Sleep in early childhood
sleep; sleeping; dream; night; terrors; waking; separation; anxiety; settle; settling; bed; cot; dummy; dummies; blanket; sedatives; controlled; comforting; tired; tiredness; rituals;
Contents
Managing sleep for babies and children is one of the most common concerns for parents. Many worry about whether they are doing the right thing if their child doesn't sleep soundly all through the night.
- Most babies wake at night, some more often than others even when they no longer need to wake for a feed. Some babies settle to sleep more easily than others.
- Differences can be caused by many things such as a baby's temperament or what is happening around them.
After the first few months babies and young children sleep better if they have some active play time during the day. Even young babies benefit from some gentle tummy time with a parent.
Babies, like the rest of us, sleep better if they are not tense, but instead are relaxed and comfortable. Make sure your baby is tired and relaxed.
- There is more than one way for parents to help babies and young children to settle – patterns vary between different cultures and different families.
- What matters is that bedtime is relaxed and comfortable.
If things aren't working well for you, some of the following information may help.
About sleep - sleep cycles
There are two main stages of sleep. We first go into a brief light sleep, then into deep sleep, then into dreaming sleep, then back to light sleep for a few minutes, and then into another cycle of deep sleep, dreaming sleep and light sleep.
Babies move through these sleep cycles in about 30 to 40 minutes. Toddlers tend to have a cycle that lasts longer – about 60 minutes, and adults may have a cycle that lasts about 90 minutes.
- During deep sleep growing and healing take place. It is harder to wake people from this kind of sleep.
- During dreaming sleep ('rapid eye movement' sleep) we dream and 'go over' the day's events.
- With infants this is the major part of sleep, but by adolescence it is only about 20% of sleep.
- Many people, including babies, wake during the light sleep phase of a sleep cycle.
- Usually we settle back to sleep without being aware that we have been briefly awake.
- During the night babies and young children also usually settle back to sleep after their first cycle of sleep but some may wake, cry and need help to get back to sleep. Babies may need a feed at some of the times when they wake up before they settle back to sleep.
- In daytime sleeps, if you notice that your baby is starting to stir after about 30 to 40 minutes you might be able to just rock her a little and help her settle back to sleep. However sometimes babies may not need more sleep. If they do not respond to resettling in a few minutes they are probably ready to wake up.
How long do babies and children sleep?
Sleep is very individual and can vary a lot at any age. Children in one family may have very different sleeping needs. Sometimes a child's sleep pattern does not match parents' expectations.
- If you have worries about your baby's or toddler's sleep, it is useful to first keep a sleep diary or chart. Mark when your baby or toddler is asleep and when she is awake. Do it for at least two weeks. This way you can get an idea of how much sleep she has each day (see example below).
- Remember that sleep needs change as babies and children grow.
Settle/sleep chart
Start the chart from a time that suits you. Mark it for the 24 hour day.
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Mark:
- Blank square - your baby was awake
- Shaded square - you helped your baby to 'settle'
- Filled square - your baby was asleep
Where should babies sleep?
It is common in our society is to have separate bedrooms for children away from parents.
- However, sleeping alone for babies and young children is not the only way, and sometimes children find it hard to sleep by themselves.
- In many cultures and families, young children sleep with or near parents.
What is important is that your children's sleep is safe and that wherever they sleep suits you and them.
- Having a baby sleep in the parent's bed has lead to some deaths of infants. See the topic Sleeping with your baby.
- Research has shown that the safest place for babies to sleep is in the same room as their parents for the first 6 - 12 months. However, the risk for a baby sleeping in another part of the house is very small. See the topic Sudden Unexpected Deaths in Infancy (including SIDS).
Sleep associations are the things that we associate with going to sleep.
- They help us to feel ready to sleep.
- With adults it might be reading a book, having a glass of milk or water, or just the way you settle yourself in bed.
Routines or rituals can also help young children to relax and settle into sleep.
- They generally find comfort and security in routines, eg. a bath, a quiet story, a song, and a special goodnight kiss.
- Routines can often help parents too in organising bedtimes and so reduce tension and stress.
Babies have sleep associations as well.
- If you breastfeed your baby to sleep she may associate the breast with going to sleep.
- If you pat, or sing, or say a prayer, or rock in the same way each time your baby will associate these with going to sleep.
- Babies may also have “things” that are sleep associations such as a dummy or a special blanket. This makes it easier for your baby to continue to feel secure and comfortable at bedtime.
Babies can find it hard to go to sleep without their special sleep association.
- When your baby is young you can start developing sleep associations that you are happy to carry on when she is older. This makes it easier for the baby to continue to feel secure and comfortable at bedtime.
If you like breast-feeding your young baby to sleep but don’t want to continue it when she is older you can gradually change over to another sleep association, it may take a bit more time to help her go to sleep for a while.
Controlled crying
Controlled crying or controlled comforting is one way that is sometimes used to teach children not to cry at night. This stresses babies. It is advisable not to use any method that stresses or distresses babies and young children. Babies develop secure attachments by being responded to when they cry whether it is day time or night time.
Night waking
For many parents just knowing that night waking is 'normal' in the early years helps remove some of the stress. Each family needs to deal with night waking in the way that best suits their family.
- Often babies and young children just need to know someone is near and they will settle back to sleep.
- It is important to meet your child's need for comfort in the way that also gives you the best rest.
- Some parents like to have their baby sleep in a cot next to them; others prefer their baby to sleep in a separate room and they put another bed or mattress in there so they can lie down near an unsettled baby.
- Sometimes night waking can be due to pain such as ear-ache, a cold or teething, so check this out if a change in your baby's sleep pattern occurs suddenly.. With pain, your child may not settle even if you are there to comfort him, or he may settle for a short time and then re-wake.
Parents also need sleep and broken sleep can bring added stress in family life. It is so important to find ways and support from others to help 'get you through' when your sleep is reduced or broken.
Wrapping
- Some babies settle better if they are wrapped in a light sheet, while others do not. It can help small babies develop a more settled sleep pattern and older unsettled babies may sleep better. See the topic Wrapping babies.
Sleep at different ages
There are separate topics on sleep for different ages, see:
- Sleep - birth to 3 months
- Sleep - 3 to 6 months
- Sleep - 6 months to 3 years
- Sleep - 2-5 years
Links to these topics are in the 'Related topics' section - top left of this page.
Resources
South Australia
- Parent Helpline 1300 364 100.
Books for parents
- Children, Youth and Women's Health Service. 'Settling Your Baby' (booklet). $5.50, plus postage and handling. See Publications
Written in partnership
Child and Youth Health - Parenting SA
Related Parent Easy Guide - (Parenting SA web site - PDF format)
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Parent Helpline on 1300 364 100 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).
This topic may use 'he' and 'she' in turn - please change to suit your
child's sex.