Importance of Sleeping Routines For New Borns and Toddlers and a Guideline

Importance of Sleeping Routines For New Borns and Toddlers and a Guideline

 While you growing your baby, who has just joined your family you need to create order in some issues so that you can survive in these hard first months. The first thing that comes to mind of new mothers and unfortunately, the most challenging for them is sleep. Getting used to being a mother is hard enough and it is even harder if you have a baby who doesn't sleep.

Here are Cuddoll's tips on what to do about creating sleep patterns for babies. Let first look deep into sleep!

What is the difference between baby sleep and adult sleep?

Sleep duration changes with the development of babies. As they get older, their sleep duration decreases. While an adult needs an average of 8 hours of sleep a day, a newborn baby can sleep up to 14-16 hours a day. In advanced ages, the duration of sleep decreases (average 6 hours) and the time spent in deep sleep is shortened. There is an increase in the number and duration of wakefulness reactions at night, and accordingly, the complaint of drowsiness during the day increases. In advanced ages, sleep-wake times become uncertain due to napping during the day. Another difference is that newborn babies wake up to be fed every 2-3 hours after they go to sleep. As they grow, the waking intervals get longer.

When can we teach the difference between night and day?

Some babies do not like to sleep at night. In the early days, not much can be done; but after the second week you should start teaching them to distinguish between day and night. During the daytime, play with the baby and keep busy as much as possible. Brighten the house and its room and do not try to reduce the usual everyday noises (phone, television or telephone noise). At night, when you go to feed them, don't play, turn down the lights and sounds of the room and don't spend too much time next to the baby, don't talk if possible.

Healthy Sleep Times of Babies

In the newborn period, babies sleep a total of about 11-18 hours a day. There are also 3 or 4 naps during the day.

In a 2-3 month period, they sleep for 3-4 hours without interruption and wakes up to feed. Active sleep drops to 43%.

By 3 months of age, 71% of babies sleep all night.

At 4 months, nights are longer; They sleep shorter during the day.

They wake up 1-2 times in a 5-6 hour sleep cycle in a 6-month period. After awakening 1/2 of babies dive again on their own. They sleep a total of about 11-14 hours a day, and 84% of these babies can sleep all night long.

90% of 10-month-old babies sleep all night, on average 10-13 hours a day.

12-month-old babies sleep a total of about 10-13 hours a day.

Most of the children between 21-36 months need half an hour to 3 hours of noon sleep once a day.

At 2 years old, they sleep 10-12 hours a day.

Play-age children, on the other hand, sleep 12-14 hours a day. They sleep 1-3 times during the day; however, care should be taken that this does not happen in a period close to evening sleep.

In the pre-school period, they sleep between 11-13 hours at night, usually they do not sleep during the day.

Children aged 5-12 sleep 11 hours a night.

In adults, the optimal sleep time is 8 hours. As age progresses, the duration of sleep, falling asleep and staying asleep varies.

What is the importance of night sleep in babies and children?

A perfect night's sleep accelerates your babies' mental development by allowing them to organize what they have learned throughout the day, replenish their energy stores and start the new day happy, fit and most importantly open to learning. Sleeping problems in babies will cause retardation in brain development and prevent healthy growth. Because the 0-3 age period is a very critical period for mental development and healthy growth. Because during this period, babies grow and develop very quickly. In the following periods, the growth and development rate decreases. The 0-3 age period is vital especially for brain development. 80% of brain development is completed in this period and the size of the brain reaches almost the size of adulthood. In addition, it is not possible to compensate for errors and omissions in this period. If the child was neglected in the 0-3 age period; If they did not sleep uninterruptedly and with good quality, did not eat healthy and were not well taken care of, these will cause retardation in brain development and it will not be possible to compensate for this in the future. For this reason, uninterrupted night sleep, especially REM sleep, has a very important role for the baby's potential brain development.

When babies are born, they spend almost all their time in sleep, but as the months progress, the time they spend asleep decreases, and accordingly, while their daytime sleep decreases, nighttime sleep hours increase and nighttime sleep becomes regular. The only time babies can get uninterrupted and high quality REM sleep is at night. A large part of babies' nighttime sleep is spent in REM (Rapid Eyes Movement) sleep, which is vital for brain development. This is also called active sleep. If the baby's eyes flicker frequently, breathe rapidly, and make mouth movements or smile during sleep, this indicates that the baby is in REM sleep. REM sleep is a state between sleep and wakefulness and the baby is ready to wake up with external factors. REM sleep is necessary in order to strengthen the connections between neurons in the brain and to shape what is learned while awake. If the baby's night sleep is constantly interrupted for various reasons and he does not get enough sleep, this may cause problems in the development of the baby. Because the baby, who cannot get enough sleep, wakes up restlessly, does not play, is indifferent to his surroundings, has difficulty concentrating on something, is incompatible and irritable towards those around him. This will hinder their learning and development by playing games.

 Mothers should ensure that their babies have an uninterrupted and quality night sleep so that their babies can wake up happily, play long-term games, learn new things and process what they have learned into the brain in REM sleep.

Here we prepare a guidance for you to create a sleep routine for you little one

Baby's Sleep Routine

• What are some helpful tips to help your baby sleep well?

   

   

  Encouraging a newborn to sleep can be a long process of elimination. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the factors that prevent them from sleeping. It can sometimes take between 30 and 60 minutes for the baby to fall into a deep sleep. Just as you're about to fall asleep, a little sound doorbell, or a click, distracting you can start the whole process over.

   

  What is the elimination process like?

   

  • Make sure you encourage your baby to eat well. You can set aside up to an hour during the day to encourage baby to feed. If they are napping, try to wake them up as needed and breastfeed at 5-10 minute intervals. We know it will be difficult for you and baby to interrupt sleep. If baby goes to bed after a short, unsaturated feeding, probably will wake up early.

   

  • Don't forget to check the diaper before putting the baby to bed. Little cute will not be able to sleep comfortably with wet or dirty bottoms. It would be a good idea to get into this habit and not be afraid to put your baby to bed awake. Babies will sleep better if they shifts from an awake but relaxed position to sleep.

   

  • You should wrap the baby with your own hands away from your face. This move will make them feel safe. Newborn babies cannot control their movements and therefore cannot fall asleep with their hands on their face unless they are swaddled.

   

  • Hold your baby upright on the shoulder for a few minutes. This position will help them relax and help to get rid of gas, if any. It will also provide the necessary reassurance for them to settle down.

   

  • Wrap the baby tightly in the bed. Newborns want to feel safe and will be calmer because they will flutter less. Lay the baby wrapped up and also drape a blanket over them, tucking the edges of the cover into the bed. Make sure there is plenty of space between the top of the drape and your baby's face and that airflow is not restricted.

   

  • You can play music in the room while the baby is sleeping. Music or sound helps the baby to calm down. This constant sound prevents the baby from feeling lonely and vulnerable.

   

  • Wait for the babies to calm down. If they can't calm down and continues to cry, you should go to them. You should try to eliminate any negative factors that you think are contributing to your restlessness.

   

  • You can pick up and hug the baby. This move will help release any remaining gas and make them feel secure.

   

  • If your baby still hasn't calmed down, you can go up to them and shake them or touch their back to calm down.

   

  • As your baby grows, they will get used to the bedtime as you use the same techniques all the time. As baby gets older they will start to calm down without much help.