How much should a one-year-old child sleep per day and times: how to put him to sleep during the day?

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Author of the article

Ekaterina Rakitina Doctor Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

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Article last updated: 03/27/2019

Sleep is a physiological state of rest that a 1-year-old baby needs for full growth and normal psychological and physical development. Sleep performs protective functions and allows all organs to recover to regulate metabolic processes and resist aggressive external influences. When answering the question of how long a baby should sleep a day, you should take into account his age and character.

Why is healthy sleep so important?

The human body is a very complex system, all elements of which must work harmoniously. Sleep is essential to maintaining this coherence. This is the time when all organs and systems undergo “service” necessary for full operation. During sleep, the following processes occur:

• regeneration of damaged tissues;
• healing of microtraumas and growth of muscle tissue (after training);
• restoration of cells damaged by free radicals, toxins, radiation and other factors;
• enhanced immune function;
• accumulation of energy in muscles;
• rest and restoration of the cardiovascular system;
• organizing information received during the day and transferring important knowledge into long-term memory.

The listed processes do not occur simultaneously. There are different stages of sleep, changing several times during the night. In this case, the phases of REM and deep sleep are of greatest importance for the body. The first is necessary for the restoration of the brain and nervous system, and during the second the body is restored at a physiological level. Some sleep disorders can affect only one of the phases, gradually worsening a person’s physical health or psycho-emotional state.

Without getting enough sleep, a person feels exhausted. It is more difficult for him to concentrate on work, and his general health worsens. Regular lack of sleep leads to more serious consequences: productivity decreases, immunity weakens, and there is a risk of developing depression.

Infant sleep duration

Children are born weak, so the first weeks of their life are spent accumulating the strength required for development. While in the womb, the child got used to the aquatic environment. At birth, he finds himself in a different space, with a different atmospheric pressure, to which he has to get used to again. To adults, the world around us seems simple: the air is easy to breathe, the pressure of the atmospheric column goes unnoticed. Newborns have to make a lot of effort to breathe and make simple movements. Therefore, during the first days of life, the baby sleeps more, gains strength and gets used to the world. In the first month, the duration of rest is much longer than the period of wakefulness: babies sleep for about 20 hours, and eat the rest of the time. In the future, the baby sleeps less and less, and more strength will appear to explore the world around him.

Myth 4. Children over one year old need to be weaned from sucking a pacifier, especially at night.

Fact. For toddlers, sucking is natural and very calming. In most primitive societies, children suckle until they are three or four years old. Pacifiers can give your baby confidence and help him self-soothe in the middle of the night.

Moreover, many babies have a strong craving for sucking, which is genetically determined. And such children are definitely better off sucking a pacifier rather than developing the habit of drooling their thumb, which is much more likely to lead to orthodontic problems in the future.

Duration of sleep by month to year

How long should a 7 month old baby sleep?

The baby's sleep at first depends on how much time has passed since birth. Further, the duration of sleep in newborns varies by month:

• During the first 2 weeks of life, a newborn’s sleep takes almost the whole day (20-22 hours). At this time, he sleeps intermittently, since the baby does not yet understand when day and night begin. During the day, an infant sleeps for 2-3 hours at a time, and a little longer at night. He wakes up periodically to eat. If he does not receive milk every 3-4 hours, he will not have enough strength, so frequent awakenings are the norm.
• Over the next few weeks, the duration of rest slowly decreases to 16-18 hours per day. The baby is accustomed to the environment and can go without feeding for about 6 hours at night. During the day after feeding, he will not immediately fall asleep. Now he will study the world around him, only after that he will get tired.
• Infants' sleep begins to change from month to month from the third month. By the end of this period, it is enough for the baby to get 15-16 total hours of sleep per day.
• Around six months of age, he begins to transition to rest at night, but still needs rest breaks during the day. In total, rest will also take about 15 hours, of which 8-10 are at night, the rest is divided into short naps for the baby during the day, 1-1.5 hours each.
• Over the next 3 months (from 6 to 9), the total rest time is reduced to 12 hours a day. Most of the time the baby rests at night. During the day, rest is required before lunch and in the afternoon for 1-1.5 hours.
• From 9 months to one year, children need 10-11 hours of rest, which includes two short rest breaks during the day. Parents try to establish the baby’s daily routine and not disturb it.

The regimen changes every 2-3 months for up to a year

Sleep from 0 to 3 months

Before 3 months, a newborn sleeps quite a lot - approximately 17 to 18 hours a day during the first few weeks and 15 to 17 hours a day by three months.

Children almost never sleep more than three to four hours at a time, either day or night. This means you won’t be able to sleep for many hours in a row either. At night you will have to get up to feed and change your baby; during the day you will play with it. Some babies sleep through the night as early as 8 weeks, but most babies don't sleep continuously through the night, not just until 5 or 6 months, but beyond. It is necessary to follow the rules of good sleep from birth.

Sleep rules.

Here's what you can do at this age to help your child acquire good sleep habits:

• Look for signs your child is tired

For the first six to eight weeks, your baby won't be able to stay awake for more than two hours at a time. If you don't put him to bed longer than this, he will be overtired and won't be able to sleep well. Observe until you notice that the child becomes sleepy. Is he rubbing his eyes, tugging at his ear, are there faint dark circles under his eyes? If you observe these or any other signs of drowsiness, send him straight to his crib. Soon you will become so familiar with your baby's daily rhythms and behavior that you will develop a sixth sense and instinctively know when he is ready for bed.

• Start explaining to him the difference between day and night

Some babies are night owls (you may have already noticed some hints of this during pregnancy). And while you might want to turn off the lights, your child may still be very active. In the first few days, you won't be able to do anything about it. But once your baby is about 2 weeks old, you can start teaching him the difference between night and day.

When your child is alert and active during the day, play with him, turn on the lights in the house and in his room, and do not try to reduce normal daytime noise (phone, TV, or dishwasher). If he falls asleep while feeding, wake him up. Do not play with your child at night. When you enter his nursing room, dim the lights and noise and don't talk to him for too long. It won't be long before your baby begins to understand that night time is for sleep.

• Give him a chance to fall asleep on his own

When your baby is between 6 and 8 weeks old, start giving him a chance to fall asleep on his own. How? Put him in his crib when he's sleepy but still awake, experts advise. They discourage rocking or feeding your baby before bedtime. “Parents think that if they start teaching their child too early, it will not have an effect,” they say, “But this is not so. Babies develop sleep habits. If you rock your baby to bed every night for the first eight weeks, why should he expect anything different later on?”

What sleep problems can occur before three months?

By the time your baby reaches 2 or 3 months, he may wake up more often during the night than he should and may have developed negative sleep associations.

Newborns need to wake up at night to feed, but some may accidentally wake themselves before they actually need to feed. To avoid this, try swaddling your baby (wrap him snugly in a blanket) before putting him in his crib at night.

Avoid unnecessary sleep associations—your baby should not depend on rocking or feeding to fall asleep. Put your baby in bed before he falls asleep and let him fall asleep on his own.

The importance of a routine for a one-year-old baby

If a baby is accustomed to waking up at the same time in the morning, eating at the same time, sleeping during the day and going to bed for a night's sleep no later than a certain time, such consistency has a beneficial effect on his mental and physical development. Children feel comfortable when their day is scheduled; their bodies get used to this routine.

If the routine is disrupted, children begin to be capricious and find it difficult to control their emotions. This is not impulsive behavior, not tearfulness, and not a temperamental trait, as many parents believe. Irrationalally allocated time for sleep, feeding and play affects not only the mood, but also the baby’s ability to concentrate, understand and carry out basic instructions from the parents.

Therefore, it is very important to have a consistent daily routine with eating, sleeping and other activities, such as walks in the fresh air. Regular routines before putting your baby to bed, such as bathing, eating, evening stories or lullabies, always create the calm atmosphere necessary for sleep.

Important! From the first years of their lives, children should have a daily routine in which they perform all their activities at the same time.

Baby's daytime rest

Sleep from 9 to 12 months

Your baby already sleeps 10 to 12 hours at night. And two more times a day for 1.5-2 hours. Make sure he gets enough of it - sleep duration plays a big role in a child's development. It is also important to maintain a consistent nap schedule. If this schedule is rotating, then there is a high chance that the child will have difficulty falling asleep and will wake up frequently during the night.

How to put a child to sleep?

• Evening ritual

Maintain a regular evening bedtime ritual. This is important: a bath, a bedtime story, going to bed. You can also add quiet play, just make sure you follow the same pattern every night. Children prefer consistency and feel safe when they know what to expect.

• Daytime and nighttime sleep patterns

Your child's sleep will improve if you follow a routine not only at night, but also during the day. If a child eats, plays and goes to bed at exactly the same time, most likely it will always be easy for him to fall asleep.

Give your child the opportunity to fall asleep on his own. Don't stop him from practicing this important skill. If your baby's sleep depends on feeding, rocking, or a lullaby, he will have a hard time falling back asleep when he wakes up during the night. He might even cry.

What sleep problems might occur?

The child's development is in full swing: he can sit up, roll over, crawl, stand up and, finally, take a few steps. At this age, he hones and trains his skills. This means he may become overstimulated and have difficulty falling asleep, or may wake up during the night to exercise.

If the child cannot calm down and fall asleep on his own, he will cry and call you. Come and calm the child down.

Your child may also wake up at night out of fear of abandonment, missing you and worrying that you will never come back. He will most likely calm down as soon as you approach him.

The best daily routine

It will be considered optimal if the child’s daily schedule is designed in such a way that it coincides with his natural needs. If the child sleeps during the day at 13.00, then it is best to plan naps during the day at this time. If you suddenly change a child’s habits, his nervous system will suffer, and this daily routine will not bring any benefit. Therefore, the daily routine for a child aged 1-1.5 years should be as gentle as possible. Parents can judge the success of their regime by the child's good mood and good health.

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The best daily routine is the one that accustoms the child to order and organizes his leisure time. Then it will be much easier for the child to get used to kindergarten and school.

What if you don't follow a daily routine?

If parents are illogical in observing the children’s daily routine, then they force the child to follow it, then they let everything take its course, this negatively affects the baby’s nervous system. He may have the following health problems.

• Moodiness, irritability, nervousness
• Fast fatiguability
• Changes in activity and rest
• Mood swings
• Lack of sleep, poor sleep
• Poor appetite
• Insufficient assimilation of information
• Reluctance to clean up after yourself or help your mother

Age characteristics of a child 1-1.5 years old

When a child turns one year old, he begins to develop more rapidly than before. And at the same time, a child at this age still has many inconsistencies. Physically, the child is not yet able to withstand the whole day without sleep; he gets tired quickly. At the same time, the child loves to run and jump a lot and actively, however, he gets tired very soon and needs rest. The child’s coordination of movements is still insufficient, despite the fact that he wants to play for a long time and a lot.

A child at this age can fulfill an adult’s request to bring or serve something, and his active vocabulary begins to quickly expand. A child at this age throws away the pacifier and begins to eat with a spoon. True, it sheds a lot at the same time.

How long should a one-year-old toddler sleep?

How long should a 7 month old baby sleep?

The daily sleep requirement for a one-year-old baby should be approximately 13 hours, which includes night and daytime rest. The rest of the time he is awake. Depending on the routine adopted in the family, parents decide how many times a one-year-old child should sleep during the daytime. In some cases, this depends on his fatigue, the specifics of the games, and how emotional he is in these games. Experts advise striving to maintain a two-sleep regime for up to one and a half years. Already at this age, children are able to stay awake for longer periods of time, switching to one nap during the day.

Sleep from 12 to 18 months

Until the age of two, a child should sleep 13-14 hours a day, of which 11 hours at night. The rest will go into daytime sleep. At 12 months he will still need two naps, but by 18 months he is ready for one (one and a half to two hour) naps. This regime will last up to 4-5 years.

The transition from two naps to one can be difficult. Experts recommend alternating days with two naps with days with one nap, depending on how much sleep the baby slept the night before. If the child slept once during the day, it is better to put him to bed earlier in the evening.

How to put a child to sleep?

Before age 2, there is almost nothing new that will help your baby sleep well. Follow the strategies you learned earlier.

Maintain a consistent bedtime routine

A good bedtime routine will help your child gradually wind down at the end of the day and prepare for sleep.

If your child needs an outlet for excess energy, allow him to run around for a while before moving on to quieter activities (such as quiet play, a bath, or a bedtime story). Follow the same pattern every night—even when you're away from home. Children love when everything is clear and precise. Being able to predict when something will happen helps them control the situation.

Make sure your child has a consistent daytime and nighttime sleep schedule

Your child's sleep will become more regular if you try to follow a regular schedule. If he sleeps during the day, eats, plays, and goes to bed at the same time every day, he will most likely find it easy to fall asleep in the evening.

Give your child the opportunity to fall asleep on his own

Don't forget how important it is for your child to be able to fall asleep on his own every night. Sleep should not depend on rocking, feeding or a lullaby. If such a dependence exists, the child, waking up at night, will not be able to fall asleep on his own and will call you. What to do if this happens is up to you.

Baby's sleep in the 1st year

How much should a 6 month old baby sleep?

Parents can track their newborn's sleep by month using a short table.

Sleep intervals up to a year

AgeGeneralNight

Night time

At first, the baby will sleep almost around the clock. The periods for night and day rest are not separated. From 3 months, when infants begin to sleep at night, the intervals between feedings also increase. At night, the baby can go longer without feeding. Gradually, children begin to sleep continuously at night; by the age of one year, the duration of night rest in total decreases to 10 hours.

Daytime rest time

Daytime rest is formed in infants from 3 months, when during this period they rest more at night. Up to six months, children sleep in short intervals three times a day. From 6-9 months, daytime rest is required twice a day. Gradually, by the year, parents can introduce 1 rest break.

What if a child refuses to sleep during the day?

Daytime sleep cannot be compensated for by increasing the duration of night rest. If the child does not sleep during the day, this can lead to problems with evening bedtime: the child will be overexcited, begin to be capricious and cry. Refusal to sleep during the day at this age may have several reasons:

• wrong time;
• a sharp transition from a fun game to going to bed;
• unsuitable conditions for recreation;
• negative associations with daytime sleep;
• premature transfer of the baby from two daily naps to one.

You should not follow your baby’s lead and cancel daytime naps, since for a 1-year-old child this is a physiological need.

What difficulties may arise with sleep and falling asleep?

At this age, your child may have difficulty falling asleep and may wake up frequently during the night. The cause of both problems is new milestones in the child's development, especially standing and walking. Your baby is so excited about his new skills that he wants to keep practicing them, even if you say it's bedtime.

If your child is reluctant and won't go to bed, most experts recommend leaving him in his room for a few minutes to see if he calms down on his own. If the child does not calm down, we change tactics.

You will also have to decide what to do if your baby wakes up in the night, can't calm down on his own, and calls for you. Try to go in and see: if he is standing, you should help him lie down. But if your child wants you to stay and play with him, don't give in. He must understand that night time is for sleep.

How to put a one-year-old baby to sleep?

To put your baby to sleep, you need not to stretch out the time with persuasion, long hugs and rocking. You need to talk to him a little, stroke his back and head and let him fall asleep. Performing the same procedures every day helps the baby understand that it is time to sleep. The main role in this is played by the convenient regime created for this: evening swimming and reading a fairy tale.

Some children don't want to go to bed. To stall for time, they begin to fidget in bed, ask for water or food, demand to tell another story, or go to the toilet. How to put a one-year-old child to sleep? In this case, parents should not follow his lead, but stick to the daily routine. In a calm voice, you need to explain to a capricious child that it is time to sleep, offering to put his favorite toy to bed next to him.

Whims before bed

What if your baby confuses day and night?

For healthy development, the baby sleeps the prescribed number of hours at night and during the day, but it happens that he seems to confuse the time of day. The reasons why this happens can be different:

• Difficulties with night sleep occur when the child has poor and restless daytime sleep - often wakes up. He does not have time to rest, becomes overexcited and sleeps more restlessly at night.
• A good rest for children is possible in comfortable conditions. If the baby has wet diapers, clothes that are too hot, or dry air in the room - all this can affect anxiety. This shifts the night's rest hours.
• Lack of fresh air can make it difficult to sleep. Before going to bed, try to ventilate the room.
• A walk outside tires the baby in a timely manner and helps him fall asleep more soundly. In winter, frost promotes deep sleep; in summer, children get tired of the heat faster.
• The cause of anxiety may lie in abdominal pain.

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To ensure that the baby sleeps soundly at night, the mother anticipates possible discomfort

How to improve sleep?

In order for children to develop according to their age, they need rest. Parents can anticipate problems with falling asleep and sound sleep in advance.

Children often get used to sleeping with their mother and feel fear without her presence. Rest in a crib will be calmer. Here the baby feels comfortable. To organize a relaxing holiday, the mother tries to satisfy all the baby’s needs before bedtime.

When the baby is put to bed, the parents stay close and talk to him. He falls asleep more calmly when he feels the closeness of his parents. Parents can leave when they are sure that the baby is fast asleep and leave the door open. If he starts screaming and crying, they react immediately.

From birth to one year, children's sleep period changes smoothly every couple of months. Parents are guided by the time norm given above, but this is not a mandatory number of hours; it may differ for everyone. The gradual introduction of the regime allows you to transfer the child first to night rest, then evens out the daily regime.

Sleep from 3 to 6 months

By 3 or 4 months, most babies sleep 15 to 17 hours a day, 10 to 11 of them at night, and the rest of the time divided between 3 and mostly 4 2-hour naps during the day.

At the beginning of this period, you may still get up once or twice a night for feedings, but by 6 months your baby will be able to sleep through the night. It is not a fact, of course, that he will sleep continuously all night, but this will depend on whether you develop his sleep skills.

How to put a child to sleep?

• Establish a clear night and daytime sleep schedule and stick to it.

While your baby was a newborn, you could decide when to put him down during the night by watching for signs of sleepiness (rubbing his eyes, fiddling with his ear, etc.). Now that he's a little older, you should set him regular bedtimes and naptimes.

In the evening, a good time for a child is between 19.00 and 20.30. Later, he will likely be too tired and have difficulty falling asleep. Your child may not look tired late at night - on the contrary, he may seem very energetic. But believe me, this is a sure sign that it’s time for the child to sleep.

You can set nap times in the same way—schedule them for the same time every day, or go by feel, putting your child to bed when you see that he is tired and needs to rest. Either approach is acceptable as long as the baby gets enough sleep.

• Start establishing a bedtime routine.

If you haven’t done this yet, then at the age of 3-6 months it’s time. Your child's bedtime ritual may include the following: give him a bath, play quiet games with him, read a bedtime story or two, sing a lullaby. Kiss him and say goodnight.

No matter what your family's ritual involves, you should do it in the same order, at the same time every night. Children need consistency, and sleep is no exception.

• Wake up your child in the morning

If your child often sleeps more than 10 - 11 hours at night, it is advisable to wake him up in the morning. Thus, you will help him restore his regime. Maintaining a bedtime schedule may not seem difficult to you, but remember that your baby needs to sleep regularly during the day as well. Waking up at the same time every morning will help.

What sleep problems may occur before 6 months?

Two problems - waking up at night and the development of negative sleep associations (when your baby becomes dependent on rocking or feeding to fall asleep) - affect both newborns and older children. But around 3-6 months, another problem may arise - difficulty falling asleep.

If your baby is having trouble falling asleep in the evening, first make sure he doesn't go to bed too late (since we mentioned, an overtired baby has trouble falling asleep). If this is not the case, then he may have developed one or more sleep associations. Now is the time to get rid of them. The child must learn to fall asleep on his own, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t succeed.

Some recommend waiting until the child “cries out and falls asleep,” but what is more important to you: the child’s nerves or your own comfort when you put the child in bed and forgot? Some babies not only do not fall asleep, but also become so overexcited that the usual methods of putting them to sleep will no longer help you and the child will wake up crying all night.

Table: how long should a child sleep (in hours)

Sleep standards for children are established according to their age from the first days of life:

• 0-1 month

The baby usually sleeps constantly, waking up only for feeding, toileting and water procedures. The duration of one wakefulness rarely exceeds 1 hour. However, it is during this period that parents have to deal with problems such as colic due to the formation of intestinal microflora. To avoid them, do not forget about the benefits of exercise, light massage and feeding standards.

• 2-3 months

At this time, the baby is already beginning to examine and perceive the world around him - he responds to the voice of his parents, can play with a rattle, listen to sounds. Naturally, being awake becomes more interesting than sleeping, especially since many modern parents practice lap swimming and gymnastics with mom, which kids like so much. In any case, the maximum break between rests should not be more than two hours, otherwise you will have to face whims and hysterics due to overwork.

• 3 months – six months

At this age, children should sleep at least 14-17 hours. At the same time, a long night rest of up to 10 hours and 1-2 day rests at regular intervals are clearly highlighted. For some babies, this same average is formed differently - they sleep up to 4 times a day, limiting themselves to 6 hours at night.

To organize a long daytime rest, you need to stop falling asleep during feeding and prepare for rest in your own crib separately from your parents. To make this transition easier, you can hold your child's hand and read him a book at night.

• Six months - a year

During this period, there is a complete separation of long night sleep and single daytime sleep. Long rest time is 10-12 hours, siesta takes another 2-4 hours.

Since babies begin to sit up, stand up and walk independently from six months of age, these reflexes can also work during sleep. At the same time, the child who has not yet woken up will not understand why he got up. Parents will have to be patient and put the fidget down every time this happens - he will not be able to fall asleep on his own again.

• 1-2 years

Active potty training coincides with normalizing nighttime sleep. At this time, a very responsible task falls on the shoulders of parents - developing the reflex to wake up in order to empty the bladder at night. To do this, you need to carefully put the child on the potty twice at approximately equal intervals, making it clear that everything is fine and he is safe. In the future, the baby will begin to wake up on his own to go to the toilet if necessary.

The second task of caring fathers and mothers is to protect the child from falls from heights. It's time to lower the mattress in the crib to the lower level and create a passage through which you can get out without risk to health. However, even with such measures, it is recommended to lay blankets, pillows or soft toys near the crib at night, just in case.

• 2-4 years

The period when it’s time to abandon a baby safety crib with sides in favor of a more standard option. Many children begin to go to kindergarten, which contributes to the formation of a normal routine. From the age of 3, many people get up to go to the toilet on their own even at night, and by the age of four they wake up on their own in the morning.

During this period, the total duration of sleep is 10-13 hours and may include a two-hour siesta.

• 4-6 years

Some children completely refuse daytime sleep, others prefer to rest no more than 1.5-2 hours. The duration of night sleep is 12 hours. Closer to 6 years, the baby is able to independently prepare for bed and fall asleep, but it is acceptable to read a bedtime story.

At the age of 7, he is already a schoolboy, ready to stay awake according to the “adult” regime. 12 hours of sleep will decrease to 7-9 with age. Daytime rest is possible only under the condition of significant impressions or experiences, excitement. Parents note that children sleep after school when they meet a new teacher, if they spoke in front of the whole class or even at a line - this goes away over time.

Sleep from 6 to 9 months

Children at this age need about 14-15 hours of sleep per day, and they can sleep about 7 hours at a time. If your baby sleeps longer than seven hours, he or she will probably wake up briefly but will be able to fall back to sleep on their own—a great sign. This means you are growing a great dormouse.

He probably takes a couple of hour and a half to two hour naps during the day, once in the morning and one in the afternoon. Remember: a consistent daytime and nighttime sleep schedule helps regulate your sleep habits.

The norm is 10-11 hours of sleep at night and 3 times 1.5-2 hours during the day

How to put a child to sleep?

• Establish a bedtime ritual and always follow it

Although you've probably established some sort of bedtime routine for a long time, your baby is only now really starting to participate in it. Your ritual may include giving your child a bath, playing quietly, reading a bedtime story or two, or a lullaby. Remember that you must complete all of these steps in the same order and at the same time every night. The child will appreciate your consistency. Young children love a consistent schedule that they can rely on.

Your bedtime routine will indicate that it is time to gradually wind down and prepare for sleep.

• Maintain a consistent daytime and nighttime sleep schedule

Both you and your baby will benefit from having a consistent schedule that includes a nap and sleep routine. This means that you should try to stick to your pre-planned schedule. When your child sleeps during the day, eats, plays, and goes to bed at the same time every day, it will be much easier for him to fall asleep. Make sure you give your child the opportunity to fall asleep on his own.

The child must learn to fall asleep on his own. Put him in the crib before he falls asleep, and try not to accustom him to external factors (rocking or feeding) as a prerequisite for falling asleep. If the child cries, then further behavior depends on you. Most experts recommend waiting at least a few minutes to determine if your child is truly upset. Others advise not to wait until the child bursts into tears and advocate for the child to sleep together with his parents.

What sleep problems might occur?

Young children who have never had trouble sleeping may suddenly start waking up in the middle of the night or have trouble falling asleep at this age. Sleep disorders are most often associated with the fact that right now your child is learning to sit, roll over, crawl, and perhaps even stand up on his own; it is not surprising that he will want to try his new skills during sleep. The baby may wake up at night to try to sit or stand one more time.

In a half-asleep state, the child sits down or stands up, and then cannot get down and lie down on his own. Of course, he finally wakes up and starts crying and calling for his mother. Your task is to calm the child and help him lie down.

If your baby goes to bed after 8.30pm and suddenly starts waking up during the night, try rocking him to sleep half an hour earlier. To your surprise, you will find that your child begins to sleep more soundly.

Disturbance of sleep and wakefulness in a one-year-old child

Difficulties in studying children's sleep problems arise due to the fact that parents, and often specialists, view them as temporary, which will sooner or later be overcome. Disruption of sleep patterns can be caused by both specific factors and organic reasons that prevent the baby from relaxing for a night's rest.

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From the second year of life, the difficulty of falling asleep changes as the stress of separation intervenes: “falling asleep” means that the baby is left alone in the dark with his fantasies. So, in order to fall asleep, he needs to be surrounded by his favorite objects (dolls, animals), squeeze his finger, and repeat the same movements and rituals that relieve him of stress.

Sleeping with your favorite toy

Changes in the family contribute to disruption of sleep patterns. This could be the appearance of a second baby, a change in the usual environment of his room. Young children are very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity in the room, uncomfortable bedding, and too hot pajamas.

Myth 7. Having a night light on can damage a child’s vision.

Fact. Nothing like this! For generations, parents have left dim lights (4 watts) in the nursery at night. Night lights allow us to quickly assess the child's condition without having to turn on a flashlight or bright light in the room. Plus, many children feel calmer when they wake up at 2:00 a.m. and find familiar surroundings... rather than a sea of ​​darkness.

But a 1999 study at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia scared many parents into turning off their nightlights. Researchers said that 34% of children who slept with a night light went on to become nearsighted.

Fortunately, the results of two other studies conducted the following year refuted this claim. Scientists from Ohio found that only 18.8% of children who participated in their experiment and slept with a nightlight in the first two years of life became nearsighted, compared with 20% of children who slept in complete darkness. Scientists from Boston also confirmed that there is absolutely no connection between night lights and vision problems.

Signs of lack of sleep

When children become irritable, capricious, and often cry. This makes parents very nervous. But before you scold your child for such behavior, you need to find out the reason for it. Lack of sleep is a common factor in the development of symptoms such as:

• Rapid falling asleep in vehicles, interrupted during a stop;
• Rise later than 7:30 am;
• Waking up before 6 am;
• Laying down and getting up are accompanied by tears.

Even if the baby is active, you can notice signs of fatigue - circles around the eyes, yawning, rubbing the eyes with fists. With such symptoms, you should immediately put him to bed - this is the only way to stabilize normal rest.

Organization of healthy sleep

Pediatricians have established a whole list of rules that must be followed in order to organize a good healthy rest for your baby:

• It is acceptable to fall asleep with a parent, but you need to sleep separately, since germs from adults in close, prolonged contact are transmitted to their child. In addition, accidental touches can frighten and negatively affect an unstable psyche.
• Pajamas should be made from natural cotton and should be loose enough, but true to size.
• In warm weather, it is recommended to organize an influx of fresh air, for example, by opening a window.
• The latest bedtime for a preschooler is 8 pm, and for a primary school child it is 9 pm.
• You should not frighten your child before going on vacation, as he may have nightmares, which will negatively affect the quality of his sleep. We must always remember that children are very impressionable.
• 2 hours before preparing for a night's rest, you should stop watching cartoons and TV shows.
• Sedatives should not be given, as they disrupt the functioning of the nervous system.

Parents of active children are advised to walk for 30-60 minutes before bedtime.

How to help your baby sleep more peacefully?

Many children fall asleep easier with an object that calms them down. These can be dolls or soft toys. A teddy bear or a fluffy animal are the most common and favorite items for children. The role of toys is to provide children with a sense of security when their parents are not around.

In addition to favorite toys, a properly created space where the crib is located helps the baby sleep well. The most important thing is that his sleep is comfortable and safe. At night, the lights should be turned off, with the exception of the night light. Pajamas should be comfortable and light. There should be no computer or mobile phones in the room; he should not be disturbed by the sounds of the TV or loud conversations from the next room.

In order for your child to have a sound sleep, you need to come up with a ritual of preparation for it. For example, turn off the light, leaving the night light on, turn on light music or sing a lullaby. Performing this ritual every day before bed will become a habit for your baby and will make it easier for him to fall asleep.

Every mother knows how important sleep is for children. Sufficiently sound and healthy sleep will occur when family members adhere to the established regime for their child.

Rituals

It will be easier for the child to fall asleep if the mother repeats the same actions when laying him down. They are called ritual. An example of such a ritual would be the following actions, following each other in the same order every day: walking, feeding, bathing, reading a book, feeding, going to bed with the lights dimmed.

It is very important that the ritual familiar to the baby is repeated daily. If the routine on a certain day has gone wrong and there is not enough time for each stage of the ritual, the sequence should remain the same, and the time of each action can be reduced. If a mother leaves home, she should plan everything so that she has time to return to putting the baby to bed.

Adviсe

• Babies over 6 months of age begin to wake up less frequently at night. If waking up at night is still frequent, the mother can resort to some tricks to help her baby sleep longer. Among them are late bathing, dense feeding after it and airing the room.
• When weaning, night feedings are usually the last to be abandoned, and for babies receiving formula, night feedings are removed earlier. If you want to wean your artificial baby from feeding at night, give the baby gradually less and less formula, and if the baby demands more food, gently soothe the little one. You can also pour the mixture from the bottle into a sippy cup.

How much should a 1 year old baby sleep?

Some children have a stable daily routine almost from birth, which undergoes smooth changes as they grow older. They fall asleep without rocking or coaxing, sleep for a long time, and fall asleep on their own after waking up at night. Their parents do not experience problems with their baby's sleep. Unfortunately, the number of such babies is small. In most cases, a child needs help from loved ones to fall asleep.

Knowing how much a baby sleeps per day on average will help you avoid the following problems:

• lack of sleep for brain development and the functioning of various body systems;
• accumulation of fatigue (hyperfatigue);
• bad mood;
• overwork;
• decreased attention and speed of learning new skills;
• risk of future hyperactivity and behavioral difficulties.

Sleep should guarantee quality rest for the baby; its average duration is an approximate guideline for parents. Lack of sleep can lead to nervous system disorders and chronic fatigue. Excessive sleep is also not beneficial; the child becomes lethargic, irritable, and often wakes up at night.

A child grows: do sleep standards change from 1 year to 1.5 years?

After the baby turns 1 year old, he increasingly shows independence in actions, but at the same time clearly understands his dependence on his parents. During the period of 1.3 – 1.5 years, the baby’s sleep may worsen. This will manifest itself as follows:

1. It takes a long time to go to bed;
2. Has trouble falling asleep;
3. Wakes up at night;
4. Gets up very early;
5. Refuses to sleep during the day.

The norms for how much sleep a child of 1.5 years should sleep are not particularly different from the previous ones. He takes a one-time nap during the day, which lasts a little less - 1-2 hours. Night sleep lasts about 11 hours.

Sources

• https://dnevnik-znaniy.ru/zdorovie/skolko-nuzhno-spat.html
• https://kpoxa.info/sovety-mamam/son-dlya-novorozhdennogo.html
• https://kpoxa.info/sovety-mamam/skolko-spit-godovalyj-rebenok.html
• https://www.mam4.ru/community/post/125046/
• https://uroki4mam.ru/skolko-dolzhen-spat-rebenok-v-1-god
• https://spokoiniison.ru/deti/skolko-nuzhno-spat-rebenku
• https://o-krohe.ru/razvitie-rebenka/son/skolko-raz-spit-rebenok/

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