You've made it through the newborn stage where sleep is difficult to get.

Now your baby is becoming older and her sleeping habits are changing, which means more sleep for you! To keep yourself informed about what to expect take a look at the following tips.

How much sleep is normal for a baby?  

This is difficult to pinpoint because there is a lot of variability among babies in terms of sleep needs and sleep patterns. While newborns sleep on average up to 20 hours a day, an older baby will average between 12-14 hours in a 24-hour period. Usually babies settle into a fairly predictable sleep rhythm around 3-4  months of age. It is just lovely to have a predictable routine to structure you and your baby's day around. A morning and afternoon nap is normal for this age, and each nap will last for around 1-2 hours. Watch your baby closely so you are aware of her "sleepy cues". Once you see these cues act accordingly and get her ready for her nap. It's best to catch her before she becomes over-tired and over-stimulated. This is when it becomes more difficult to settle a baby down for her nap. So, do you and your baby a favour by watching for the "sleepy cues." These do vary from baby to baby. Some examples are: rubbing eyes and ears, avoiding eye contact  and becoming grumpy and teary.

Should I have a bedtime routine for my baby?

I think it works well for most babies to have a set bedtime routine. Babies learn to relax and wind down when you have a bedtime routine. They relax because they know what is going to happen, and they know what to expect. This relieves tension and stress and allows them to be comforted by the predictable routine. A bedtime routine doesn't have to be a complicated or an elaborate affair. All you need to do is give your baby a lovely warm bath; put on her sleeping clothes; offer a last feeding and a short story or a song; and then off to bed. Whatever routine you establish, you just need to be able to stick with it so that it becomes predictable for your baby. Do the same things in the same order as much as you can. The beauty of this is when you take your baby on holiday or want her to sleep in a different environment she will settle much faster if you have this familiar routine that you can use anywhere! I have travelled halfway around the world with both my children, and I have always been grateful for our "well-oiled" bedtime routine ( it doesn't over come jet lag, but they have both loved the security of their familiar bedtime routine).

Dropping day time naps.

As your baby grows, one of the day time naps will be dropped. Some babies drop both naps, while many keep one nap until they're 2 or 3 years of age. Once again, there is a lot of variability here. Many of us parents are quite sad at the dropping of a nap. These naps  offer a time for some much needed rest or time to do some jobs. ( I know which option I like the best here!) I think it's important to acknowledge any feelings you have around the loss of these naps. Accept that your baby is growing and changing. Just remember you'll probably get more time at the end of the day as she will need to go to bed a little earlier at night. She will also be ready for her afternoon nap at an earlier time. Be aware that your baby will take a few days to adjust to this change in her sleep patterns. She may be a bit grumpier and cry a little more as her body adjusts to this new routine. Give lots of extra cuddles and hugs to reassure her that everything is okay.

Night time waking.

Remember that all babies will have their own ups and downs as we all do with our own sleep. Sometimes you can figure out the reason why a baby is having a few restless nights, while at other times you can't. Illness can be a cause for sleep disturbances. So can learning a new skill such as crawling or sitting up. It's very exciting for a baby to learn a new skill, and it's normal for them to have a few restless nights as they get use to their new found skill!  During these times, keep up with your normal bedtime and settling routines because they will give your baby some comfort and reassurance.  Your baby will soon settle back into her normal sleeping routine.

As your baby becomes older, she will need to feed less and less at night. When you first hear your baby stir, give her a few minutes to see if she can re-settle herself. She may not even be awake but having a dream or just re-positioning herself. If you run in straight away, she won't have a chance to re-settle herself back to sleep. And you really do want your baby to learn this skill. Of course, if she is really crying, go in and gently pat her and reassure her that she can go back to sleep. If a feed is needed, make sure that the lights are kept dim and that it's quiet and calm.  Leave a night light on so you easily find your way to her room; this also helps to avoid walking in to walls, which I unfortunately was quite good at!
Some parents say that giving a "top-up feed" at bed time can help their baby stretch out their sleep. This may or may not work for your baby, but you can give it a try.

What type of sleep does my baby experience?

Babies have similar sleep cycles to adults, however their cycles are shorter.
Quiet Sleep: You can tell when your baby is in this cycle because her breathing will be very rhythmic. She will move very little except for an occasional jerk of her arms or legs.
Active Sleep: Is characterized by irregular breathing. Also look for your baby's arms and legs to have quite a few jerky movements. Her eyes will be moving quite quickly beneath her closed eye lids. This is called REM sleep or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep.
Babies usually spend about 30-50 minutes in each of these cycles.

Benefits of sleep

Sleep helps to develop the growing babies brain.
Babies grow at a rapid rate and sleep helps them to do this. In fact, by the time your baby  has reached five months of age, she may have already doubled her body weight. No wonder they need to sleep and rest so much!