5 sömnmissar att undvika

Babycenter radar upp 6 klassiska sömnmissar som många föräldrar gör. Intressant läsning nedan: Mistake 1: Putting children to bed too late. School-age children get, on average, more than an hour less of sleep a night than children did a century ago. The result of later bedtimes is more bedtime battles, nap difficulties, and night waking. Maybe you don't have your infant or toddler on a regular sleep schedule or you don't have much time with her after work, so you keep her up a little later to play. Good habit: Set regular bedtimes (and, if appropriate, nap times) and stick to them. And don't wait until your kid is rubbing his eyes, yawning, or whining — that's probably too late. Put him to bed earlier. Even 15 to 20 minutes of extra sleep can make a difference. While every child is different, the National Sleep Foundation says that babies and toddlers typically need 12 hours of sleep during the night, preschoolers need up to 13 hours once they drop daytime naps, and older kids should get 10 to 11 hours. Mistake 2: Relying on motion. What parents haven't breathed a sigh of relief watching their baby snooze in an infant swing or doze in the backseat of the car? Often these wonderful moments occur when you least expect it — and most need a break. But some moms and dads fall into the trap of using motion to get their young kids to nap or fall asleep at night. "If the child is always sleeping in motion — in strollers or cars — he probably doesn't get the deep, more restorative sleep due to the stimulation of motion," Good habit: Use motion for calming, not naps. It's okay to use motion to soothe a cranky child. But once your child has fallen asleep, cut off the swing or park the stroller. Mistake 3: Overstimulation in dreamland. "I did what I thought all new moms are supposed to do — put a mobile on the crib," says a mother of a toddler in Atlanta. But she soon learned that the mobile — with its rotating toys, sound, and lights — was too much of a distraction for her little one. "She wasn't falling asleep with the mobile. There were so many bright colors, it was keeping her awake instead of teaching her it was nighttime." Good habit: Keep it dark, and cut the action at nap time and nighttime. For babies to sleep well, on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the darkest, the room should be an 8 or 9," says Spivack. Use a fan or white noise machine to muffle any sounds from the street or the next room.Older kids can have a soft night-light to soothe any fears, but no bedtime entertainment. Think long and hard before allowing a TV or computer in your child's bedroom. Mistake 4: Skipping the bedtime routine. With baby, you might assume that a routine consisting of a bath, a book, and a lullaby isn't yet necessary. But "having a series of calming, pleasing activities leading up to lights-out is very important," says Judith Owens, director of the pediatric sleep disorders clinic at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. It prepares your child for sleep, she explains.nnParents of big kids who used to have a bedtime routine may drop it because they mistakenly believe their child is too old or because they are too tired themselves to do it. But even adults benefit from having some kind of routine to wind down each night. "We can't expect our kids to go from a busy day to lights off," says Mindell. Plus, she adds, research has indicated that "school-age children who do not have a routine clearly do not get the sleep they need." Good habit: A comforting bedtime ritual. Regarding of your child's age, the key is to have a predictable series of steps that help him wind down from the day. Mistake 5: Going from a crib to a big bed too early. Your child turns 2 — what a big guy! — and you want to celebrate by buying that cute toddler bed you saw on sale. But as soon as you make the switch, he starts getting up after lights out or waking up in the wee hours. Why? Before the age of 3 or so, many kids are just not ready to leave the crib behind. "They don't have the cognitive development and self-control to stay within the imaginary boundaries of a bed," says Mindell. Good habit: Wait till your child is ready for a big bed. When a child is close to 3 years of age, it might be time to move him to a bigger bed. Might is the operative word: If your preschooler has difficulty staying in bed at that age, you can always give it more time. Sova på soffan? Inte enligt rekommendationerna. /Babyblogg