Over the last few weeks many of us have found that we are focused on staying healthy in a way that we haven’t ever been before. Washing hands regularly, always carrying hand sanitizer, and spraying all surfaces with Lysol has become the new normal.
In addition to these things, I am also focusing on getting a good night’s sleep. As a sleep consultant, I am extremely aware that quality sleep is one of the best ways to maintain a strong immune system. If you’ve got a baby or toddler in the house who isn’t sleeping well, getting that good night’s sleep can obviously be a little trickier for you AND your little one.
However, there are some “tricks” you can try, starting tonight, that can make a big difference!
1) Watch The Waking Hours
One of the biggest enemies of sleep is simply being overly tired. Many parents are surprised to learn just how soon their children get overtired!
Here’s a quick guide to how long your child should be awake between naps during the day:
0-12 Weeks: 45 minutes
3-5 Months: 1.5–2 hours
6–8 months: 2–3 hours
9–12 months: 3–4 hours
13 months-2.5 years: 5–6 hours
2) Embrace the Dark
Everyone — babies and toddlers included — sleeps better in the dark. Try making your child’s room as dark as possible. In many cases, even the glow from a nightlight or alarm clock can be enough to disrupt your child’s sleep cycle!
3) Feed AFTER Naps
For a lot of babies and toddlers, the single biggest reason they don’t sleep well has to do with a feeding-sleep association. They think that they need a bottle or nursing BEFORE they can fall asleep. By feeding right after naptime you can help your child break this feeding-sleep association.
4) Be Predictable
Babies and toddlers love predictability. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have your child sleep in the same place, at the same time, every day. Also, a predictable bedtime routine is a great way to let your child know when the time for sleep is coming. Make sure that this routine is the same every single time and no more than 30 minutes!
Since every child is unique, I can't guess which of these will work for your family. But I encourage you to give some of these a try and see if it makes a difference!
Lindsey Burchfield, a Certified Sleep Consultant and founder of Columbine Sleep Solutions, helps families like yours get their baby or toddler sleeping through the night.
Contact her to set up a free 15-minute consultation to help diagnose why your little one is having trouble sleeping and how to fix it!
Columbine Sleep Solutions
lindsey@columbinesleep.com
(720) 441-2704
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