What is the best sleep routine to use?
When your baby is six weeks old, she may be ready to start following a sleeping routine. You need to pay attention to your baby’s own natural temperament and let her take the lead in the beginning. The 7am to 7pm routine is usually found to be the one which tiny babies and young infants are the happies witht- It fits in with their natural sleep rhythms and their need to feed. It is important to encourage day time sleeping at the right time with the longest nap of the day being between 12 noon and 2pm as this coincides with the baby’s natural dip in alertness.
The approximate guide to the number of hours of nap time a baby needs:
-Birth to four weeks-5 hours
-Four to eight weeks- 4 to 4 and a half hours
-Eight to 12 weeks-3 and a half hours
-Three to six months- 3 hours
-Six to 12 months- 2 and a half to 3 hours
-12 to 15 months- 2 and a half hours
-15 to 18 months- 2 to 2 and a half hours
-18 to 24 months- 2 hours
-Two years to two and a half years- 1-2 hours
-Two and a half to three years-0-1 hour
Make sure your baby’s last nap of the day isn’t too close to bedtime and his daytime naps aren’t too long. Establish a consistent bedtime routine as soon as possible to allow your baby to get used to settling herself. By 6:30pm, you can start the bath, allow time for a gentle massage, changing, feeding and then a bed time story. Your baby will soon get used to this routine and settle herself to sleep. Make sure your baby’s room is a peaceful haven with dim lighting.
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