19/09/2024
Wise words from the lovely Cathy.
Babies’ sleep needs are highly biologically variable and babies can need anywhere between 9 and 18 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, which is a big difference from baby to baby.
How much sleep your baby gets during the day may impact on how well he or she sleeps at night - and not in the way you often hear! Too much sleep during the day can cause disrupted nights.
Sleep hormones rise during the day towards a peak at night, leading us to sleep. The purpose of a daytime nap is to take the edge off this rising sleep pressure. Babies’ sleep hormones rise more quickly, which is why they are able to fall asleep anywhere if the sleep pressure is high enough!
Your baby has an internal sleep-wake clock that is linked to light and dark. You can set your baby’s internal clock with a consistent wake up time over a one to two week period. Distinguish between night and day sleep by keeping daytime naps in the same space that you are in, in daylight and regular noise.
The sleep regulators can’t kick in easily when your baby is dysregulated. There is no truth to the saying that sleep breeds sleep, but calm certainly breads calm!
A calm/regulated baby is a relaxed baby and is (eventually, when the sleep pressure is high enough!), a sleepy baby.
