Is it normal for your child’s sleep to change during the first years of life? How can I help him sleep better?
What are the different stages of sleep in babies?
THE baby’s sleep evolves in stages during the first three years of its life. But the sleep cycles are also divided into several phases, which themselves evolve over time.
There are calm phaseswhich is also called slow sleep, which over time breaks up into several phases of slow-wave sleep of different intensity. And phases of paradoxical sleepduring which the brain continues to be as active as during waking periods, which is when people dream.
At birth, babies have a cycle of only 50 minutes, consisting of a phase of agitated sleepthen calm sleep. A few months later, the cycles last 70 minutes with paradoxical sleep, slow-wave sleep, then a deep slow-wave sleep.
Finally, around 4-5 years of age, the sleep cycle becomes the same as that of adults, lasting 90 to 120 minutes. Falling asleep is then followed by a phase of very light slow sleepthen slow light, slow deep, slow very deep, and finally paradoxical sleep.
Baby’s sleep by age
Sleep cycles change with age, but periods of sleep during a day as well.
Between 0 and 3 months
In infants, the distinction between day and night is not yet acquired, so they sleep in regular, broken chunks of day and night. THE sleeping time of a newborn can reach 20 hours a day.
Between 3 and 6 months
After 3 months, the baby begins to find a rhythm; nap periods can occur during the day, always at the same times. He also has awakening beaches longer, he only sleeps 14 to 16 hours per 24 hours. At night, he sleeps longer than before, and can sometimes even space his awakenings.
Between 6 months and 1 year
After 6 months, there are usually only 3 left naps per day, in the morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon. Then between 9 and 12 months the end-of-day nap disappears. At night, some babies will sleep in one go or go back to sleep on their own, and others will continue to wake up several times, and sometimes even eat. A one-year-old baby typically sleeps 13 to 14 hours out of 24 hours.
Between 1 year and 3 years
Around 15-18 months, the morning nap disappears, leaving only the early afternoon nap, which can become longer. It will disappear, in turn, between 2 and 5 years old, depending on the children and their sleep needs. A child only sleeps 12 to 13 hours per 24 hours at 3 years old. After a year, if the child is still eating at night, it may be a good time to try to change that. This is also the time to accompany him towardsautonomous falling asleepif this is not yet acquired.
How to help baby sleep well?
It is important to put in place, from the first months, a sleep routine quite strict. Put your child to bed approximately always at the same time, and stick to the ritual in the same order every evening. For example, after a meal you can bathe your baby, then sing him a song or read him a book, before putting him to bed and saying good night.
Consider telling him that you will see him again the next morning. When the child gets older, it can also be good to summarize the past day, and tell him what is planned for the next day, in broad terms.
If your baby is reluctant to go to bed and fall asleep, remember to establish a calm atmosphere about an hour before bedtime. Cut off stimulation like screens, sports activities, tickling, or energetic songs. You can also put a dim light. These arrangements are conducive to the onset of sleep.
You can put one or two night lights in the room, to reassure the child and help him find his way in the space. You need to make his room a soothing and pleasant place, which he is happy to return to at bedtime.
If your child still wakes up at night, wait a minute, to be sure that he actually wakes up and is not just making a noise in his sleep, before intervening. You risk waking him up while he’s sleeping. Your child’s doctor or pediatrician can also help you on the subject of sleep, if these numerous awakenings are bothering you.
Sources:
Mpedia, Morpheus Network, Health Insurance, National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance, National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, CHU Sainte-Justine
Read also :
⋙ Baby’s sleep: the routine to adopt so that he sleeps well
⋙ At what age does a baby sleep through the night?
⋙ Young parents: this simple method would compensate for lack of sleep