Sleep needs ages 0-6+

Children's sleep needs change constantly! Just as you think you are on to a winner and have a predictable schedule to your day, they will want to drop a nap. As frustrating as this is, it is all part of the parenting package ad can be easily navigated if you know what to expect!

All children's sleep needs are slightly different with some children having higher sleep needs than other (especially if they are alert in temperament) but below is a good guide to know what to expect of your child's sleep from birth to 6+ years.

You can download a copy of this on my main website and I highly recommend doing so and printing it out for future reference.

If your child is going through a tough period with their sleep or they are fighting naps/ bedtime then use it to check each area and try to identify any gaps.

By knowing roughly what your child's sleep should look like you can quickly identify any issues and what needs tweaking or more support.

More often than not, children who are not meeting the needs outlines in the chart, they become overtired, which leads to higher levels of cortisol (which can chemically wake them up further!). So it is really important that you know how much sleep in a 24 hour period you should be aiming for.