About Babies' Sleep Schedules

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By Julie Boehlke
eHow Contributing Writer

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Babies' sleep schedules are essential to the health and development of a newborn and young baby to ensure adequate growth patterns, both mental and physical. Getting adequate sleep at intermittent intervals throughout the day provide the child and the parents a chance to rest and rejuvenate themselves and prepare for the rest of the day's activities.

Significance

A baby's sleep schedule puts the parents and the baby on a proper timetable for when they are awake for their feeding, activity time and interaction. Sleep schedules are an important foundation in the daily activities of every baby. Sleeping allows the child the independence to be away from his parents while he lies in his crib or playpen to go to sleep.

Types

There can be different types of babies' sleep schedules, such as schedules for certain days of the week to accommodate the arrival of babysitters and parents as well as planned activities for the baby such as doctor appointments, day care, or visiting with family and friends.

Time Frame

The time frame for babies' sleep schedules can vary for each baby but typically changes as the baby grows and develops. The most common amount of sleep time for a newborn baby is two hours at a time up to four times a day. Newborn babies rarely sleep through the night and tend to awaken every couple of hours. As the baby reaches four to six months of age, naps and sleep schedules become less conforming and tend to only be two, one-hour naps throughout the day as well as sleeping throughout the night without interruption. As the baby reaches 12 months of age, he may begin to take fewer naps throughout the day with only having one full 30-minute or 60-minute nap, typically in the afternoon.

Effects

Babies' sleep schedules allow parents and baby to feel refreshed and ready to go on about their day. Most babies, especially newborns, need up to four hours of sleep each day on top of sleeping at night in order to maintain a healthy immune system. While the baby is sleeping, healthy bones begin to form as well as the immune system fighting off colds and illness.

Considerations

One should take into consideration that babies' sleep schedules should not be interrupted on a frequent basis, if at all possible. Interruption in sleep schedules can lead to irritability and falling off schedule from designated eating times. Keeping a schedule and sticking to it are essential in the overall health of the baby.