Sleep in early childhood

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How we sleep
There are two main kinds of sleep.

One is light sleep. This is when we dream and when we 'go over' the day's events and wake feeling refreshed. It is also the kind of sleep where we wake more easily.
With infants this is the major part of sleep, but by adolescence it is only about 20% of sleep.
The other kind is deep sleep where growing and healing take place. It is much harder to wake people from this kind of sleep.
Each night we all go through sleep patterns where we go from light sleep to deep sleep then light again.

Babies, like adults, move through these two types of sleep but the cycle for babies is shorter - about 40 minutes.
Toddlers usually take about an hour for each sleep pattern or cycle.
It is between the stages of light and deep sleep that as adults, we may pull up another blanket or roll over, and then fade back into sleep again - without necessarily remembering that we have done this.
For babies and toddlers, this may be where they cry and need help to resettle back to sleep.

Where should babies sleep?
It is common in our society is to have separate bedrooms for children away from parents. However, sleeping alone for babies and young children is not the only way, and sometimes children find it hard to sleep by themselves.

In many cultures and families, young children sleep with or near parents. What is important is that your children's sleep is safe and that wherever they sleep suits you and them.

Research has shown that the safest place for a baby to sleep is in the same room as their parents. However, the risk for a baby sleeping in another part of the house is very small. See the topic SIDS

Rituals
Most of us have some kind of winding down routine before we go to sleep. Rituals can also help babies and children to relax and settle into sleep.
They generally find comfort and security in routines, eg. a bath, a quiet story, a song, and a special goodnight kiss.
Routines can often help parents too in organising bedtimes and so reduce tension and stress.

Controlled crying
Controlled crying or controlled comforting is one way that is sometimes used to teach children not to cry at night. Some babies can become very stressed by this. It is advisable not to use any method that stresses or distresses babies and young children.

Night waking
For many parents just knowing that night waking is 'normal' in the early years helps remove some of the stress. Each family needs to deal with night waking in the way that best suits their family.

Often babies and children just need to know someone is near and they will settle back to sleep.
It is important to meet your child's need for comfort in the way that also gives you the best rest. Some parents like to have their baby sleep in a cot next to them; others prefer their baby to sleep in a separate room and put a day bed in there so they can lie down near an unsettled baby.
Sometimes night waking can be due to pain such as ear-ache, a cold or teething, so check this out if it occurs suddenly. With pain, your child may not settle even if you are there to comfort, or may settle for a short time and then re-wake.
Parents also need sleep and broken sleep can bring added stress in family life. It is so important to find ways and support from others to help 'get you through' when your sleep is reduced or broken.

Wrapping
Some babies settle better if they are wrapped in a light sheet, while others do not. It can help small babies develop a more settled sleep pattern and older unsettled babies may sleep better. See the topic Wrapping babies.