Ahhh...the sweet serenity of a sleeping baby. However, who knew that such a seemingly simple activity could be so complex! In fact, so complex that I am reading about a 500 page book about it! Now that Kayla is 4 months, sleep has become less automatic for her, and so I have decided to take charge. Here are some things I have learned so far from "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child"1)Her bedtime should now be moving from 10-11pm to 6-7pm.
2)Brief naps in cars, strollers, swings, and in my arms are light sleep, and poor quality
3)Do not expect a baby to nap well outside of the crib after 4 months
4)After 4 months, naps less than 1 hour cannot count as real naps
5)By 4-8 months infants should have a total nap time of 1-4 hours throughout the day, ideally a midmorning nap and early afternoon nap
6)Nighttime sleep should total 10-12 hours, with 1, 2, or no interruptions for feeding
7)You should put a baby down when they become drowsy, which is after 1-2 hours of wakefulness.
Do I really need to be reading a 500 page book about sleep?...I don't know.
Did the pilgrims need this book to get their kids to sleep?...No.
Am I going to finish reading it?...Yes.
2 comments:
you need to talk to my sister....she's dying because Blake just won't sleep. He is so OVERtired he can't get peaceful. Was Kayla ever like that? I honestly don't remember Kent sleeping through the night until after 6 months old, and not consistently until he was 10 months old. Parker was a little better, by 12 weeks he was good.
okay, I was at my ends this week with Blake. He was making me a waking mess and not very fun to be around (poor Jason). We have done this thing where he eats every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. And then stays awake for an hour and then naps. It has worked well today. We did it twice last night and he slept for 5 hours and 45 mintues straight. I am anxious to see how he does tonight for sleep. Supposedly it should work...friends have done this and have raved about it. But honestly, every child is different and what works for one may not work for another..but I am so willing to try ANYTHING!
Oh and btw, your little girl is adorable and so precious.
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