Sleep is a basic human need and something we need to prioritize and normalize working on from birth. We must work to ensure that your baby isn’t staying awake too long or sleeping too much during the day, at any given age, so that 12-hours of nighttime sleep is consistently possible, even before they are physically able to go all night without food.

Human beings can only sleep “x” amount of hours in a 24-hour period. This applies to baby humans too. If your baby sleeps too much during the day, this can cause them to fight other daytime sleep, fight bedtime, and/or wake at night and want to stay awake.

Age-Appropriate daytime sleep
=
Consistent nighttime sleep

It’s also important to ensure you aren’t keeping baby awake too long at any given time, as this can negatively impact their daytime and nighttime sleep. Keeping your baby awake too long causes over tiredness, which can cause your baby to fight sleep, take short naps, wake early, and prevent the consistent nighttime sleep you need. Not keeping your baby awake long enough can cause “too much daytime sleep” so it’s important to work with age-appropriate Optimal Wake Times for daytime wake periods, so we can adequately manage daytime sleep.

I always say, “either you wake your baby during the daytime, or they will wake you at night!”

To learn more about how to establish consistent nighttime sleep, check out The Full Feedings Method® Infant & Toddler Online Programs for NO cry it out sleep!!!