Most of the parents worry whether their baby is getting enough sleep that he requires. This could be assured by charting his sleep/wake up times, duration of his sleep or naps etc. Apart from judging whether he is getting required sleep, this chart can also indicate baby’s sleep routine and help in picking out any problem or sleep irregularity, before they become permanent bad sleep habits.
Baby’s sleep pattern chart:
- Day / Time 12am 2 4 6 8 10 12pm
- Monday S A S S A A Nap
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
- S = sleep A = awake
This is just a sample of a chart given to get an idea of how to track your baby’s sleeping patterns. When such record is maintained for a few weeks, a definite pattern would arise, giving a clear picture of baby’s sleep routine.
There are commercial soft wares available to track baby’s sleeping patterns. Whether done by soft ware or by manual charts, tracking the sleep pattern can help in many ways and also help in establishing good sleeping habits.
Baby’s sleep cycle consists of 3 parts:
1. Putting baby to sleep (transition time)
2. Sleeping time
3. Waking up (time when baby is awake)
Charting the transition time may not seem important, but while establishing a daily sleep routine, it can prove helpful in deciding when to put baby to sleep.
If the parents make a chart and keep a track of baby’s sleeping pattern, it helps parents as well as babies in more ways than one:
- It gives indication of baby’s transition time, so parents know when it is best to put baby to sleep
- It can give indication whether sleep locations affect baby’s sleep in any way.
- If parents try to put baby for a nap and it doesn’t work, then charts can help in finding out if chosen times for starting naps were right or not.
- A chart can always help a non-family caregiver in sticking to baby’s daily schedule.
- A chart can help in deciding if baby has good sleep habits and also help in establishing good routine.
