AdamAre you a parent to a newborn, or are you just curious to know how much sleep babies need? For infants, it depends on their age. As they grow older, they have different sleep demands. If your baby doesn’t sleep well at night, you can purchase some beddings such as a contour memory foam pillow to help them sleep better.
Indeed, sleep is an essential part of a baby’s development, and it is necessary that they should get sufficient sleep daily. As mentioned earlier, the amount of sleep your baby needs depends on their age. Here is some information that will help you decide:
- Newborn to 3 months old
Newborns and babies up to three months of age require a lot of sleep (about 15-17 hours a day). Their wake-up time is to be fed and changed. There’s really no sleep schedule for your baby to follow, but these hours of sleep can be a series of short naps. Don’t be scared if your baby in this age range sleeps so much. They need this sleep for proper development.
- Four to six-month-old baby
As babies grow older, they require less sleep. Compared to newborns, babies within this age range sleep for 12-16 hours per day. They might not cry as much as they used to at night as they may tend to sleep better at night.
- Seven to eleven months
Babies within this age range can sleep as much as 12 hours a day. But unlike younger babies, they tend to take longer naps rather than short naps every day.
Other factors influence the quality of sleep your baby takes. These include:
- The way you feed your baby
Babies that are bottle-fed tend to sleep more at night and wake less than breast-fed babies. This can be because breast milk takes a shorter time to digest compared with baby formula. Although there’s no difference in the amount of sleep the baby needs, whether fed on breast milk or formula, breast-fed babies wake up earlier.
- Sleep position
Never lay your baby on her tummy. Don’t do it. Instead, lay your baby on her back. This helps to prevent issues with indigestion. Also, make sure your baby sleeps on a surface that is free from toys and other items.
Babies are curious and would want to put things in their mouths. If you’re not looking, a disaster could occur. So, make sure no accidents are waiting to happen on your baby’s bed. Your newborn doesn’t have upper body strength yet, so make sure she sleeps on a firm surface and that she’s well covered and warm all through the night.
Conclusion
Suppose you discover that your baby doesn’t get enough sleep from all you’ve read. In that case, it’s advisable to see the baby’s pediatrician, especially when the baby cries a lot.
In summary, to prevent accidents from happening, place your baby in a safe, clean place, free from dust, toys, and other items. Also, make sure your baby always sleeps on her back.