't want to avert his wild dreams; they help him to deal with the challenges of his bright day. But you can help him settle down each night. If your child has trouble sleeping without a light on, put a dimmer on the switch and let him adjust it. Praise him as he turns it down and in a few weeks he'll be used to a very dim light. Or try gradually lowering the wattage of a table lamp bulb over several weeks.
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