Most parents will have questions and will worry about their child’s sleep at some point. You may be wondering how long should baby be awake? Is it normal that she wakes up every 2 hours? If you find yourself asking these types of questions, you are not alone! One of the most important part of the sleep learning process is to ensure your child is following an age-appropriate sleep schedule.
If we put the baby down too early, they will have a difficult time falling asleep, and if we put the baby down too late, well…they will be overtired! A quick note on being overtired; When we miss a baby’s sleeping window, the body starts to produce the stress hormone, called cortisol. This acts as a mild shot of adrenaline, which makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Awake windows
To find the appropriate awake window for our little ones, it is important to watch the clock, but also watch their sleepy cues. Both are equally important!
Parenting can be challenging and can bring its load of stress. There are a lot of unrealistic expectations around sleep and we can feel a sense of failure, guilt or stress when we aren’t achieving our sleeping goals. This is why understanding how sleep works, and what our children need at different ages will give you peace of mind.
I created a chart that outlines the appropriate awake times for children from birth to 4 years old. This is a guide, and the guidelines can vary from child to child.
Are they getting enough sleep?
If you are noticing some changes in their behavior, then they may not be getting enough sleep. On the other hand, if your baby is energetic, happy, and acts normally when awake, then he may be getting enough sleep. In other words, noticing how they behave when they are awake will help you find the appropriate awake window for your child.
As always, I hope you find this helpful. I would love to be part of your sleeping journey, book your free consult now!
Much love,
Eve
