Learning a new skill takes a lot of brain power. The same brain power is fueled by getting enough sleep. I am still in the broken sleep phase. I know this all too well because my short-term memory is not what it used to be.
So let’s get right into it – sleep is important for babies, and here is why:
Sleep supports brain development
Sleep boosts cognitive and language development by strengthening memory. During REM sleep, which makes up half of a baby’s sleep, their brains are active. They process new information and form memories.
I remember one day in the baby and mum group, I went to one mum who said her baby woke up from a nap and was suddenly able to control her neck.
I also noticed that my daughter, after an overnight sleep, woke up and was able to sit up without support. Of course, before this day, she had been doing a lot of tummy time and sitting with support. After a good night’s sleep and plenty of practice, her body could do much more than before.
Sleep’s importance for healing from sickness
When babies feel unwell, they sleep a lot. Sleep during sickness is a time for the body to repair and heal. When she had her first cold, I remember the way she struggled to breathe through her nostrils. As scary as that was, she learned to breathe through her mouth. Then she proceeded to sleep for a few hours during the day. The extended period of sleep helped her to recover, and she got better after just a few days. It was amazing watching the whole experience.
Sleep’s importance for emotional regulation
Every baby needs enough sleep for emotional regulation. Sleep acts as a brain “reset” button. Good sleep reduces stress hormones and improves attention, stress resilience and mood stability.
Babies need a lot of sleep, and it’s clear when they haven’t slept enough because they get cranky. I finally learned to read my baby’s sleep cues. This was challenging because I spent ages trying to get my baby to sleep at night. I later discovered that she hadn’t slept enough during the day. This caused her to build up a sleep debt at night. I wasn’t starting her nighttime sleep routine early enough. I solved this by researching the appropriate sleep and awake times for my baby’s age and applying them.
Through this experience, I learned that babies can get stressed when overtired or overstimulated. Their still-developing nervous system becomes overwhelmed. This triggers a “fight or flight” response. It releases cortisol and adrenaline, making it harder for them to sleep.
So, just how much sleep do babies need at each age?
As a first-time mum, I have googled this question so many times. The breakdown per age over 24 hours is as follows:
| Age | Sleep time |
| Newborns (0-3 months) | 14 to 17 hours |
| Infant (4 – 12 months) | 12 to 16 hours |
| Toddler (1-2 years) | 11 to 14 hours |
Babies go through various phases of sleep
I also learned that babies go through good sleep phases and bad sleep phases. Sometimes, there is no reason other than the fact that they are growing so much and learning new skills. Sometimes they do want to wake up in the middle of the night. They want to practice their new skills. No amount of sleep training or routine can fix this, and that’s okay.
Final thoughts
There is so much I am learning about sleep and a baby’s journey. I am learning to function on broken sleep. This is improving as my baby learns to sleep for longer stretches.
Lastly, I am learning to give myself grace as I realise how much growth is happening on all levels.
Ibs Writes 