Naptime and Sleep Habits

If you have ever cared for a child who has missed a nap, you know the importance of making sure children get enough sleep. Irritability and restlessness are not the only consequences of inadequate sleep-studies by the National Sleep Foundation have shown that sleep is essential for good health, mental and emotional well-being, and physical safety. Whether you provide daytime or nighttime childcare, you may have to help your small charges drift into dreamland, so information on sleep and its importance is vital.

How Much Sleep Do Children Need?

Generally, newborns less than three months require the most sleep-about 16-20 hours each day. Newborn babies cannot hold much food in their stomachs, so their longest sleep periods are about five hours-then they wake up hungry! Once babies turn about three months old, their daytime naps will probably total about five hours. Babies who are 6-12 months old may only nap a total of three hours during the day, but will probably need 11-12 hours of sleep during the night.

As children grow into toddlers, their sleep needs can vary greatly. They will need between 9-13 hours of sleep a day. Some toddlers will take a 2-3 hour nap during midday, but other toddlers may take shorter naps or just abandon napping.

Preschoolers generally need about 10-12 hours of sleep a night, and daytime naps are not necessary if the child is getting adequate rest at night. If they do take a nap, about 45 minutes is usually sufficient.

Naptimes

Establishing regular routines and a comfortable sleeping space will help make naptimes a snap. Being too warm or too cold can interrupt sleep, so keep the room temperature at about 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Rocking, swaying, and patting movements simulate the uterine environment and can help lull babies to sleep.

Routines become even more important to toddlers and preschoolers. Place toddlers and preschoolers down to nap at the same time each day in the same spot with the same stuffed animal or blanket. Talk to their parents about their at-home napping habits so you can create familiar environments for the children.

If children seem to nap for long periods during the day and parents complain that they will not sleep during the night, try shortening naps. Do not abruptly burst into the room to wake them, however. Try opening blinds or playing soft music to cue children to awaken.

Avoid exciting or tiring activities before naptimes. Even if toddlers or preschoolers will not nap during the day or take only short naps, schedule a quiet time of playing with puzzles or reading books so that they can rest and relax.

Night Time Care

Adhering to normal bedtime routines may provide a soothing consistency and helps get children in nighttime care to sleep. Talk to the parents of all the children in your care no matter what their ages about whether they have regular bedtime routines such as baths, books, special songs, or certain pajamas or dressing routines. Some children complain of hunger right at bedtime because it is the first time they slow down enough to notice they are hungry! A few crackers and milk or juice before they brush their teeth may make bedtime easier.

If you are caring for a newborn or infant, look for signs of sleepiness such as eye rubbing or fussiness. Try to settle the child into bed shortly after those warning signs because waiting until the baby is overtired can make getting to sleep more difficult. Just as at naptime, rocking or swaying can soothe a baby into sleep. However, many experts recommend placing babies in their cribs while awake so they can learn to go to sleep on their own. If infants or newborns wake up crying, give them a few minutes to return to sleep--often babies are able to soothe themselves to sleep without help within five minutes. However, do not let a child cry continually. You may want to wait five minutes the first time they cry before going to them. The next time, wait about ten minutes. If a child is crying longer than 10-15 minutes, something may be wrong and you should comfort them.

If parents are having difficulties getting their children to sleep, or if you have a nighttime childcare program, remember that making their own bedtime choices can help toddlers and infants feel in control. Allow them to choose which story to read, whether they want milk or water before bed, and whether they want to listen to music or sing songs with you. Toddlers and preschoolers may be reluctant to go to sleep if they want to keep playing or if they desire attention. Try warning children 10-20 minutes before bedtime that it will be time to go to sleep soon. If children get up soon after they go to bed, immediately return them to bed and emphasize that it is time to go to sleep. By remaining calm and consistent, the message that it is bedtime will eventually become clear.

With children of all ages, be aware that watching television right before bedtime may lead to sleep disturbances or nightmares. Nightmares are common for toddlers and preschoolers--even violent cartoons can be scary for children--so children should unwind with a soothing routine before bed. When children are awakened by nightmares, parents or caregivers should soothe and comfort them and stay with them until they are calm enough to return to sleep.

In about three percent of children, spontaneous night terrors may interrupt a sound sleep. Unlike nightmares, children cannot remember night terrors, although they may recall having a sense of fear. Children with night terrors often wake up screaming and may refuse to be comforted. Although night terrors are frightening to adults, they are not necessarily harmful to children. The greatest risk is they may hurt themselves trying to escape the imagined threat. A child may jump out of bed and run around the room during a night terror, so be sure the child sleeps in a room that does not have breakable objects, or in a bed with safety rails. Also, gently wrapping your arms around a child experiencing a night terror will prevent him from falling out of bed or running into walls or doors that may lead to physical injury.

By Amy Sutton
Writer and editor for KidsHealth.org

There is only one safe way to position babies to sleep: on their backs! It has been estimated that infant deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) were reduced 40 percent after the American Academy of Pediatrics instituted their "Back to Sleep" Campaign. Also, avoid placing blankets, quilts, pillows, or stuffed animals in the cribs with newborns and infants. Some studies show that these items may increase the risk of rebreathing (when the baby inhales trapped carbon dioxide that has just been exhaled), which may be associated with an increase in the risk of SIDS.

Crib safety is another concern for childcare providers. Choose cribs with slats that are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart to prevent babies from falling out or getting their heads stuck between the slats. If the crib has corner posts, they should be level with the top of the headboard and footboard. Otherwise, something caught on the crib posts could pose a strangulation hazard to the baby.

Take care when selecting crib mattresses. Make sure they are firm because soft mattresses may put children at increased risk for SIDS. In addition, make sure the mattress fits the crib and there is no space in between the slats of the crib and the mattress that the baby could slip into. Crib sheets should fit snugly and not come loose.

National Sleep Foundation, 1522 K St. NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005; 202-347-3471l; www.sleepfoundation.org

American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 6301 Bandel Rd., Suite 101, Rochester, MN 55901; 507-287-6006, www.aasmnet.org

Healthy Childcare, Vol. 1, Issue 6, includes an article on Back to Sleep. Find it on our website, www.healthychild.net

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