Bedtime habits

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By age 9 months, if not sooner, most infants are able to sleep for at least 8 to 10 hours without needing a nighttime feeding. Infants will still wake up during the night. However, over time, your infant will learn to self-soothe and fall back asleep on his or her own.

Sleeping with a baby younger than 12 months of age may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

YOUR TODDLER (1 TO 3 YEARS) AND SLEEP:

A toddler will most often sleep for 12 to 14 hours a day. By around 18 months, children only need one nap each day. The nap should not be close to bedtime.

Make the bedtime routine pleasant and predictable.

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• Keep activities such as taking a bath, brushing teeth, reading stories, saying prayers, and so forth in the same order every night.
• Choose activities that are calming, such as taking a bath, reading, or giving a gentle massage.
• Keep the routine to a set amount of time each night. Give your child a warning when it is almost time for lights-out and sleep.
• A stuffed animal or special blanket may give the child some security after the lights are turned out.
• Before you turn out the light, ask if the child needs anything else. Meeting a simple request is okay. Once the door has been closed, it's best to ignore further requests.

Some other tips are:

• Establish a rule that the child cannot leave the bedroom.
• If your child starts screaming, shut the door to his bedroom and say, "I'm sorry, but I have to shut your door. I will open it when you are quiet."
• If your child comes out of his room, avoid lecturing him. Using good eye contact, tell the child that you will open the door again when the child is in bed. If the child says he is in bed, open the door.
• If your child tries to climb into your bed at night, unless he is afraid, return him to his bed as soon as you discover his presence. Avoid lectures or sweet conversation. If your child simply cannot sleep, tell him he may read or look at books in his room, but he is not to disturb other people in the family.

Praise your child for learning to self-soothe and fall asleep alone.

Remember that bedtime habits can be disrupted by changes or stresses such as moving to a new home or gaining a new brother or sister. It may take time to reestablish previous bedtime practices.

Review Date: 11/12/2010
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).