Sleep Issues for Babies and Children

Listed by age, here are the top reasons your babies will interrupt your night sleep.

1. The "fourth trimester" or the first 3 months of baby's life, feedings are every 2-3 hours, poo diapers at all hours of the night, and infants have day-night confusion until 6 weeks when sleep hormones kick in.

2. By the end of the third month, they have a reasonable schedule (wake up 2-3 times to feed at night) but then at 4-7 months, the teeth come in! Another round of sleepless nights.

3. So excited to crawl (6 months) and walk (12 months), they even want to practice during their sleep.

4. At 2-3 yrs, they are potty training, including the nights.

5. At 4-7 yrs, they have bad dreams.

6. By the time they are 8, you may get a full night's sleep for more than a few days.

These do not include issues when they are sick, ear infections, nosebleeds, tummy aches, effects of immunizations. Make sure you have tylenol and advil (for ear infections) in your medicine cabinet.

I am not at the teenage years yet, but I am sure issues will arise then with late nights...

Parenting is a job 24/7...for life. :)