Children's sleep: how to ensure your child and yourself get a good rest

Before moving on to the key points of organizing a full-fledged sleep for a child, it is necessary to find out the daily need for rest for different age categories:

1. from birth to 3 months - 16-20 hours
2. six months - 14-15 hours
3. one year - 13-14 hours
4. 2 years - 13 hours
5. 4 years - 11 hours
6. 6 years - 9-10 hours
7. 12 years - 8.5 hours.

The main factors of rational organization of infant sleep

In order for the baby and the adults around him to have a full sleep, accustom him to a day and night regime almost from the first day of life. The amount and type of sleep your baby gets during the day determines whether or not he or she will get a good night's sleep. In addition, there are a number of nuances that parents should pay attention to:

• disposable diapers (provide comfort and dryness for the baby for a long time);
• proper nutrition;
• regular walks;
• hygiene;
• sanitary conditions of the room;
• clothes.

How to get your baby to get a good night's sleep

Remember that only loving and energetic parents will have a happy and healthy baby. But how can this be achieved?

Provided that you set your priorities correctly, it is possible not only to get a good night's sleep, but also to get all your household chores in order, not just at the last gasp. Adults, like their children, need to sleep to replenish their energy reserves. Only under this condition will it be possible to provide the baby with enough care and attention.

Scientists have proven that a baby's sleep directly depends on the mother's psycho-emotional state. If the mother is depressed, has negative stress and a lot of negative emotions, this affects the baby's sleep and behavior.

First of all, decide on a routine for the child that would not conflict with the family routine. Teach the baby to get ready for bed at whatever time you are used to going to bed. Do not allow the baby to fall asleep in the parent's bed, otherwise he will immediately take it as a habit, and adults will quickly and for a long time have to forget about their rest. It is optimal for him to have his own crib in the parent's room - it is both safe and comfortable.

Excessive daytime sleep is the enemy of nighttime rest. Parents should not be afraid to wake up a sleepyhead if he or she exceeds his or her norm. For example, a three-month-old baby needs 16 hours of sleep per day, so for a full eight-hour recovery, he or she should not sleep more than 8 hours during the day in total. If the rest is prolonged, wake up the baby. He or she may be a little capricious at first, but then he or she will get into the routine.

An important condition for a child's sound sleep is regulated feeding. Remember that biologically, a child needs to eat during the night 1-2 times at the age of up to 3 months, then 1 time when he or she reaches six months. After six months of age, feeding at night can be excluded.

Feed the baby a little less during the penultimate meal, and allow him or her to eat his or her fill at night. At the same time, do not forget that overfeeding is often the main cause of abdominal pain, which leads to sleep disturbances.

Optimize daytime walks. Live actively during the day - walks, short naps in the fresh air, active games and physical activity. Immediately before bed, protect your baby from strong emotional outbursts, as they adversely affect night sleep. In the evening, switch to quiet games, heartfelt home gatherings with fairy tales and cartoons, which will contribute to a sound sleep until the morning. The body should be relaxed, and overexcitement will interfere with this.

Bathing can be an ideal means of achieving long and deep childish sleep. Washing and splashing in a cool large herbal bath stimulates a good appetite, and a hearty dinner promises quality sleep. Before bathing, be sure to carry out all the necessary hygiene procedures, massage (you can add essential oils) and gymnastics. And warm and comfortable clothes in combination with a comfortable bed (natural materials, a dense and even mattress) will complete the preparations for a healthy sleep.

It is important to remember about the temperature regime of the room where the baby sleeps. As a rule, scrupulous mothers in their apparent fight against colds create a sauna effect in the bedroom. The optimal air temperature in a child's room intended for sleep is 16-18 °C. Don't forget about wet cleaning and regular ventilation of the room.

In the first months of life, a baby falls asleep best in the arms of his parents while rocking, because he feels protected and calm in the arms of his mother or father.

The enemies of children's sleep include:

• unwillingness to sleep. If you don't want to sleep, it's hard to force yourself to do it. So the baby will not fall asleep just because adults demand it. Preparation for rest, including the above factors, is what parents should approach with all due care;
• food and thirst. Hunger and thirst are the worst enemies of sleep. The physiological need for food and drink is greater than the need for sleep;
• basic discomfort. A diaper needs to be changed, it is too hot or cold, there are uncomfortable clothes or folds in the bed. Remember that the baby is not able to fix certain inconveniences on his own, so prudently solve all issues in advance;
• sound and light. The baby sleeps comfortably in the light and in the dark, although semi-darkness is considered the best option. Direct rays should not fall on the baby's face, bright glare and TV noise also interfere with deep sleep. At the same time, complete silence should not be observed, calm speech and quiet music are acceptable.

Unfortunately, parents will not be able to sleep 8 hours without a break in the first weeks. However, by making an effort to optimize the baby's sleep schedule, this can be achieved by the age of three months. The main thing is to turn the schedule into a reflex, and the subconscious itself will push your child into the arms of Morpheus.