When is enough sleep good for baby?

Donya Betancourt, Pediatrician, Sanur, Bali, drdonya@hotmail.com

Parents usually worry wondering how much sleep is enough for a child.

Most children's sleeping requirements fall within a predictable range of hours based on their age. There is no magic number of hours of sleep required for all children but we can talk about some approximate numbers based on age.

Newborns generally sleep or dose for 16 to 20 hours a day split equally between night and day. In the first month, the sleeping period is about as long as the time their small bellies can go between feedings, and because their internal clocks are not fully developed there is no sleep formula for newborns. However, the range can be from sleeping 10 hours in a row, to sleeping only two hours at a time but the average sleep time is between three to four hours.

Remember as long as a baby is healthy, anything goes. The baby's sleep time usually begins to shift toward night. At three months, a baby averages five hours of sleep during the day and 10 hours at night, usually with an interruption or two.

About 90 percent of babies this age sleep through the night, meaning six to eight hours in a row. This number of hours consecutively slept is a good point and parents should know that babies are not always awake when they sound like they are, they can cry and make all sorts of other noises during light sleep. Even if they do wake up in the night, they may only be awake for a few minutes before falling asleep again on their own. Let them try. It's best if they learn early to get themselves to sleep.

If a baby under six months old wakes up and continues to cry for several minutes, it's time to respond. Hunger, wet nappy, cold room temperature or even illness should be considered. Routine nighttime awakenings for changing and feeding should be as quick and quiet as possible. Don't provide any unnecessary stimulation, such as talking, playing, or turning on the lights.

Encourage the idea that nighttime is for sleeping. You have to teach this to your child, because your baby doesn't care what time it is, as long as his or her needs are met. It's never too early to establish a simple bedtime routine. Any soothing activities, performed consistently and in the same order each night, can make up the routine. The baby will associate the activities with sleeping, and will wind down.

Ideally, the child should be placed in a crib before falling asleep. The routine should be relaxing and the aim is to have your baby fall asleep on his or her own.

At six months, an infant may nap about three hours during the day and sleep about 11 hours at night. At this age, you can begin to change your response to an infant who awakens and cries during the night. Give the child five minutes to settle down on their own to go back to sleep. If he or she doesn't, comfort him or her without picking the child up (talk softly, rub their back), then leave - unless the child appears to be sick. Sick babies need to be picked up and comforted.

If a baby is not sick and continues to cry, wait a little longer than five minutes, then repeat the short crib-side visit. After several days, your baby should find it easier to get back to sleep on their own.

If a six-month-old baby continues to wake up five or six times each night, it should be brought to the attention of your doctor.

The first few months of a baby's life are an incredible time of change and the sooner your child can develop a predictable sleeping pattern the sooner the parents' own sleeping pattern can return to normal.