About Baby Sleep

This article discusses the following topics:

Survival Mechanism (No Deep Sleep) Sleep Essential for Baby and for You Position for Sleep Baby’s Temperament Affects Sleep Sleep Maturation Amount of Sleep Possible Reasons for Nightwaking Keep the Faith Works Cited

Survival Mechanism (No Deep Sleep)
Our bodies go through different sleep cycles. The definition of a sleep cycle is "going from light to deep sleep, and then back to light sleep" and the time when the baby moves "from deep to light sleep is a vulnerable period during which many babies will awaken if any upsetting or uncomfortable stimulus, such as hunger, occurs" (Sears, 8 Infant).

Based on the fact an infant sleep cycle lasts about an hour, each hour your baby experiences a vulnerable period of waking (Sears, 8 Infant). It is important that babies do not sleep like adults. The fact babies wake easily is designed to help them survive and have their needs met such as to eat or to have their diaper changed. I would expect they also wake for love and attention.
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Sleep Essential for Baby and for You
I don't think I need to state that sleep is important for everyone, especially for an infant. “When an infant sleeps, his brain is busy manufacturing new brain cells, which are needed for mental, physical, and emotional development” (Hogg 168). It is important for the baby to sleep in order to grow and it is essential for you to get sleep as well so you can be the best caregiver you can be. Sleep may even help mom produce more breast milk, refer to “Tips” in the breastfeeding section. Although, getting the baby to sleep and stay asleep may be easier said then done. Please refer to the "Tips: To Help Sleep," "Nighttime Parenting," and the "Sleep Resources"articles for more information.
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Position for Sleep
We always put my son on his back to sleep even though it was apparent when sleeping on us he loved sleeping on his stomach. “The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended since 1992 that infants be placed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).” 

Depending on certain medical conditions, your healthcare professional may advise a different sleeping position. “Be sure to check with your doctor to see if your baby has any medical condition that necessitates front-sleeping, such as small jaw bones or other oral structural abnormalities that may compromise the airways when she is sleeping on her back; a mucus-producing respiratory infection; or gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD).”  My son did have acid reflux which is probably why he preferred to sleep on his stomach once he was old enough to safely sleep on his stomach.
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Baby’s Temperament Affects Sleep
When I was doing research about sleep when my son was around 9 months old, I came across a lot of sleep support information, from the AskDrSears.com web site. One of the quotes that hit home was “[a]n important fact for you to remember is that your baby's sleep habits are more a reflection of your baby's temperament rather than your style of nighttime parenting…. It's not your fault baby wakes up” (8 Infant).

Although, I do think it is important to do nighttime parenting; establish a routine for your baby, make sure the baby is well rested during the day, and put the baby to sleep before she is overly tired, in the end if you are doing steps to help improve the baby’s sleep and the baby still wakes up, remember you can only control so much for the baby, you can’t force her to stay asleep. Please refer to the "Tips: To Help Sleep," "Nighttime Parenting," and the "Sleep Resources"articles for more information.
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Sleep Maturation
According to Weissbluth, there are "five turning points in the sleep maturation process" (14) as detailed in the table below:

It is recommended for the first two weeks to "wake your baby if he goes more than four hours without a feeding" (Disney). According to the Disney article, most babies can sleep without waking to eat according to the following schedule:

Remember, that the above schedule is the "norm" for most babies. Each baby is an individual and if "your child was a preemie or has acid reflux, he'll likely need to eat more often..." (Disney). We were very fortunate with my son and daughter in that overall they slept fairly well. I think it was a combination of our nighttime parenting, their temperaments, whether they were teething or not, and how much they were able to eat during the day. My son and daughter slept at night according to the following schedule:

*The total sleep time is the time for the entire day including naps according to Sears (357). My son and daughter generally slept the "average" total sleep time.

Generally sleep maturation occurs by 6 months but that was actually the time when my son started to have nightwakings, one or two times a night and sometimes more. Fortunately, the majority of the nightwakings stopped around 10 ½ months, the day after his top teeth broke through. According to Dr. Greene,  “[f]or most kids, 8 or 9 months old is the most difficult age for sleeping.”  I would definitely agree with this. My son returned to his "normal" great sleeping from 10 1/2 - 13 months. Then around 13 months - 15 months he slept well off and on.

My daughter slept well although she started to wake up again around 7 1/2 months. Most research warns to eliminate the night feeding so the baby does not depend on a bottle or breastfeeding to fall asleep. Both of my children could initially fall asleep on their own without breast or bottle but when they woke up in the middle of the night it was easiest to just give them breast or bottle.
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Amount of Sleep
The amount of sleep varies by baby and by age. For more information on the average amount most babies sleep, including duration at night, the number of nighttime wakings, and the duration of naps, please refer to the “Amount of Sleep" article.
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Possible Reasons for Nightwaking
As stated above, my son slept wonderful until 6 months, the time when his sleep should be matured. From 6 months – 10 ½ months my son woke up on average two times a night, generally around 11PM or 12AM and then possibly again around 3AM or 4AM. I didn’t understand why our wonderful sleeper suddenly didn’t sleep well anymore.

There are many reasons the baby may be waking up. Some medical or physical causes could be Gastroesphageal reflux (“GER”) or acid reflux, allergies, teething, cold, fever, ear infection, too hot or cold, pinworms. Some other causes could be developmental, separation anxiety, emotional, or the baby’s temperament (Sears, Baby 325-329). The article that provides more information on nightwaking is coming soon.

During the 6 month to 10 ½  month period, I think my son’s nightwakings were due to a combination of acid reflux, teething discomfort, wakings to practice milestones, mattress elevation, and lack of sufficient food during the day. I definitely think my son was uncomfortable and thus was unable to get back to sleep without some extra love from Mommy or Daddy. My son finally started sleeping through the night again at 10 ½ months, the day after his top teeth broke through.

My son continued to sleep well until 13 ½ months. I think teething along with other changes in his schedule contributed to the nightwakings at this age. By 15 months he was sleeping well off and on although he occasionally required some assistance from Mommy or Daddy. By 16 months my son was consistently putting himself to sleep for all naps and nighttime sleep. After reading some stories, we would simply put him in his crib and leave the room and he would lie down and go to sleep without any protest. There were still some nights where he would wake up and need us to help him find his pacifier or occasionally he would want to drink some milk but generally he slept through the night with no wakings that required our assistance.
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Keep the Faith
Remember that something that works for one baby may not work for yours but keep trying new things; you should eventually find ways to help your baby sleep. Your baby will continue to develop and hopefully overcome the reason she can’t sleep without waking or she’ll find ways to put herself back to sleep.

For more information on sleep, please refer to "Tips: To Help Sleep," "Nighttime Parenting," and the "Sleep Resources"articles for more information. Other sleep articles are coming soon.
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Works Cited

American Academy of Pediatrics ("AAP"). "Changing Concepts of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome:
Implications for Infant Sleeping Environment and Sleep Position." Pediatrics: Official Journal of the
American Academy of Pediatrics. 105 (2000): 650-656. 18 Dec. 2009
<http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/105/3/650>.

Disney. "Parentpedia: Nighttime Feeding. "Disney Family Parenting. 8 Dec. 2009
<http://family.go.com/parentpedia/baby/sleep/baby-nighttime-feeding>.

Hogg, Tracy and Melinda Blau. Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and
Communicate with Your Baby. New York: Ballantine, 2001.

Greene, Alan M.D., and Cheryl Greene. "Nighttime Feedings." drgreene.com. 7 Dec. 2009
<http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&ref=1584>.

Sears, William M.D., Martha Sears, R.N., Robert Sears, M.D. and James Sears, M.D. The Baby Book:
Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby - From Birth to Age Two. New York: Little, 2003.

---. "8 Infant Sleep Facts Every Parent Should Know." AskDrSears.com. 17 Dec. 2009
<http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070200.asp>.

Weissbluth, Marc M.D. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child: A Step-By-Step Program for a Good Night’s
Sleep. New York: Ballantine, 2003.

Last updated: December 2009