Infant - Sleeping

Most children do not develop a definitive nap "schedule" until 6-9 months of age. At that time, many babies will have a 1-2 hour nap in the morning and another long nap in the afternoon. We also see babies who do not sleep for long periods during the day and would rather "catnap" for 20-30 minutes at a time. This can also be a normal sleeping pattern.

Most babies should be able to sleep continuously for more than 5 hours at night by the time they are 6 months old. Their nutritional needs can be met during the day and babies at this age do not need night-time feedings to foster growth. The interval between 6 to 9 months is the best window to try "sleep training" if needed. This involves setting up a predictable bed time routine and putting the baby down in the crib in the semi-drowsy state so that the baby learns to self-soothe himself or herself to sleep. This may require several attempts of leaving the baby in the crib and coming back periodically for reassurance. Changing nighttime sleep habits will become more challenging as children get older, so it is useful to work on night time sleeping during the infancy period.

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