How many hours should an infant sleep?

A child is considered an infant after the 28th day of life until the completion of the first year. During the infant period, intensive development – physical as well as mental – takes place, which is very much influenced by sleep. Because, it supports the proper development of the child, translates into his behavior and well-being. From this post you will learn how a baby’s proper sleep should be.

How much should an infant sleep?

It should be noted that newborns do not fall asleep at specific times. It is only with time that they begin to have a diurnal cycle and gradually learn what is night and what is day. That’s why, first of all, it’s a good idea to observe your baby to learn about his sleep needs. It’s a good idea to pay attention to what time of day the child falls asleep most easily, how long his naps take, and how long he sleeps at night. Too few hours of sleep per night and accumulated fatigue have a big impact on his development and behavior. A child’s sleep is an individual issue, hence not every toddler sleeps the same number of hours. However, there are certain frameworks that define the optimal amount of sleep each child mostly needs during a given period of development.

• I month of life – the child sleeps from 17 to as many as 20 hours a day. During the day he falls into 3-5 naps, and each nap lasts on average from 30 minutes to 3 hours. The sleep period at night is only 2 to 4 hours;
• II month of life – an infant at this age can sleep for up to 5 hours without waking up for feedings. Nap time lengthens to 1-3 hours, and the breaks between them are about an hour;
• III month of life. – the toddler in this period of development sleeps up to 16 hours a day, including 8-10 hours at night with breaks for food and 3-5 hours during the day are taken for naps;
• IV month of life. – A 4-month-old toddler sleeps about 4 hours during the day, which are spread over 2 or 3 naps, and at night can sleep up to 9 hours without any break;
• Vth month of life. – at this stage the baby sleeps up to 15-16 hours per day, while during the day he sleeps 2.5-3.5 hours with 2-3 naps;
• VI month of life – the optimal sleep time per day for a six-month-old child is about 15-16 hours, with only 2 naps per day. Sometimes six-month-old toddlers can sleep 10 hours during a single night with no breaks;
• VII month of life. – in the seventh month of life, a toddler sleeps about 11-15 hours per day, of which 5-10 hours are at night;
• VIII month of life – eight-month-old infants need an average of 14.5 hours of sleep per night: 11-12 hours at night and 3-3.5 hours during the day divided into two or three naps;
• IX month of life – most infants at 9 months sleep up to 14-15 hours per day, with a maximum of 2-2.5h during the day – taking 2 naps;
• X month of life – a 10-month-old infant needs an average of 14.5-15.5 hours of sleep per day, with about 11-12 hours at night and 2-3 hours during the day for two naps;
• XI month of life – at this age, an infant needs about 14 hours of sleep per night, of which about 10 to 11 is able to sleep at night, and may demand two naps during the day, but their time should decrease;
• XII month of life – a baby at this age spends about 13 hours a day in the crib. He takes 1-2 naps during the day, which means he sleeps about 10-11 hours at night, and 2-3 hours during the day.

Practical tips for healthy baby sleep

Every parent would like to make their baby’s sleep even more comfortable. This can be achieved by implementing several rituals, thanks to which the toddler will surely sleep through the night in peace. It is very important to keep a proper rhythm of the day, because newborns initially do not distinguish between day and night. If the child gets a good night’s sleep during the day, he will want to play at night, so it is important to stick to a certain pattern. Also, it can be important and helpful to introduce daily habits before bedtime, as certain activities performed periodically will communicate to the child that bedtime is approaching. This may include feeding in a particular place, dimming the lights, turning on a melody, placing a favorite cuddly toy
next to the baby, etc. How many hours a newborn sleeps can also depend on where he falls asleep. So it’s worth preparing both the room and the crib properly to ensure a healthy sleep for the little one. Ventilating the room before bedtime, making sure the temperature is right and leaving a small bedside lamp on can help in this situation. It is also important to invest in a high-quality mattress for the baby and bedding made of high-quality materials.

As you can see, a baby’s sleep goes through different phases, and the time of rest changes from month to month. Proper sleep of an infant depends on many factors, so it does not always go by the book, and this is not a cause for concern. Certainly, sooner or later you will develop your own sleep rituals with your toddler.

.