How much sleep does your child need?

As a new parent, that's probably one of your biggest questions. Below are some general guidelines as to how many hours of sleep the average child requires at various ages. Of course, every child is different — some need up to two hours more or less sleep than others.

Age	Nighttime Sleep	Daytime Sleep *	Total Sleep
1 month	8 1/2	7 (3)	15 1/2
3 months	10	5 (3)	15
6 months	11	3 1/4 (2)	14 1/4
9 months	11	3 (2)	14
12 months	11 1/4	2 1/2 (2)	13 3/4
18 months	11 1/4	2 1/4 (1)	13 1/2
2 years	11	2 (1)	13
3 years	10 1/2	1 1/2 (1)	12
* number of naps in parentheses

Keep in mind that most children need lots of sleep. Often, says BabyCenter sleep expert Jodi Mindell, author of Sleeping Through the Night, if a child has poor sleep habits or refuses to go to bed before 11 at night, his parents will think that he just doesn't need a lot of sleep. That's probably not true — in fact, it's likely that such a child is actually sleep-deprived. To see whether your child falls into that camp, ask yourself these questions:

• Does your child fall asleep almost every time he's in a car?

• Do you have to wake your child almost every morning?

• Does your child seem cranky, irritable, or overtired during the day?

• On some nights, does your child seem to crash much earlier than his usual bedtime?

If you answered "yes" to any of these, your child may be getting less sleep than he needs. To change this pattern, you'll need to help him develop good sleep habits and set an appropriate bedtime. "Then he'll get all the sleep he needs to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed," Mindell says.

As he gets older, your child will probably stop napping and start doing all of his sleeping at night. Preschoolers and young elementary school students still need up to 10 or 11 hours of sleep a night, but that amount will gradually decrease. By the time he's a teenager, your child will need only about nine or 10 hours of shut-eye per night. To find out more about children's sleep patterns.


*** I found this info useful! People have made me wonder if Jocelyn was sleeping enough or too much, so I guess this is still the great answer! Here are some other tips Jocelyn and I have been using.[From Baby Wise and Happiest Baby on the Block] ***

Jocelyn’s Feeding Schedule	WHAT TO DO
early morning
A.M.	Feeding and diaper change. Waketime: Rock your baby and sing; or place your baby in a swing with music. Put your baby down for a nap.
midmorning
A.M.	Feeding and diaper change. Waketime: Bathe your baby and have tummy time for 10 mins. Put your baby down for a nap.
Afternoon
P.M.	Feeding and diaper change. Waketime: Take a walk with your baby, run errands or visit friends. Put your baby down for a nap.
mid afternoon
P.M.	Feeding and diaper change. Waketime: Play with your baby; have her by your side as you read. Put your baby down for a nap.
late afternoon
P.M.	Feeding and diaper change. Waketime: Family time. Put your baby down for a nap.
early evening
P.M.	Feeding and diaper change. Waketime: (possible) Put your baby back to bed.
late evening
P.M.	Feeding and diaper change, then put your baby back to bed.
middle of the night
A.M.	Feeding and diaper change, then put baby back to bed.

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The 5 S’s + the cuddle cure = Sweet Dreams

Swaddling-A feeling of pure “wrap”ture

Side (or Stomach)-Your baby’s feeling good position

Shhhh-Your baby’s favorite soothing sound

Swinging-Moving in rhythm with your baby’s needs

Sucking- pacifier: The icing on the cake