The low down on long and short baby naps

The low down on long and short baby naps

Long and short sleeps - what’s the difference?

You may have heard about  your baby having a long sleep or having a short sleep.  What is the difference?  What makes a short sleep and what makes a long sleep and what is the significance?  Here is the low down on long and short baby naps.

Basics of baby sleep patterns

We all have sleep cycles.  Very broadly we go to sleep, have a very short deep sleep and come to a light sleep, then cycle between light and deep sleep through the night. Of course sleep is much more complex than this.  I have just simplified it here to the main points to make it easier to illustrate.

The first sleep cycle is usually the shortest.  You can see the end of a cycle when your little one stirs or wakes up after a certain amount of time that you can usually predict.  For example, people will say “ He only sleeps for 30 minutes, never longer”. This would lead me to think that this particular child’s sleep cycle is 30 minutes.

Newborns often have only short sleep cycles.  They are often only about 20 minutes long.  Newborns may or may not get past the first sleep cycle, that is they may or may not resettle and move into a second sleep cycle.  It is normal for newborns to wake frequently.  As your baby grows and matures, sleep will mature too.

How long is a short sleep?

When your baby only sleeps for one cycle we call that a short sleep or a short nap.  When  your baby sleeps longer and gets into the second cycle, that is a long sleep.  In the second cycle is when your baby gets deep restorative sleep.

A short sleep may be all that your baby needs for this particular sleep time.  Baby sleep patterns for little ones under about 12 months include a number of sleeps each day and some of them may be short sleeps.  The key is to watch your baby’s behaviour,  know the signs and be able to take action in a timely fashion so that your baby doesn’t become over tired.

Newborn baby naps

New parents wonder about baby sleep patterns, whether baby naps are long enough or their baby is ‘catnapping’. This is important to some and not others and is an individual thing. Basically, judge it as you go. Short sleeps may be quite ok for a time, then as your baby matures your baby may start to need longer sleeps. How will you know this?  Your baby will be cranky and not happy when up. Or your baby may wake cranky.

Remember

Short and long naps are part of baby sleep patterns. A short nap is a single sleep cycle and may be all your baby needs sometimes. A long sleep in more than one sleep cycle. A long sleep provides deep, restorative sleep that helps your baby feel great. As your baby grows their sleep cycles grow too. Don’t worry about the number of minutes your baby sleeps, watch their behaviour and adjust their sleep patterns accordingly

For more help with your baby's sleep contact us at leisa@nsyncwithinfants.com

Sleep builds sleep: how the ‘tucker them out’ myth is keeping you awake at night!

Sleep builds sleep

Sleep builds sleep: how the ‘tucker them out’ myth is keeping you awake at night! 

I’ve helped several families this week to get their baby to sleep.  I start out by talking with each family to work what is happening and get a feel for their parenting approach and unique family situation. This then guides what steps I take in the baby sleep training process. In these discussions that the fact that sleep builds sleep often takes people by surprise.

The ‘tucker them out’ myth

To get good quality sleep, you need to be relaxed.  When any of us are overtired, we tend to have more difficulty going off to sleep. The same is true for your baby and toddler.When this idea is new to you, it can take a little while to get your head around.  For a lot of us it doesn’t seem to make sense.  Most people think that we are over tired we will just go to sleep because we are exhausted. This is the ‘tucker them out myth’. How often has someone suggested to make baby sleep by keeping them up or wearing them out?

Why the myth prevails

At times the ‘tucker them out’ myth may appear true. Certainly there are many, many babies who are so beyond overtired that they just crash, often after being awake for hours on end, beyond what they can cope with.  Most times, they are cranky and not  happy when awake. Their behaviour, personality and development can suffer.

Overtired babies fight sleep

An overtired baby fights sleep not because they need to stay up longer and crash out when it all becomes too much, but because they feel ‘yucky’. When I am talking about babies and sleep  remember  that we need to feel relaxed to go to sleep. When your baby is not feeling relaxed  they feel yucky, they need you to help them feel better so they can go to sleep. When your baby has not had quality sleep for an extended period of time, it can be harder for him or her to go to sleep easily because of feeling yucky.

The solution is to build good quality sleep first and then work through any other challenges with sleep and your baby.  Catching up on sleep is often the first step for baby sleep training. Sleep builds sleep and has a positive effect on your baby as a result.  For all of us, we are much happier and calmer when we are feeling relaxed and well rested.

For more ideas to get your baby to be happy go to leisabreed.com.
ps View the replay of our free webinar for "Realistic Settling- What it really takes " https://app.webinarjeo.com/node/webinar/view/12045-realistic-settling-what-it-really-takes

© 2016 Leisa Breed

www.leisabreed.com.au

All Rights Reserved

One of the principles of sleep-   Sleep builds sleep!

Have you heard your baby cry during the night, or day, during sleep?

Have you heard your baby cry during the night, or day, during sleep?

Crying while sleeping: It’s sleep talking before you can talk

It is a common thing and very normal for babies to do this. Even adults will talk, moan and make all sorts of noises in their sleep.

Babies will cry during sleep. 

 This confuses and upsets a lot of parents.  Because it appears your baby is upset, parents may think their baby is awake and go and pick them up.  Sometimes, if your baby is actually still asleep, it may wake him or her when you do this. If this happens it often makes your baby more distressed because he or she is now woken from a lovely comfortable sleep.

It is the same as if you or I are woken from a sleep. We often feel more groggy, regardless of how much sleep we have had, and it may take us a little while to focus and “get our head together”, so to speak.

It may help to use a clock when your baby wakes up crying during sleep

The crying during sleep usually occurs when he or she is transitioning from REM sleep to a deeper form of sleep. It usually last no longer than about 5 minutes. In most occurrences it takes less than 2 minutes.  If you just wait a minute or two you may be surprised that your baby stops and continues to sleep more deeply all on their own. It may be helpful to use a clock at this time - 2 minutes can seem like 10, and 30 seconds can seem like 2 minutes.

Baby crying while sleeping is normal

This can be difficult for parents to understand because the cry during sleep can be a big loud  cry and seem like there is something wrong.  Of course if your baby is distressed and needs you to help then absolutely you need to respond.  Sometimes it takes parents a couple of times to stop and realise that maybe their baby is ok and have the confidence to wait a minute or two before going to help.

Other times when your baby will cry during sleep is if there is some form of discomfort from teeth, wind or other illness or injury. Of course give comfort when needed.

PS.  We always  encourage you  to respond to your baby crying if you know that your baby is distressed.

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Early tired signs

Early tired signs

Are early tired signs really that important?       

Early tired signs are essential to your baby settling more easily for sleep!
Recognising and responding to your baby’s tired signs is vitally important. It is the difference between putting a tired baby to bed and battling for hours to soothe an overtired, cranky baby.

The signs that baby is tired are an early warning system for parents. If you respond in time then your tired baby will go to sleep easily. It sounds simple, and it is, if you know what to look for.

Early tired signs happen earlier than you think

Your baby tells you that they need sleep. A lot of parents think they have caught the early tired signs but when I come and help them with their baby’s sleep, they are surprised with my idea of early tired signs. Often the signs baby is tired appear much sooner than they think.

Why is it so important to catch early tired signs?  

When you see early tired signs your baby will still look happy and relaxed.  It is easier to go to sleep when you are relaxed than when you are overtired.

Trust me, recognising early tired signs is essential to great sleep and a happy baby!

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Have you heard your baby cry during the night, or day, during sleep?

Have you heard your baby cry during the night, or day, during sleep?

Do you wonder why your baby is crying while sleeping?

It is a common thing and very normal for babies to do this. Even adults will talk, moan and make all sorts of noises in their sleep.

Babies will cry during sleep.  This confuses and upsets a lot of parents.  Because it appears your baby is upset, parents may think their baby is awake and go and pick them up.  

Sometimes, if your baby is actually still asleep, it may wake him or her when you do this. If this happens it often makes your baby more distressed because he or she is now woken from a lovely comfortable sleep.

It is the same as if you or I are woken from a sleep. We often feel more groggy , regardless of how much sleep we have had, and it may take us a little while to focus and “get our head together”, so to speak.

When you baby "wakes up" crying" during a sleep

The crying during sleep usually occurs when he or she is transitioning from REM sleep to a deeper form of sleep. It usually last no longer than about 5 minutes. In most occurrences it takes less than 2 minutes.  If you just wait a minute or two you may be surprised that your baby stops and continues to sleep more deeply all on their own.

This can be difficult for parents to understand because the cry during sleep can be a big loud  cry and seem like there is something wrong.  Of course if your baby is distressed and needs you to help then absolutely you need to respond.  Sometimes it takes parents a couple of times to stop and realise that maybe their baby is ok and have the confidence to wait a minute or two before going to help.

Other times when your baby will cry during sleep is if there is some form of discomfort from teeth, wind or other illness or injury. Of course give comfort when needed.

PS.  We always  encourage you  to respond to your baby crying if you know that your baby is distressed.

Get your 7 tips in 7 days straight into your email inbox when you sign up on our website. here is the link - insyncwithinfants.com

You'll also receive our monthly newsletter.