How important is napping for your baby?  We all know that babies sleep a lot.  What we may not know is that not all sleep is created equal.  Some parents may feel they would rather have most of their baby’s sleep take place at night, but depending on the age, this can be very detrimental for the baby.  Babies grow and develop when they nap.  Their morning nap is mentally restorative and their afternoon nap is physically restorative. Babies and children who nap are found to have great attention spans.

Some parents may also think that if they limit the amount of time their baby sleeps during the day, their baby will then sleep longer and better at night.  In most cases this will backfire.  Because we know that “sleep begets sleep”, we also know that the opposite is true.  That being, the less your baby sleeps, the less your baby will be able to sleep.  Your baby will become over tired and may experience trouble falling asleep at night, multiple wakings throughout the night, and then to top it off, waking early in the morning.

So do yourself and your baby a favor.  Let your little one get the rest he or she needs throughout the day, and you’ll all be happier and healthier!

 

Does your child get the proper amount of sleep everyday?  Are they happy and attentive?