Quality and Quantity of Sleep {Sleep Tip of the Month}

Lauren Boston is back on the blog this month sharing another sleep tip just for you.  Lauren is a certified sleep coach and DONA trained postpartum doula.  Her passion for helping tired parents began when her own newborn daughter's constant crying and terrible sleep habits finally got the best of her.

Lauren's Sleep Tip of the Month:

I think it's safe to say that almost everyone knows that sleep is important for babies and children alike, but what some parents don't know is that the quality of sleep is just as important as the quantity.

I don't think this counts as quality sleep.

This means getting:

• The right kind of sleep - unfragmented, uninterrupted, and "motionless."  Don't wake your baby to eat unless they physically need to eat (most babies on a normal growth curve don't need to be fed in the night after 6/7 months of age).  Don't rock, swing or put your baby in the car for their naps, as movement keeps the brain in a lighter sleep, which is not as restorative to the brain as a deep sleep.

• The right timing for sleep - as in consistent bedtimes, wake-up times, and nap times.

• The right amount of sleep - have a look at how much sleep your child should be getting based on their age, and your child shouldn't vary from these averages by more than 1 hour in a 24 hour period.  

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According to the experts Leila is getting more sleep than the average child needs. 

Did you read the last line of the second paragraph... 
The expert said it, not me.  ;)

Is your child getting enough quality sleep?