Today I'm gonna share the information about baby sleep, the sleeping patterns of the newborns, importance of their sleep for their development. As we already know about child development, we already know about the basic needs of the children at an early age in that sleeping play's very important role. The sleeping pattern of the children was not accurate at the early stage but after 4/5 weeks their sleeping clock set properly. The researcher believes that more children sleep more their rate of growth becomes faster. Sleep plays a major role in newborn life. If the sleep of the baby is not properly fulfilled they become cranky and crying the whole day.
For new parents, this topic that probably becomes an important one more than any other one is "Sleep", how much sleep? Importance of sleep?Healthy habits related to sleep?
For new parents, this topic that probably becomes an important one more than any other one is "Sleep", how much sleep? Importance of sleep?Healthy habits related to sleep?
Newborn Sleep-
As I earlier said the newborn sleeps nearly all through day and night but for the feedings periods. It is estimated that he sleeps for almost 22 hrs a day. There is nothing wrong with this sleeping pattern. In fact, the time-honored belief that "children grow in their sleep" is well-founded. When the ligaments are relaxed during sleep, the chance of growth in length increases.
Mothers and the elders in the family often feel disturbed when the baby gets into the habit of sleeping prone. Remember, it is normal for a newborn and a little older infant to sleep on his abdomen. In fact, it is safer and more comfortable for the baby. You may well encourage him to do so.
You should let your newborn sleep in a baby cot or crib by your bedside rather than have him share your bed. There are several types of pf cradles available for newborns in the market. You may buy a collapsible one. It is fairly economical. Also, since it is folding, no space problem is posed. It would keep serving your baby for some 2 or 3 years.
The Importance of Sleep.
sleep is our vital function and its effects of physical and mental performance profoundly good night sleep leave us as refresh a lot and confident to face the challenges of the day ahead convert a bad night sleep-deprived ace of concentration energy and ability to do the things we need to do it everyday life as its parents for most of us that are a lot of things the effect on babies and children is even more profound insufficient sleep comprises there is a teacher ability to your mind relax and even grow. recent studies have shown that learning to sleep better improve children's appetite let's there more and enhance their intellectual ability
More Sleep means brighter children
Anyone who has had to rouse a Baby or child from a deep slumber, before they have rested adequately is familiar with the adverse effect baby often react by being restless, grizzly and difficult to settle; they may demand to feed for comfort falling asleep on the rebound then waking half an hour later still in a restless state in toddlers lack of sleep often leads to I'm, poor appetite, clinginess and temperamental behavior. This can have a snowball effect because paradoxically the overtired baby or child finds it more difficult to sleep.
when this is repeated over time it has a compound effect that can interfere with child learning and development although this is starting to become apparent in the early years, it can show up most when the child starts School. study of school children by the American sleep Foundation demonstrated a direct link between the shortage of sleep and poor performance in the classroom. It is estimated that many children are missing out on 2 hours of sleep at night.
The good news is that learning to sleep well improve child behavior and performance dramatically and quickly. Their mood is often demonstrably elevated, making them easier to care for early age both inside and outside the home.
why the young brain needs sleep.
sleeping the brain is not a resting brain but works to make sense of what children have seen and learned in their waking hours. dreaming sleep, or rapid eye movement sleep benefits children's learning by increasing the blood supply to the brain with the following results-
- they become more alert mentally
- their ability to retain information is optimized
- their senses are sharpened and cognitive abilities are enhanced
- their brain can better process information.
why young bodies need sleep.
When baby and children sleep they spend more time than adults in slow-wave, Non-REM sleep. this is when the body restores itself carrying out several essential tasks.
- More blood is directed to the developing muscles
- growing tissues are repaired as cells divided more quickly
- vital hormones are released for growth and development
- white blood cells are produced in which supports the immune system
Your Sleep matters too.
The effect of sleep deprivation is not restricted to your children. the irregular sleep patterns of a baby or toddler who has not yet learn to sleep predictably also, deprive parents of the sleep then they need too. Being on call for restless infants, especially during the night, can leave you feeling as if you have interminable jet-lag, without the holiday photographs for comfort.
Perhaps one of your reason for wanting to teach your child to sleep is that you will be able to sleep better. don't dismiss this as being selfish if you are more rested you will feel better equipped to handle your child. your confidence as a parent will increase, and a more confident parent results in happier children.
Sleeping for Life.
The child who learns to sleep well in his early years not only reaps immediate psychological and physical rewards but also learns habits that will benefit him for life. a psychologist has shown that people who had poor sleep habits as children are more suspectable to sleep problems, such as Insomnia in an adult's life. this can naturally interfere with individual ambitions and achievements. teaching children to sleep well does not just benefit of parents are carrying for them. It also sets up habits that will help sustain them through the changing challenges and pressure of teenage and adult years. when the energy and clarity of a rested mind and body give them the resources they need. sleeping well is about more than good conduct or conformity. it is about laying the essential foundation for a healthy life.
What is normal sleep?
As with any other aspects of their daily lives, individual Children differ in the way that they sleep, just as they differ in the way that they play or eat, talk. However, the general progression in the way their sleep develops is common to almost all children.
In the early weeks and months, young babies have completely different sleep phases and schedules to us as well as generally unpredictable sleep habits. it helps to be aware of this difference so that you know what to expect and when to intervene if the pattern seems abnormal. however by the age of 4 years, the vast majority of children adopt what we might consider an adult pattern of sleep. The only big difference is the quantity Although individual children differ in this respect too most need a recommended minimum for optimum health.
1-3 months
The expression to sleep like a baby is well chosen in the early weeks of life baby sleep for an average of 16 hours out of every 24. this is divided equally between day and nightlife for parents would be very simple if this comes in one big chunk but of course, it is a split into many periods of 2 -4 hours which is scattered throughout your own sleeping and waking time.
This unpredictable pattern is due to the slow development of a biological clock which means that new babies cannot distinguish Night from the day. rather than taking light or darkness as their cues, during this first few weeks they rely more on that tummies and wake and sleep accordingly depending on whether they feel hungry or Sated, respectively. most babies can distinguish Night from Day by the age of 10 weeks a stage of development that parents greet and great relief . as their daytime naps drop from about 4to 3 by the end of the third month they sleep for longer periods at night. in fact, three-quarters of all babies are sleeping for a large unbroken period during the night by three months.
3-6 months
This is the period of rapid change with the amount of sleep baby is required dropping to about 14 hours. although these changes derived by the baby's biological development it is also a period in which parents can strongly influence when the sleep occurs to their own and their baby's mutual advantage. this is because by 3 to 4 months babies are not only biologically ready to sleep through the night but also increasingly responsive to the routines set by their parents. it is probably an early window of opportunity for sleep training that should not be missed.
6 -12 months
Over this period that is a distinct shift in the balance of night time and date-time sleep and by 9 months most babies need just one morning and one afternoon nap. both this and the length of nighttime sleep become more predictable enabling parents to plan activities around baby and Just as importantly to get more regular and broken sleep themselves.
1-3 years
At the same point over the middle of this period it is normal for most babies to Shift their morning nap forward to around lunch time. this 9app typically last one and a half to two hours and means that they can subsequently drop their afternoon nap.
Towards the age of 3 years, the length of this nap will decrease again to about an hour this is complemented by and 11 hours sleep at night which often make parents life easier good sleeping habit can easily be disrupted during this period. the circadian rhythm is still developing and can be easily upset by holiday illness or change in sleeping arrangements so it is important to adhere to a good bedtime routine.
3 - 6 years.
By the middle of this period, circadian rhythms are fully established. as long as children are sleeping well at night they will drop daytime naps altogether. however, their adoption of a mature sleeping pattern is not accompanied by a significant reduction in the amount of sleep that they need. this is worth remembering because a shortage of sleep will still affect their behavior.
sleep cycles
Sleep is not a single state and is not as is commonly supposed simply the opposite of awake. normal night sleep is made of several identifiable sleep cycles that we can consciously distinguish and which have different biological functions.
Types of sleep.
Scientists categorized sleep into five main stages passing from drowsiness down through light and dream sleep into an increasingly deeper sleep. one of the principal distinctions which are useful for parents to known is that between the light phase of sleep known as rapid eye movement {REM} and deeper non-rapid eye movement {Non-REM} sleep.
REM sleep-
Rapid eye movements sleep is the state one hi h we dream. I t is the first sleep state to develop appearing in the baby in the womb at about six months gestation and it is vital to the development of the baby's brain.
Spend a lot of time in REM sleep at birth it accounts for 50% of their sleep falling gradually to abort 33% by the age of 3 years
During r e m sleep the babies switch off the and the brain receives extra blood and warms up, indicating a greater level of activity. this is probably when a baby's brain processes what she has sensed during her waking hours.
Because of its developmental importance Babies spend a lot of time in Rem sleep. at birth, it accounts for 50% of their sleep falling gradually to around 33% by the age of 3 years.
From later childhood and into adulthood it makes up 25% of sleep. Parents of toddlers will have noticed that from the age of about 2 years most children and aware of their dreams which can be very vivid and start to talk about them. you can see it in action for yourself. Most children twitch occasionally in the sleep move their eyeballs back and forth under the eyelids and breadth are regularly when the dream.
The proportion of REM sleep increases at the night goes on with most, therefore, coming in the early hours of the morning as Rem sleep is mentally restorative this explains why someone who is woken up too early will often be mentally "foggy" for the rest of the day. this applies to adults as much as children.
Non-REM sleep.
During this state of slow waves sleeps your child will lie quietly her muscles relaxed she will breathe steadily and Deeply and remained motionless. this is the condition that most people think of asleep but non-REM has not developed fully until a baby is 4 months old.
Non-REM sleep is to the body what REM is to the brain. it is the time when blood is released to the muscle tissue is grown on repaired and hormones are released for growth and development.
Preventing Sleep Problems.
There are many successful ways to solve an existing sleep problem as you will see but it is even better to prevent the emergence of difficulties in the first place. by gradually and gently introducing a routine early in your baby's life you can of offsetting the effect of imposing one later when he may well be more resistant.
Get into a rhythm:- the first 3 months.
A newborn is unable to tell Night from the day cannot remember what happened to him an hour ago and what will follow the mysterious internal rhythms with which he came into the world. he will alternately fail asleep feed and lie back watching the world as his needs dictate. but it is surprising just how soon he will respond to external cues and it is the process in which you need to actively engage.
At a very rudimentary level you can start teaching your baby the difference between night and day from as young as two weeks tell your baby the difference.
By 6 weeks you may notice that your baby is starting to become more settled. less distracted by the Novelty and the strangeness of this environment, he will be communicating more openly with you he will start to tell you more quickly when he needs to sleep and if you respond appropriately you will be setting up a dialogue that will work overtime to both your benefits.
The main advice in this crucial learning period is to settle your baby to sleep in his crib or cot while he is awake or Drowsy but not asleep. it is very tempting to Rock, cuddle or feed a young baby to sleep. it works and it is quick what more could a tired parent ask for! but it does not enable your baby to learn that he can get himself to sleep and this will make it more difficult to establish a routine early on.
So follow the simple guidelines for young babies and try to settle him while he is awake or when he is drowsy but not yet asleep.
Sleep Cues-
The younger the baby the most subtle the sleep cues, your baby is probably tired if he:-
- whines and cries at the slightest provocation.
- stress blankly into space.
- turns his face away from moving objects of people often to bury his face in your chest.
- yawns and stretches frequently.
- rub his eyes or pulls his ears.
- loses interest in people and toys.
- Goes quiet and still.
By around 3 months you should aim to have established a bedtime routine with your baby falling asleep without the aid of physical contact with you your voice or even your presence. babies who have long to fall asleep independently by this age are also physically able to sleep through the night without waking for feeds.
Tell your baby the difference.
You can help your baby distinguish the Night from Day, and sleep time from Playtime rest time in deliberate ways.
During the day.
- spend a lot of time interacting with him during his wakeful periods.
- keep the curtains open and when necessary the light on.
- don't try to minimize noise around the house.
- take him out for a walk for plenty of fresh air and daylight.
- for naps, use a room that is not too dark and not to shielded from normal household sounds.
During the night.
- keep curtains Drawn and noises down when you settle him for the night.
- make sure his room is warm and cozy.
- have a bedtime routine that includes changing him into night-time clothing.
- keep night feed as quite sleepy and as brief as possible don't play or talk to him.
If you have to go to him in the night, say the minimum required, keep the lights off or down, do not pick him up unless you think he is unwell and stay as short a time as necessary: be business-like. only change his nappy if necessary.
Creating Sleep routine
A good sleep routine is a foundation on which the healthy sleep habits of a lifetime are built teaching your child to sleep well is the most basic lesson that she and you need to learn and it is never too late.
Bedtime rules...
A fixed bedtime routine has many advantages.
However, the real benefit of bedtime routine is enduring and for most parents well worth any short term sacrifices the need to make. if you have not followed a sleep routine with your baby and want to introduce it when she is older to help her sleep you will need to committed focused and form and it is never too late to do so.
As this will be part of your family life for some years it is important that you and your partner are in agreement about it. as you are likely to share in its implementation at least in part it is also important that you agree on the detail as well as the general idea.
Time for bed!
The timing of your bedtime routine is as important as its constituents .it should last no longer than 45 minutes 30 minutes is often ample. if you start getting your child ready for back to early the whole procedure can lose focus. this often happens if the bedtime routine is not centered on the child's room if a child comes downstairs during this time for example it can break the bedtime spell.
This time should be spent pursuing predictable Low key activities around the child bedroom area. anything that stimulates your child can disturb the procedure so avoids noisy games sugary or caffeinated food or drinks or exciting play with a parent returning from work.
Set your child bedtime and plan to start the routine about half an hour beforehand so that she picks up all the cues and is sleepy as you complete it. once you have left her she should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to fall asleep.
Bedtime routine{ advantages and disadvantages}.
Advantages.
1] It sets off the expectation of sleep so that the child is more willing to wind down at bedtime.
2] It provides an atmosphere of familiarity and security that is conducive to calm rest before sleep.
3] It ensures that the child goes to bed in time to get enough sleep for her age.
4] It involves that child and anchorages her to take responsibility for her behavior.
5] It's set positive sleep associations.
Disadvantages
1] It can be Tedious to implement because of its respective and repetitive nature.
2] It suppresses spontaneity.
3] It can directly conflict with certain work or social demands in the early evening.
4] It takes commitment and dedication
Routine rules...
Plan your routine carefully...
#-Base your starting time on what fits in with your family life if you are realistic you are more likely to keep to it.
#- Consider what time you want your child to wake up taking it to account nursery or school start times if they apply; work around a notional 11-hour sleep and the time your routine accordingly.
#-Talk to your partner about whether one or both of you want to be involved in the routine which mainly depends on whether you work and for how long because this may affect the starting time.
#-The purpose of the bedtime routine is to prepare your child for sleep, therefore, it should be calm relaxing and focused
#-Children need clear boundaries in most of the activities and bedtime is certainly no expectation.
#-Even though it is important to know the bedtime rules the bedtime routine is an opportunity for you and your child to enjoy spending time together. it is important to make it pleasurable so that your child looks forward to going to bed.
Bedtime routine recipe...
Families favor different bedtime routines. the following are typical elements of the bedtime routine, which you can combine and adapt to suit your child's needs.
1] A bath.
2] Massage and quiet music
3] Getting into night clothes
4] Story telling
5] A cuddle and goodnight kiss.
2] Massage and quiet music
3] Getting into night clothes
4] Story telling
5] A cuddle and goodnight kiss.
Naps...
Naps are vital to babies and young children and it is a mistake to think that day time sleep is less important than the sleep they get at night. in fact at 3 months old 30% of a baby sleep occurs in the daytime although this decline with age the reduction is very gradual and even at 9 months old baby many babies are still relying on naps for 20% off their sleep.
Benefits of Daytime Naps for your child.
1] He will sleep better at night.
2] He will have a better appetite particularly just after a nap.
3] His mode will be more stable.
4] A regular daytime sleep routine will make a bedtime routine easier.
5] Dreaming sleep or Rem sleep which facilitates the mental organization often occurs during nap Times.
6] His concentration will improve.
7] He will be generally happier and easier to manage.
Number and Length of Naps.
This depends on the child age all children mature at a different rate but these are the general guidelines.
0 to 3 months.- A nap about every two hours by three month the total daily nap time should average 5 hours.
3 to 6 months- the time between naps will Lengthen to 3 hours more meaning that your baby will have three of four regular naps a day by 6 months the total daily nap time should be average 3 to 4 hours.
9 to 6 months- three naps: two naps of about 45 minutes each in the morning and later afternoon and one of about 90 minutes around lunchtime by 9 months the total nap time should average 3 hours.
9 to 12 months- down to two naps the late afternoon nap can now be dropped leaving one nap of above 45 minutes in the morning and another of one and a half to two hours after lunch. your baby should be awake by 3:30 p.m. by 12 months the average daily nap time should Total two and a half hours.
12 months Plus- down to single nap the morning nap can now be dropped leaving just one midday a nap. toddlers often find they are not tired enough for the morning nap and too tired to wait until after lunch, but you can easily solve this problem by temporarily bringing lunch forward. at around this age, the average daily nap time should total two hours.
2 to 3 years one-day time nap is usually sufficient throughout this period .many children will have grown out of naps altogether by the age of 3 years .it is important to avoid a late afternoon nap which can affect bedtime .between two and three years the average daily naptime totals 1 hour when your child gets to 3 years a power nap may be sufficient.
Napping problems
Many parents encounter a problem with napping the most common and outline below together with suggested solutions.
the short Napper- some baby settles well for naps but then awake after a brief sleep. this is because they have moved into the next sleep cycle into a brief wakening and are unable to go back to sleep .the key is to help your baby go straight back to sleep.
#- keep a diary of your baby's nap schedule, taking note of the length of the nap.
#-If your young baby wakes regularly after 30 minute listen for a sign of stirring or mumbles. go into the room and strokes Pat or rock- whatever it takes -your baby back to sleep. in time your baby should take longer naps without your help.
#-If you are following a sleep program and your baby wakes prematurely from a nap use the same procedure that you used to settle him at bedtime.
#-If you have an order baby try not responding at all when he wakes- he may take himself back to sleep.
#- Improvements can take a week or more. it is better to work on one nap at first. the lunchtime nap is ideal because it needs to be longer. if your baby is not asleep again within 45 minutes abandon this nap to avoid upsetting the entire day's schedule.
Napping too much.
If your child is having more than necessary for this age, this may have an effect on his nighttime sleep the amount of sleep that he gets in 24 hours may not change but more of it will have shifted to the daytime. young children often to fall asleep on cars journey and this can affect their ability to nap.
Napping too early
If his morning map is too early, he may start waking early .try shifting this nap by 10 minutes each day until your child is napping around 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.
As your child gets older and no longer needs morning or late afternoon nap delay and shorten it by 10 minutes each day until you can stop it completely.
This transition from 2 to 1 nap a day after 12 months is one that toddlers often find difficult. try gradually cutting down the morning nap by 10 minutes each day and moving the afternoon nap to just after lunch to help your child adjust.
Creating the Right environment...
It is always best to accustom your child to sleeping naturally in your own domestic environment. her bedroom needs to be conducive to sleep but it should not be organized to meet special conditions without which she is unable to sleep. simplicity is the key: you will then find it easier to recreate the conditions when u stay at the homes of family and friends or on holiday.
noises off- parents often worry about noises in or outside the home disturbing that child sleep. however, children tend not to be as distracted as ambient noise as adults and in general once a baby or toddler is asleep it takes more than a thunderclap to awake them. older children tend to be a little more sensitive .nevertheless it is still not a good idea to Creep about because relative silence is likely to make your child more sensitive to noise near her bedroom
If you live on a busy road the changes are that you have got to use to the constant hum of traffic and the same will probably apply to your Baby or child. in fact, this is rather like the white The noise produced by the vacuum cleaner or washing machine that young children often find strangely soothing.
Turn down the heat-- Children do not need to be very want to sleep. in fact, the ideal bedroom temperature is probably a little lower than it is in the rest of the house but about 18-degree Celsius is ideal.
children often find it difficult to settle if they are very warm and modern bedclothes such as feather, filled duvets, tend to maximize heat retention around their bodies.
these are not advised for a baby under 1 year old but if you use them for older children you will not need to heat the bedroom much at night overheating is a risk factor for Cot death. the best way to check the temperature of your baby's body is to feel her tummy or the back of her neck.
comfort zone--- your child needs to feel secure and Re a shot in her bedroom in order to fall asleep there and stay asleep. you can help by placing familiar object around her Bed or cot .a Happy Family photographs on the wall at her bedside, for example, will provide a reassuring emotional backdrop to bedtime.
however, there can be a fine line between providing A comfortable bedtime environment and creating inappropriate sleep associations. while a cuddle with your a child is she settles may fall into a former category the need for a cuddle every time the child wakes in the night is an appropriate Association that you will probably want to break.
lights out--- babies and children need to get used to sleeping in various light conditions both in dark most probably when they rouse at night and in the daylight, which may last until 10:00 p.m. in midsummer.
it is preferable to allow them to adjust to the natural seasonal light or dark rather than trying to modify it all year round. however if your child tends to resist bedtime and gets up early in the light summer months, the thickly lined curtain can help.
Safe Sleeping...
Before you think about how much your child is sleeping whether he should be making it through the night or doing with one nap or two, you may need to ask yourself a more basic questions: is he safe? your choice of furniture, bedding and sleeping arrangements Primarily influence how well sleep at night but they can also, it affects his health.
sudden infant death syndrome {SIDS}
these are the words that many parents is special in new ones, fear most . in fact, despite it wides media coverage it is also called as a court that as it is more commonly known effects 1 in 2000 babies. therefore the rest to any the individual family are small however you will want to do your best to avoid becoming a significant part of this is statistics.
while there has been a lot of resources into SIDS in the past 20 years know clearly identify identifiable cause has been found. fortunately, however, a lot is known about the risk factors and you can minimize your risk by observing the following 6 standard rules.
back to sleep- lay your Baby down on his back a recent study showed that baby who was laid on their front. Had more breathing difficulties then who laid on their backs.
feet to foot- the bedding should be arranged so that your baby's feet are close to or touching the foot of the cot, to avoid them shuffling below the bed covers and being smothered.
Not too hot- Ro heating is not required at night except in severe winter weather. baby's bedroom should be kept a little cooler than the rest of the house at around 18 degrees.
Smoke free zone-- smoking during pregnancy has been known for the long-term to harm babies while they are in the womb. it is now accepted that is smoking around a young baby can increase the risk of cot death and the greater the exposure the higher the risk.
prompt medical advice-- babies who become unwell particularly if they have raised temperature, breathing difficulties, or less responsive than usual, or any combination of these should be seen immediately by a doctor.
Bedsharing for comfort, not sleep-- very young babies who sleep in their parent's bed are statistically at higher risk of cot death. however, this finding mainly applies to the babies of parents who smoke have been drinking or are on medication for excessively tired.
Overview:- In this post detail information I had shared regarding newborn sleeping pattern and their sleep, their naps, their sleeping pattern as per age.
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