It doesn’t matter if you have a new born baby or a toddler as every parent has been through their sleeping problems. If at one point of time, parents were worried and had sleepless nights because their babies were not sleeping on time, then there is also a time when they say that their baby sleeps too much.
Too much emphasis is put on baby getting enough sleep, whereas baby sleeping too much has been ignored. Read on to find out the normal sleep time needed for your baby at different ages.
Can Your Baby Sleep Too Much?
Sleep is important for a baby’s physical, mental and emotional growth. Sleeping patterns in toddlers or babies vary time to time. At times they would be hard to put to sleep, and sometimes wake up at night and start crying.
The Answer
Few mothers have asked suggestions from health professionals about baby sleeping too much and many times they have to wake their babies to feed them in every 4 to 5 hours. Some parents envy these mothers, but it is not a normal thing for babies to sleep too much.
For a newborn baby, 14-18 hours of sleep on average in a day is enough. But if they sleep more than that and wake in between for only 30 minutes then these infants should be reviewed seriously and a doctor should be consulted. This sleeping pattern is not healthy.
How to Deal with Baby Sleeping Too Much
Babies use their cry to let their parents and caregivers know about the quality and quantity of attention they need. It can mean they need to be touched or fed. This behavior brings thriving. Those who sleep too much do not thrive more and also do not initiate interactions. This is the reason that their mothers have to wake them up for feeding.
For such babies, it is important to weigh your baby in routine to check his growth. Babies who sleep more tend to eat less. This results in weight drop instead of healthy weight gain. Taking charge of their feeding routine by waking them up in every three hours will ensure their healthy growth.
Touch is critical for a healthy sleeping pattern and regulating baby’s mood. Parents can indulge with their babies in some activities and let them remain engrossed for long. This way babies will learn new skills and don’t sleep for that duration.
When Should You Be Concerned?
If your baby (6 month and older) is still having a sleep pattern like a newborn, parents are advised to seek consultancy from a doctor. Apart from temperament, there are some medical conditions that can also be responsible for such behavior. Consulting a doctor can help to fix the issue and let them sleep as per a healthy routine.
How Much Sleep Do Babies Normally Need?
When we say an adult should sleep for 6-8 hours and a newborn sleep for 14-18 hours, we can see a dynamic continuous change in sleep pattern that varies time to time. Now the question arises as to how much sleep a baby normally needs. The information list below shows the average amount of sleep a baby or a child requires to be healthy. The list also includes nap times in 24 hour duration.
|
Baby Age |
Sleep Time Needed |
|---|---|
|
From birth to three months |
In this duration babies spend almost all their days and nights in sleeping than being awake. Their healthy sleep pattern varies from 8 to 16 or 18 hours. They wake up in night to be fed. Too hot or too cold room temperature can disturb their sleep. |
|
From three months to six months |
As the baby grows his requirement of night feeds lessens. Thus, he is able to sleep for longer durations at night, i.e. 8 hours of sleep during night. From fourth month they will be sleeping twice long as they sleep in day time. The total sleep time needed is about 14 hours. |
|
From six months to 1 year |
Babies of this age do not require night feeds. Some babies can sleep for up to 12 hours at night. During this time, baby starts developing their teeth, this discomfort, can however disturb their sleep. |
|
1 year old |
A healthy sleep pattern is of total 12-15 hours in a day with occasional two to three naps in day. |
|
2 year old |
A two year old baby will sleep for 11-12 hours in night with occasional two naps in day. |
|
From 3 to 4 years |
Babies of this age require 12 hours of sleep. This can vary from 8 hours to 14 hours depending upon occasional day naps and activity. |
Watch a video for more: How much sleep is too little or too much for a baby?
Watch a video to learn more about baby sleep patterns: This video emphasizes the different ways a baby adapts to its sleep patterns. By adapting to the techniques about establishing a routine, you will be able to help your baby.
