Sleep Takeover: Why Sleep is Essential for a Happy Family

Life can be rough if your baby (and you!) isn’t getting proper sleep. It can affect your whole day and isn’t healthy for your family. But you don’t just have to wait out your baby’s sleep problems. There are solutions to help your entire family get a good night’s rest. 

Join us Tuesday, July 27th, 12 pm – 2 pm EST for a live takeover on Instagram where mima kids will be joined by Erin Junker, Founder of The Happy Sleep Company. Erin has a Master’s Degree in health communications and a Certificate in Infant & Toddler Sleep Consulting and will be on hand to discuss the importance of sleep for baby and parents!

How Much Sleep Does Your Baby Need? When Should Your Baby Sleep?

Babies need different amounts of sleep based on their age.

• Newborn-3 months: 15-16 hours
• 4-12 months: 14 hours
• 2-3 years old: 12-14 hours
• 4-5 years old: 10-12 hours

These times include naps and nighttime sleep. Newborns will sleep in shorter periods with their night sleep stretching out as they get older until they’re sleeping all night with two naps per day. Most babies will drop their second nap at around 12 months, and most toddlers stop napping all together between ages two and four.

Stages of Your Child’s Sleep

During their sleep, your child passes through stages. The first three stages are non-REM (rapid eye movement). The first stage is very light and only lasts about ten minutes. In the next stage, the body is more relaxed and moving toward deeper sleep. The third non-REM stage is a deeper sleep and can last up to an hour.

Finally, the child moves into REM sleep, a very light sleep. During REM, the body is paralyzed and eyelids flutter. Babies spend about half their sleep in REM and half in non-REM, giving them more opportunities to wake up than adults.

Common Sleep Problems

One of the biggest issues babies have is falling asleep on their own. While most parents don’t mind putting their baby to sleep, it becomes an issue when the baby wakes up multiple times per night and can’t go back to sleep on their own.

Parents of toddlers and preschoolers often have trouble establishing bedtime routines. Routines get longer and longer and kids struggle to understand their sleep cues.

Most sleep problems can be overcome, but it takes some work on the parents’ part to help the child learn to sleep through the night.

Sleep Training vs. Sleep Coaching

Sleep training puts all the work of learning to fall and stay asleep on your baby. It’s typically some form of the “cry it out” method, although it may be done gradually.

Sleep coaching allows you and your child to work together to get your child sleeping through the night. Your work with your child’s sleep cue to develop a routine and soothing strategies that work for both of you. It’s a much gentler way to help your child learn to sleep.

Why Some Parents Might Need a Sleep Coach

Not everyone has a child that learns to sleep on their own with no issues. Just because your child struggles, it doesn’t mean that the two of you have to suffer through it. A sleep coach can help you assess the problem and develop strategies to help you and your baby get a good night’s rest. Visit thehappysleepcompany.com for a consultation.