This file was produced by Laure Deflandre, psychologist

 

Between 0 and 3 months

A newborn baby sleeps an average of 17 to 20 hours a day in very short cycles of 50 minutes. Sometimes 2 to 3 cycles follow one another and the baby sleeps like this for 3-4 hours. The frequency of his awakenings will depend mainly on his primary food needs. The baby does not yet have a circadian rhythm, that is to say that he has not yet integrated a biological rhythm lasting 24 hours and that he does not yet distinguish between day and night.

The infant’s sleep is made up of 2 phases which constitute a cycle:

• A phase of restless sleep: the baby moves his limbs, he is noisy, toned, his breathing is irregular and he makes little noises. His face is animated by small movements, and he can even sometimes open his eyes.
• A calm phase of sleep: the baby does not move, his face is relaxed, his muscles are relaxed and his breathing is calm. Only a few sucking movements can punctuate this serenity.

It is during these first weeks that the internal clock and the structure of sleep are gradually put in place according to the neurological maturation and the quality of the environment. Every baby has their own sleep needs. From the first few weeks, babies can be “ heavy sleepers ” or some ” little sleepers ».

Up to 3 months, the baby learns to distinguish day from night: the circadian rhythm will gradually settle. The baby will have a longer awakening time in the late evening, associated with restlessness and irrepressible crying. Those ” discharge periods’ (18 pm to 22 pm), through the tears of the experience of the day, would participate in the evolution of the baby’s sleep ”.¹

Between 3 and 6 months

Between 3 and 4 months, calm sleep is structured in 2 phases of slow wave sleep:

• Slow / light sleep: the baby relaxes but still hears outside noises.
• Slow / deep sleep: the baby can no longer hear anything, he is in a deep sleep.

The baby’s internal biological clock, which regulates the periods of his wakefulness and sleep, is now adjusted. The need for sleep gradually decreases (between 14 and 15 hours a day) and most babies start to ” make their night “, that is to say, they sleep 5 to 6 hours in a row without asking for the breast or the bottle. However, about 15% of children remain who do not sleep at night after 6 months. In this case, do not hesitate to talk to the pediatrician., your go-to contact for your baby’s health.

Between 6 and 12 months

After 6 months, babies sleep an average of 8 to 12 hours per night. From 7 to 11 months, the child experiences separation anxiety, a normal stage in his development, but which causes him difficulty falling asleep. During these few months, before gradually learning to go back to sleep on his own, he will need to be reassured by the voice or by the hugs of his parents.

Between 12 and 18 months

Between 12 and 18 months, babies take 1 or 2 naps during the day. These naps are generally stopped after the age of 2 years. The rhythms and structure of the baby’s sleep are now close to adult sleep.

Your Baby’s Sleep, T. Brazelton