Your newborn will sleep 16-18 hours in total per day. As they age, this decreases to approximately 14 hours of sleep per day.

Your child needs sleep to grow. Sleep renews your child physically. It is during sleep that everything a child learns during the day is processed. Finally, it gives your child the opportunity to be alone and separate from you.

Put your baby to sleep on their back. This decreases their risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the leading cause of death in healthy infants between the age of one month and one year of age. SIDS occurs when a healthy baby dies suddenly during sleep.

Continue to place your baby on their back to sleep, even if they can roll over by themselves. When a baby can roll off their back by themself, it is safe for them to sleep in a different position.

The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib, cradle, or bassinet. Health Canada recommends that parents share a room with their baby for the first six months. This can help you respond to your baby when they need you.

Bed sharing is not recommended. Bed sharing is when an adult sleeps with the baby on the same surface, like a bed or couch. Bed sharing increases the risk of your baby dying from SIDS or suffocation.

Babies should not be put to sleep on water beds, air mattresses, couches, futons, or armchairs. Sleeping on these surfaces can increase the risk of suffocation.

Your baby’s crib should be empty except for their mattress and a fitted sheet. Loose bedding and other objects in the crib can cause suffocation. Avoid having comforters, heavy blankets, quilts, pillows, foam padding, stuffed toys, bumper pads, and sleep positioners in the crib.

If your baby falls asleep in their stroller, baby carrier, or car seat, move them to a safe place to sleep once you have reached your destination.

Make sure there are no hazards around the crib, bassinet, or cradle. Hazards can include blind cords, electrical cords, electrical plugs, baby monitors, lamps, and windows. For more information about safety, please click here.

The temperature of the room your baby is sleeping in should be warm enough for short sleeves. They do not need to be covered with a heavy blanket. Sleep sacks are a good option.

Night time waking can be a major concern for parents. Perhaps you have gone back to work, or you are exhausted from the constant care of your baby. It is important to get enough sleep yourself.

Try to sleep when the baby sleeps. Ask family and friends to help with the housework so you can sleep.

Perhaps your partner can take over care at night so you only have to wake up for feeding. Family or friends can help with night time feedings if you express your breast milk in advance.

When your child does wake in the night for feeding, keep the room calm and dim. Try not to do anything that will stimulate or waken the baby fully, like watching TV or listening to loud music. White noise is relaxing noise that helps to block out background noises. Sometimes white noise can help people sleep.

Once your child is six months old, it is time to begin helping them form healthy sleep habits. Your baby will be awake for longer periods during the day and asleep for longer periods at night.

As much as possible, put your baby in their crib to sleep. Put your baby in their crib when they are drowsy but not yet asleep. This helps them learn to associate the crib with sleep.

Your child will have a hard time sleeping if they are overtired. Letting your child nap during the day will help avoid this.

From six months to one year old, your baby may get restless or wake up at night. By this age, they probably do not need to be fed at night. Try to keep your baby in the crib if they wake up at night. Rub their back. Talk to them. Sing soothing songs. Remaining in their crib helps your baby develop the ability to soothe themselves back to sleep.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden, unexpected, and unexplained death of a baby under one year of age. SIDS is the leading cause of death in healthy infants between one month and one year of age in Canada. SIDS can happen in any home. Below is a list of some things you can do to help to prevent SIDS.

• Always put your baby to sleep on their back.
• Do not use bumper pads, quilts, toys, and pillows in the bassinet, crib, or cradle.
• Do not use clothes that will cover your baby’s head.
• Make sure your baby’s sleep surface is firm and flat.
• Keep the room temperature and your baby’s clothes comfortable and not too hot or cold.
• Make sure no one smokes tobacco around your baby.
• Do not use car seats, strollers, swings, and infant carriers for sleep. If your baby falls asleep in one of these, take your baby out as soon as you can.
• If you have twins or multiples, each should have their own separate sleep surface.

Toddlers should be getting between 10 and 13 hours of sleep a day. This includes night time sleeping and napping.

Your child needs sleep to grow. Sleep renews your child mentally and physically. It is during sleep that everything a child learns during the day is processed. Finally, it gives your child the opportunity to be alone and separate from you.

A regular bedtime and a bedtime routine help children to relax and quiet down. Set a regular bedtime. Choose a time when your child gets naturally sleepy. Help your child begin to wind down a half hour before bedtime. Set up a quiet ritual that may include a bath, brushing teeth, reading a book, cuddling, or singing a song.

Bedtime routines make children feel secure. Routines help your child feel that they can trust and know what to expect from their environment. Routines help them feel calm enough to fall asleep.

Your child may try everything to keep you with them at bedtime. At this time, they are beginning to work on separating from you. Be gentle, but firm.

Rocking your child to sleep can be a wonderful experience for both you and your child. Even older children like to be rocked when they are ill or upset. As your child gets older, they will find ways to settle themselves. They may find a favourite lullaby or a soft blanket soothing.

Your child cannot sleep well if they feel tense, unhappy, or neglected. Your child needs your attention. By spending a few minutes helping them get settled, you will have more time for your needs later and your child will have a restful sleep.

Your child will have a hard time sleeping if they are overtired. Naps can help improve your child’s mood, level of alertness, and ability to learn. However, do not let your child nap too close to bedtime or too late in the afternoon as this may interfere with sleeping at night.

As your child gets closer to the age of three, they may begin to resist their afternoon nap. This is a very difficult time of change for both parents and children. Your child seems to need the sleep, yet they do not want to sleep. This can result in a cranky situation by night time.

If your child does not want to sleep at nap time, try quiet time instead. This strategy will be better than trying to force your child to nap. Quiet time will help your child rest and have energy for the rest of the day.

Night time waking is a problem most parents have to deal with. There is no easy solution. If your child wakes at night, you can often settle them by reassuring them that you are near. You can do this without turning on the light or picking them up.

A nightmare is usually a dream that involves some real or imagined threat. Fears are common at this stage of your child’s life, and these fears can cause nightmares. Sometimes, nightmares are triggered by something that has happened to your child during the day. They can also be triggered by changes in the child’s life.

If your child wakes from a nightmare, you may find them half asleep or sitting up sobbing. Children often remember either the content of the nightmare or the feelings that went with it when they wake up. Usually, you can console a toddler by repeating words of comfort such as “I am here. You just had a dream. You are safe.” Your child needs constant reassurances of your continued love and their safety. Don’t ignore your child’s fears.

During a night terror, your child will be intensely afraid, flail, and scream. Each night terror lasts only a few seconds or minutes. A child can have several per night. Children often do not remember the night terrors.

Symptoms of night terrors are listed below.

• Sitting up in bed
• Screaming or shouting
• Kicking or thrashing
• Sweating
• Breathing heavily
• Racing pulse
• Difficulty waking up
• Unable to be consoled
• Staring wide-eyed
• Confusion when waking up
• Engaging in aggressive behaviours
• Sleepwalking
• Getting out of bed

Night terrors do not usually have any lasting effects on the child. However, if your child has disrupted sleep for a long period of time, develops a fear of falling asleep, or is being injured while having a night terror, take your child to see a healthcare provider.

Preschoolers need 10-12 hours of sleep a day.

Your child needs sleep to grow. Sleep renews your child mentally and physically. It is during sleep that everything a child learns during the day is processed. Finally, it gives your child the opportunity to be alone and separate from you.

Try to keep a child’s bedroom as a comfortable, cozy, and safe spot. Do not place a television, computer, or video games in their bedroom.

Avoid giving your child food or drinks, except water, after they have brushed their teeth for bed.

Bedtime routines, including a time to go to bed, are still very important. These provide opportunities for quietness and soothing while preparing for bed. Routines will also help your child feel safe and secure. Tucking your child in can increase your child’s feelings of security.

Set limits on your child’s requests for delayed bedtimes. There may be special times when it is alright to delay bedtime (e.g., if you are visiting Grandpa and Grandma). However, limiting the times that you delay bedtime will reinforce the routine and prevent ongoing power struggles.

Even if your child does not nap regularly, there may be times that a nap is needed. For example, if your child is sick or has had a very busy day, they may need a nap.

Night time waking is a problem most parents have to deal with. There is no easy solution. If your child wakes at night, you can often settle them by reassuring them that you are near. You can do this without turning on the light or picking them up.

A nightmare is usually a dream that involves some real or imagined threat. Fears are common at this stage of your child’s life, and these fears can cause nightmares. Sometimes, nightmares are triggered by something that has happened to your child during the day. They can also be triggered by changes in the child’s life.

If your child wakes from a nightmare, you may find them half asleep or sitting up sobbing. Children often remember either the content of the nightmare or the feelings that went with it when they wake up. Usually, you can console a toddler by repeating words of comfort such as “I am here. You just had a dream. You are safe.” Your child needs constant reassurances of your continued love and their safety. Don’t ignore your child’s fears.

During a night terror, your child will be intensely afraid, flail, and scream. Each night terror lasts only a few seconds or minutes. A child can have several per night. Children often do not remember the night terrors.

Symptoms of night terrors are listed below.

• Sitting up in bed
• Screaming or shouting
• Kicking or thrashing
• Sweating
• Breathing heavily
• Racing pulse
• Difficulty waking up
• Unable to be consoled
• Staring wide-eyed
• Confusion when waking up
• Engaging in aggressive behaviours
• Sleepwalking
• Getting out of bed

Night terrors do not usually have any lasting effects on the child. However, if your child has disrupted sleep for a long period of time, develops a fear of falling asleep, or is being injured while having a night terror, take your child to see a healthcare provider.

• Canadian Paediatric Society, Caring for Kids: Healthy Sleep for Your Baby and Child
• Government of Canada: Is your Child Safe? Sleep Time
• Safe Sleep on the Go
• Setting up a Safe Nursery
• Dressing your Baby for Sleep
• Creating a Safe Sleep Environment