I am asked many times by parents about how much sleep their child should be getting. I always advise parents to think about sleep in 24 hour blocks and not night and day. We want our children to be getting most sleep at night and just top themselves up during the day with naps (if needed). If your child is napping well during the day and going to sleep at night at a reasonable time (for your family), sleeps well at night and wakes in the morning is a happy mood then everything is fine. If your child takes a long time to fall asleep, wakes early in the morning or spends a lot of time awake during the night, then you may want to shift things around a little. Firstly, you should cut down on naps (or stop them altogether). When you alter any sleep you shouldn't expect to see any change for at least 3 days.
Here's a copy of my sleep table:
Newborn – Naps 1 – 2 hrs in every 3, 5 – 6 hrs at night.
1 – 3 months - 3 naps X 1 ½ hrs + catnap. 8 hrs at night.
4 – 6 months - 2 naps X 2 -3 hrs. Or, 3 naps X 2 hr + 1 ¾ hrs. 10 – 12 hrs at night.
7 – 8 months - 2 naps X 1 – 2 hrs, 10 – 12 hrs at night.
9 - 12 months - 2 naps X 1 ½ hrs, 11 – 12 hrs at night.
13 – 18 months – 2 naps 1 X 1 hr, 1 X 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hrs, 11 ½ hrs at night.
18 months - 1 nap X 2hrs, 11 ½ hrs at night.
2 years - 1 nap X 1 ½ hrs, 11 ½ hrs at night.
3 years - 1 nap X 1 ¼ hrs, 10 ¾ hrs at night.
4 years - No nap, 11 ½ hrs at night.
5 years - 11 hrs at night.
6 years - 10 ¾ hrs at night.
Remember, your child is an individual and has their own sleep needs, the above should only be used as a guide. As long as your child is waking in a good mood after naps and in the morning, you can feel assured that they are getting the right amount of sleep.
If you are interested in my sleep coaching packages entitled 'Finally get some sleep' please have a look at my website www.rebeccamichi.com
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