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Sleep Schedules and Naps

How long should my baby nap and sleep in the first year?

- As a mom and pediatrician, I know that your child's sleep is so important not only for their wellbeing and development, but also for your sanity. We all know how horrible we feel if we haven't gotten a good night's sleep, so how much sleep does your child actually need? Well, it depends on their age. Newborns seem to sleep all of the time. Their sleep schedule is very erratic. Overall they tend to sleep between 15 to 18 hours in a 24-hour period. When your child is four to six months of age, their sleep schedule will likely become a little bit more structured. They'll often sleep 11 to 12 hours at night and two to three hours during the day. Their daytime sleep will get divided between two to three naps. This stays until your child gets a little bit older. When your child is 18 months of age they oftentimes will just be sleeping once during the day, but will still need the 11 to 12 hours at night. Until your child is five years old your child does need 11 to 12 hours of sleep at night. After five years of age until your child is ... Read more

Learn about: Making the most of your child's nap from Whitney Moss,...
Elizabeth Pantley, author of "The No-Cry Solution" shares a trick on how to get your baby to sleep longer.
Pediatric nurse practitioner and parent educator Dana Entin, RN, MN, PNP, explains how to put your child on a sleep schedule by creating a consistent routine and having... read more
lights affect your child's sleep
Our ancestors lived in a world where they woke up and went to bed with the sun; however, electricity has changed how we live our lives without necessarily changing our
Disney's Babble.com and Kids in the House have partnered to bring you #AskAnExpert. read more
Ali Landry shares her advice on helping get kids to sleep.
Kids in the House
One of the biggest challenges new parents face is creating a sleep schedule for a baby.
Kids in the House
Parents who decide to put their baby on a schedule often do so to create consistency and security. Schedules that are established with cues prepare children for what is... read more
Sleep Expert Kim West, LCSW-C, shares advice for parents on the best sleep and nap schedule for babies in order to help them meet sleep needs and sleep well
Child Sleep Expert Kim West, LCSW-C, shares advice for parents on what the ideal daily sleep and nap schedule is for toddlers
Watch Elizabeth Pantley's video on Recognizing your baby's signs of sleepiness...
View Elizabeth Pantley's video on Why your child needs to nap for more than an hour...
Learn about: The most common napping issues from Elizabeth Pantley,...
Watch Video: A dad's tips for getting kids to take a nap by Adrian Kulp, ...
Watch Lawrence Kagan, MD's video on When should my child stop napping?...
Watch Video: How much sleep do children need? by Lawrence Kagan, MD, ...
Watch Julie Hale's video on Alternatives to sleep training...
View Kim West, LCSW-C's video on Skipping naps...
See Kim West, LCSW-C's video on Avoiding early morning awakening...
Watch Video: Scheduled naps by Jill Spivack, LCSW, ...
Watch Video: Missing a nap by Jill Spivack, LCSW, ...
See Jill Spivack, LCSW's video on The sleep needs of newborns...
View Bill Horn's video on Tips for surviving baby's first year...
Kathy Sinclair, Child Sleep Expert, shares advice for parents on the best nap schedule for toddlers, when they can drop a nap, and when toddlers can end daily naps
See Alejandro Edda's video on Getting toddlers to sleep...
Learn about: Best conditions for baby sleep from Jill Spivack, LCSW,...
Sleep Expert Jill Spivack, LCSW, shares advice for parents on the ideal sleep time and schedule for babies between 6 to 9 months old
Learn about: Causes of early rising from Kim West, LCSW-C,...
Watch Jill Spivack, LCSW's video on The differences in children's sleep patterns...
See Kathy Sinclair's video on Making up for missed naps...
James McKenna, PhD, shares advice for parents on when babies will begin sleeping through the night and the factors that affect them from beginning to do so
Julie Gillespie, Author & Triplet Mom, shares advice shares advice for new parents of triplets on how and when to establish sleep routines for their newborns

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