Is my baby getting enough sleep?
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How do I know my baby is getting enough sleep?
Guest Post by Lyndsey Hookway
It’s pretty common for this to be one of the first questions parents ask me. Most of the parents I have the pleasure of working with are pretty selfless and sacrificial. But any parent who wants the best for their child may get concerned from time to time about whether their child’s needs are being met. This goes for sleep too.
“I’m worried my baby isn’t getting enough sleep for their development”
“Is my baby sleeping enough to be able to learn and grow?”
“I’ve heard that sleep on the move doesn’t ‘count’…”
“My baby seems to nurse through the entire length of her nap – does this count as sleep?”
In the vast majority of cases, I can probably reassure you immediately. But let’s dig into these questions a little and try to unpack them.
Sleep and development
Many parents are concerned that if their baby does not get the amount of sleep that charts and books say is average or normal, that they will come to harm. They know that children grow during sleep, and have become concerned. For some parents, their baby’s sleep doesn’t even bother them, but they worry that they are damaging their baby by not helping them to sleep more, or ‘better’.
Ok – so this is actually the easiest myth to bust!
Firstly, all babies are different, and as much as those charts with average sleep needs are a useful baseline, we need to remember that there will always be outliers
If babies are generally cheerful and interactive, then there really is no immediate evidence that they are suffering from lack of sleep
We should be looking at individual children and seeing if they are getting the best sleep they can get, for their individual needs
It doesn’t make a lot of sense that babies are suddenly being diagnosed as sleeping insufficiently and that this will impact their development. Babies have been needing parental help to fall asleep and stay asleep for tens of thousands of years. They have been waking in the night for thousands of years. It doesn’t make sense for an evolutionary norm to be responsible for developmental regression and stunting
If your baby is sleeping in their favourite place, and in their favourite way, and still wakes a lot, or has a short nap, then it is likely that this is the best they are going to be able to do. So, if you want to test whether your baby can sleep longer, put them in their favourite location – the baby carrier, your arms, or the pushchair. How long do they sleep? If it’s still short, don’t stress…
What about learning and behaviour problems?
Usually next on someone’s sleep hit list is the concern that if children don’t sleep enough that they will perform poorly in school, not achieve the results they could have done, and generally not fulfil their academic potential. Some people worry that children will have behavioural problems or social conduct issues. This issue is a little murkier, but let’s dive in…
Studies that explore cognitive outcomes and school performance are looking at older children who are sleeping significantly less than recommended
Among studies that examine cognitive outcomes following sleep fragmentation in infancy, about half report poorer performance, but the other half report no association. It seems there is no evidence.
More than 80% of babies aged 6-18 months wake at least 1-3 times per night. It, therefore, makes very little sense that this is causing widespread poor attainment and school performance
There is some evidence that children (again, not babies!) with significantly lower amounts of sleep than recommended may exhibit symptoms that can be confused with ADHD, but we need to remember that this is children we are talking about. Not infants.
Infants who have not slept enough are sometimes cranky in the day for sure, but there is no evidence that this will be a long-term problem. One decent nap and they wake up bright-eyed and full of smiles again.
What about naps on the move?
This is a more complex issue I think. It may stem from the fact that as adults, we often prefer to sleep in a bed. When was the last time you slept well on a plane? In a car? On a sofa? Yep – me neither. But does it follow that this applies to babies? We have strapped babies to our backs and got on with our daily chores for thousands of years. It doesn’t sound sensible to me. Here are some thoughts though:
Are you stopping and allowing the pace of the day and the environment to facilitate sleep? Is motion or movement sleep happening as the default because you’re out and about? What would happen if you slowed down and had an easy day?
Where is your baby’s favourite sleep location? If it’s motion, then it’s unlikely that this is causing them to sleep poorly. Try putting a baby who likes to nap in arms down in their crib and they’ll probably have a short nap. Most parents instinctively know that to protect and elongate sleep, they don’t risk a new location!
Babies often settle well with motion, especially in the early months. It reminds them of in-utero life
Babies frequently find movement regulating from a sensory perspective. Sure, too much rocking and swaying might be stimulating for some infants, but many enjoy movement.
What about nap nursing?
I’ve left the trickiest subject until last! Nap nursing is as old as time, but there are many potential issues to explore with this. I don’t know where you’re at with this: whether you find this frustrating, or whether you’re simply worried from your baby’s point of view, but I’ll try to cover the most common concerns.
Babies are 100% capable of nursing throughout an entire nap
The more naps a baby has, the lighter, and shorter the sleep they will achieve
Babies can therefore have a fully restorative sleep while continuously nursing
Sometimes the feed is more efficient when babies are awake, but it does not mean that babies are not getting milk during these sleepy feeds
Feeding to sleep is biologically normal. Feeding causes a release of hormones that are actually designed to induce sleep
If there are concerns about feeding in a more general sense, or the baby is not gaining weight as expected, then obviously this is another matter entirely. I’d suggest checking in with your care provider (preferably an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, IBCLC) to discuss any feeding issues that you and your baby may be experiencing.
What if my baby really struggles with sleep, and gets significantly less than recommended?
Some babies really are having a hard time. I’m not going to patronize you and gloss over this. If this is your issue, then it’s worth exploring what the underlying problem is.
Is your baby uncomfortable? Do they have an unresolved feeding or health problem? Do they mouth breathe or snore? Do they have a tongue tie? Are they allergic?
Often, sorting out whatever is making your little one wake up frequently will have a dramatic impact on their sleep, without even touching the sleep.
But what about me?
The final issue is whether any of this is becoming unsustainable.
That’s a whole separate discussion. Hopefully, you can now relax and know that your baby is sleeping ok, but maybe you feel terrible?
If you are feeling exhausted it’s important to have a look at your own health and wellbeing. Have you first made sure you’re looking after your own emotional and mental health?
How’s your self-care?
Do you have enough support – or is it an option to get more support?
If you’re keen to try to make some changes to your little one’s sleep, remember very small, slow changes are usually best and it is okay to listen to your baby if they are telling you that this is a step too far for them right now. Just because it isn’t something they can do right now, doesn’t mean it will be that way forever. It’s okay to step back and try again at another time. Your baby’s sleep, along with their growth and development changes so much in the first years of life. I can promise you, the baby who will only ever nap in your arms, will one day sleep peacefully and confidently alone. Today may just not be that day.
If you’re having a really hard time, it might be time to check-in with a provider who aligns with your values for some extra support and ideas.
“I’ll leave you with the idea that there is no way is your baby going to suffer in any way if you are practising normal, loving, responsive parenting.”
It just doesn’t make sense.
If, however, you are finding things tough, then first see what you can make easier for yourself. Then address underlying causes. Finally, see if some small changes to your little one’s sleep give you back the much-needed balance you need.
is a paediatric nurse, health visitor, IBCLC, birth trauma recovery practitioner and holistic sleep and behaviour coach. She works privately at www.feedsleepbond.com. Lyndsey is a respected international speaker and the Co-founder and Clinical Director of the Holistic Sleep Coaching Program. Her first book for professionals – Holistic Sleep Coaching – is available on Amazon and direct from the publisher. Her second book aimed at parents is out now. Book Lyndsey to speak at your event by visiting her website, where you can also sign up for her free monthly newsletter.
