As parents we know too well a sleep deprived child is a carer’s nightmare! On a good day they are cranky, whinny, clingy, grumpy, naughty, unable to please, unable to concentrate, unable to reason with, unable to learn, they don’t eat well, they don’t play well and strangely enough, they don’t sleep well!
Yes it is TRUE, a sleep deprived babe/toddler/child, does not sleep well. These ‘little ones’ don’t usually go to bed and fall sound asleep, wakening refreshed in the morning. These are the children, who might well fall asleep easily(reason being- they are exhausted), but who then tend to be restless and cry periodically through the night for you, eventually waken at 5 am(or some ungodly hour) exhausted but determined not to go back to sleep! Sound familiar?
Here is the thing, sleep induces sleep – Fact!
So you can stop stressing about your little one napping through the day in the fear they won’t sleep at night, you can enjoy the peace it brings, knowing that it is what your growing, developing child needs.
Sleep needs vary with the age of your child. I have included a chart with the sleep requirements of children up to the age of 6 yrs. These are sleep averages, as we know our children are all different and therefore their sleep needs will differ to, however it gives you an idea as to whether you are on the right track with your child.
| Age | Night sleep | Day Sleep | Total Sleep |
| 1 week | 8½ hrs | 8 hrs (4 naps) | 16½ hrs |
| 1 month | 8½ hrs | 7 hrs (3 naps) | 15½ hrs |
| 3 months | 10 hrs | 5 hrs (3 naps) | 15 hrs |
| 6 months | 11 hrs | 3¼ hrs(2 naps) | 14¼ hrs |
| 9 months | 11 hrs | 3 hrs (2 naps) | 14 hrs |
| 12 months | 11¼ hrs | 2½ hrs (1 nap) | 13¾ hrs |
| 18 months | 11¼ hrs | 2¼ hrs (1 nap) | 13½ hrs |
| 2 years | 11 hrs | 2 hrs (1 nap) | 13 hrs |
| 3 years | 10½ hrs | 1 ½ hrs | 12 hrs |
| 4 years | 11½ hrs | Quiet period | 11½ hrs |
| 5 years | 11 hrs | Quiet period | 11 hrs |
| 6 years | 10¾ hrs | Quiet period | 10¾ hrs |
Sleep is vital for healthy child development both physically and mentally, the quality of the sleep is as important as the quantity – broken sleep is not good quality sleep. So, we as parents should really be teaching our children to sleep soundly through the night with appropriate (age related) naps through the day.
If my blog resonates with you and you feel you need to change your current sleep plan. I would be delighted to help you and your child get the sleep your entire family needs.
