By Sr Teresa Hayward (RN, RM, Lactation consultant, Infant & Paediatric Nutritionist, Baby Sleep Consultant)
As a sleep consultant, I see parents all the time struggling to get baby to sleep better at night time, but they don’t realise that the problem is starting during the day.
Very few parents realise that is your baby is not having enough naps or long enough naps; they won’t sleep through the night. Their sleep environment for the day naps also plays a big role.
WATCH YOUR BABIES AWAKE TIMES
A baby is very sensitive to how long they can stay awake. Just 5min longer can send your baby into overtiredness and overstimulation. As soon as a baby is overtired or overstimulated, they will fight to go to sleep and will have short naps, due to the fact that their little brains cant switch off.
· 1-2 wks old – awake time 45min
· 2-6 wks old - awake time 45-60min
· 6wks to 3months – awake time 60 75min
· 3months – 6months – awake times 90min
· 6monthd – 9months – awake times 2hrs
· 9months – 1yr – awake time 2h30 – 3hrs
Number of naps a day:
· 1-6wks – 5-6 naps
· 6wks – 3mo – 4-5 naps
· 3-6mo - 4 naps
· 6-9mo – 3naps
· 9-12mo – 2-3 naps
· 12-18mo – 2 naps
· 18 mo up – 1-2 naps
If you find you follow these times and baby still fights to go down, then shorten the awake time by 5min until you find they don’t fight
An average nap should be around 45min to 1h30. Anything less than 30min is not a good nap and means that baby will be tired again quickly.
WATCH YOUR BABIES SLEEP CUES
Watch for your babies early sleep cues, I find often moms are watching for the late sleep cues. By the time they are showing late sleep cues, they are already overtired
· Bicycling their legs or pushing them out straight
· Arching back
· Waving arms around as though pushing you away with their hands and fingers open wide
· Hiccuping not related to feeding
· Sneezing
· Tongue thrusting – this is poking tongue in and out
· Gaze aversion or staring into space, at tv, lights etc
Late signs
· Rubbing eyes or rubbing their face into you
· Pulling their hair, your hair, their ears, their blankets or clothes etc
· Yawing
Too late
· CRYING
LOOK AT YOUR BABIES SLEEP ENVIRONMENT
The importance of a sleep zone or environment is totally underestimated by parents. So often the the causes of the sleep problem is that there is not a sleep zone. Imagine sleeping in the bathroom or bathing in the kitchen. It doesn’t work. It is the same for a baby. They will not sleep properly in different environments.
As a newborn your baby will sleep basically anywhere, but that does not mean that they are having a good sleep. Sleeping in different places prevents them going into the Deep cycle of sleep as there are different external stimuli in every environment.
They can have 2 different sleep zones – a day one for naps and a night time one, or they can have one. Maybe their room in day and your room at night as long as it is consistent. It also teaches them sleep association. When you take them to your room or theirs they realise it is sleep time.
BAD NAP HABITS
Napping in a swing, bouncy chair or car seat
- This is a easy habit to develop as a lot of babies, especially if they have reflux sleep well in the chair
- It does however become a habit quickly which can be difficult to break
Napping on you (over 3months)
- If baby needs to nap on you for every nap it also becomes a habit.
- Although there is nothing particularly wrong with it, it does mean you will also have a baby constantly attached to you.
- They also become heavy as they become bigger
- Definitely invest in baby wrap
- 1 nap a day is fine but not all!
Napping on the go
- Baby’s get into the habit quickly of napping on the go.
- The problem is they never go into a prober sleep cycle and won’t ever go into a deep sleep
- 1 nap out and about is fine but all others must be at home in their sleep environment
Napping without a schedule
- Try and get you baby into a pattern as soon as possible, not necessary a routine. By 3months the pattern can start being a routine
- A daytime nap schedule will also help them to settle into a predictable feeding routine
Following the above tips should help you with better naps and better night sleeps.
Always be realistic about your babies sleep, and think about what you class as sleeping through. Remember none of us sleep right through the night; the difference is we don’t need our mom to help us get back to sleep. Something else to remember, a baby who is co sleeping or sleeping in the parents’ bedroom will rarely sleep through, especially after 4months. I am not saying it is wrong for them to sleep there, but parents need to realise this.
If you feel you need assistance with your babies sleep, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My approach is gentle and routine orientated as well as assessing any medical, feeding issues and I DO NOT RECOMMEND LEAVING A BABY TO CRY EVER!
The approach is parent and baby friendly and shows parents how to get their baby to sleep without “leaving them to cry it Sleep coaching can be done from birth to ensure parents are on the right track right up to 3yrs old.
Each consultation is R400 and can be done via email consult or in person. Email is ideal for working moms and out of town parents. I will send you a questionnaire with all the necessary information needed. Once received, I will draw up a plan of action for you. I am then available for any questions and queries afterwards and if any adjustments need to be made to plan. A copy of my book on sleep will also be included in the package. There is also the option for you to come and see me in my rooms and discuss the problem and set up a plan
Inbox me or message me at 0824009501 or email claydh@telkomsa.net
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