Why a good night’s sleep is important for your child

Your baby needs equal parts of food, sleep, and love. As a parent, you can care for your baby’s body, soul, brain, and development by teaching them to be a good sleeper. But we know it’s not an easy task…

A good night’s sleep is a win-win for the whole family

It’s no secret that good sleep is important. Poor sleep or a lack of sleep can affect mood, well-being, energy, and happiness. The body needs sleep to function properly and to thrive, grow and develop the way it’s supposed to. So, it’s a good idea to pay attention to your baby’s sleep. You will find that your baby is happier and more up for interacting when it gets a good night’s sleep.

As an added bonus, when your baby sleeps well, you will sleep well too, which is an important factor because even parents have to some sleep, in order to function. When you as a parent have had a good night’s sleep, you are also healthier, more fun, and more inspiring to be around for your child. Establishing good sleeping habits for your baby is therefore a win-win for the whole family.

Sleep is not an easy task for your baby

There can be a lot of different reasons for why your baby might have difficulty sleeping. Babies have many bodily experiences while sleeping because their internal organs and gastrointestinal tract need to adjust to life outside the womb. Babies also need to lie on their backs and sleep to avoid cot death. Lying on their backs can make it harder for babies to exhale, which can interfere with sleep.

A baby’s brain also works at high pressure during sleep to digest and store all the sensory impressions received during the day, and in addition, baby’s sleep is naturally interrupted by their food intake, which is necessary for them to get the calories they need to grow and develop. This means that sleep is not the easiest task for a baby.

Also read: Benefits of sleeping with FRIGG Night pacifiers.

How to swaddle your baby for better sleep

If you haven’t tried swaddling your baby, then we would recommend that you try it out, as the swaddling technique can help your baby sleep better.

The purpose of swaddling is to make your baby feel safe, secure, and protected. It should feel exactly like when a baby is inside a mother’s safe, secure, and protective womb. Swaddling gives babies a feeling of being held because it applies light pressure to the entire body.

When your baby is swaddled, the body becomes calmer, and that makes it easier for your baby to fall asleep. The swaddling technique also prevents your baby from being woken up by their body, such as by the moro reflex, which is activated during sleep, or when a newborn baby is woken up by the sucking reflex when their hands touch their cheeks. Babies who have a lot of physical energy may have a particularly hard time falling asleep and swaddling these babies may be a very good idea.

5 benefits of sleep:

• Sleep ensures better growth

• Sleep brings joy and increases well-being

• Sleep keeps the body healthy and strengthens the immune system

• Sleep cleanses the body of stress hormones

• Sleep strengthens the ability to learn and concentrate

How much should a child sleep?

• Newborns: 16-18 hours per day

• 3 months old: 15 hours per day

• 6 months old: 14 hours per day

• 1 year old: 13.5 hours per day

• 2 years old: 13 hours per day

• 3 years old: 12 hours per day