How Do I Know If My Child Is Getting Enough Sleep?

During the first two weeks of your baby’s life, he will wake up often. This is because his stomach is so small he needs food every 2 or 3 hours. Of course, parents who do not know this can wonder if he gets enough sleep.

The good news is that as time goes on and babies grow, their sleep duration will get longer and longer. However, we all have our role to play. And we need to make sure we create a comfortable environment so that our baby can get enough sleep.

Having a comfortable crib or bed, a room with dim lighting and a comfortable temperature are the keys to helping children sleep well at bedtime. It is also a good idea to make sure that the house is quiet just before going to bed, and to avoid games that can overstimulate them.

Recommended sleep hours by age

It is important to know if our children are sleeping the right number of hours for their age. It does not have to be all at once. The baby or child can sleep several times a day.

• Newborns: at least 16 hours a day.
• From 3 to 12 months: 15 hours.
• From 1 to 2 years old: about 14 hours.
• From 2 to 5 years old: 13 hours.
• From 5 to 9 years old: 10 hours.
• From 14 to 18 years old: at least 9 hours.

Around the age of 6 months, babies begin to sleep less during the day and their night’s sleep becomes longer. Good news for parents!

But, we must keep in mind that all children are different and so is their need for sleep. Some will sleep more and others will sleep less.

If you still think your child is not getting enough sleep, then try to figure out what the reason might be. And find a solution as soon as possible.

Watch for signs that your baby is not getting enough sleep

You should always be aware of the signs of fatigue that babies may show. If they are tired they start rubbing their eyes, getting a little red around their eyebrows, sucking thumbs and yawning. So, as soon as you see these signs, try to get your baby to bed as soon as possible.

One thing you need to do is avoid taking him in your arms to make him fall asleep. While this is definitely done with the best of intentions, it will actually make it harder for your baby to fall asleep again even when he wakes up. He will become dependent on mom coming and picking him up.

What should I do if my baby wakes up often?

You may have noticed that your baby wakes up a lot during a nap, or is restless when he sleeps and cries a lot. This can mean that he has difficulty going from one sleep cycle to the next. However, without him actually waking up completely.

What you need to do in this case is try not to wake him by taking him out of bed and do not give anything to eat. Just walk quietly into his room and check that everything is okay, and maybe touch him with your hand to calm him down.

By doing this you can completely avoid waking him up. If you wake him up, it will be very difficult for him to fall asleep again. If you do not follow these guidelines, then the child may begin to experience severe sleep problems.

Good habits to make sure children get enough sleep

Putting children to sleep, getting them up at the same time every day and encouraging them to fall asleep themselves will help them have more confidence. It is also a really good first step towards not suffering from sleep problems later on.

We need to understand that children are born as an open book and that we are partly responsible for filling in their pages, depending on the behavior and the experiences we give them.

When a mother notices that something is wrong and that her baby is not getting enough sleep, she should analyze the routines she has taught her baby, whether they are adequate and whether they have been performed correctly.

Parents are responsible for their child’s physical and mental well-being. This is why they need to be careful about everything that can affect their child’s development. Having a good sleep routine is not only beneficial for the health of the child but also for the parents.

If we notice, after all our hard work, that our child is still not getting enough sleep, then we should always seek out a specialist who can recommend the best treatment. Always remember that sleep is a fundamental part of a child’s growth and development.