Establishing Good Sleeping Habits for Your Child

QUESTION: What can I do to help my newborn son establish good sleeping habits?

ANSWER: by Jeffrey S. Penso, M.D.

Putting a newborn or a toddler to sleep is a challenging task for all parents at one time or another. But the whole family will sleep better at night if parents make an effort to promote good sleeping habits from the start.

Although every child’s sleep needs are different, newborns tend to sleep about 16 hours in a 24-hour period. While newborns sleep a lot, they may only sleep one or two hours at a time. Their sleep cycles are irregular and take up to about six months to mature. As children grow older, the total hours they need for sleep decreases and they sleep for longer periods of time, but getting them to wind down and actually go to sleep can be challenging for tired parents.

For a newborn or infant, these tips may help promote more restful and regular sleep:

• Don’t let your infant sleep for long periods of time during the day – if he does, he’ll be more likely to be awake at night.
  
• Try to keep your baby as calm and quiet as possible when he wakes at night – when feeding or changing him, avoid stimulating him too much. Keep the lights low and your voice quiet.
  
• Put your baby in the crib at the first signs of drowsiness. It’s good for a baby to learn there is a specific place for him to sleep.
  
• Begin to delay your reaction to infant fussing at 4 to 6 months of age. Wait a few minutes before you go to check your baby. Give him a bit of time to settle down and fall back asleep on his own. Help him learn that he can soothe himself back to sleep.
  
• Avoid putting your baby to bed with a pacifier or bottle. If your baby falls asleep with one of them, gently remove it before putting him into his crib.
  
• Be patient. Although it seems like your baby will never sleep through the night, eventually they all do.

As your child grows older, his sleep needs will change. Typically, toddlers and preschoolers need about 10 to 12 hours of sleep at night. It is common for young children to resist going to sleep, especially if there are older siblings who are still awake.

To help ease the transition to bedtime and encourage good sleep habits for young children, you should:

• Create a quiet transition period before your child goes to bed. Establish a calm routine that may include a warm bath, reading or snuggle time.
  
• Be consistent with your bedtime schedule and make bedtime the same time every night. It helps your child to know that there is a routine he can expect.
  
• Make sure your child is comfortable. He may want to have a drink of water or a night light left on. Try to handle all of your child’s needs before bedtime so he doesn’t use them to avoid going to bed.
  
• To reduce a toddler’s typical resistance to being put to bed, let your child feel in control of some of the routine. Allow him to choose his pajamas, a bedtime story and a special stuffed animal.
  
• Try not to return to your child’s room every time he or she calls out or complains. A child learns quickly if you always give in to his requests at bedtime.
  
• Don’t let your child sleep with you on a regular basis. It is important that a child learn to settle himself and fall asleep when alone.

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Jeffrey S. Penso, M.D. is a pediatrician and chair of pediatrics at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. For more information, contact Saint John’s at 310-829-5511 or visit the hospital’s website at http://www.stjohns.org