How much sleep does a baby need?
Not everyone is the same and needs the same amount of sleep. The number of hours our brain and nervous system needs to rest is highly individual. This applies to your baby, toddler and preschooler too. Of course there are averages. An unborn baby sleeps an average of 23 out of 24 hours. Shortly after birth the average baby sleeps approximately 16 hours per day. However, the duration of sleep varies between 10 and 23 hours! A 4 year old preschooler usually sleeps 12 hours straight and has an afternoon nap of about 1 to 2 hours.
Your baby's mental development is very important and significant. It affects not only your baby's mood, but also his health, his intelligence, his sleeping pattern, the three C’s (crying, clinginess, crankiness), and much more. Once you understand your baby’s mental development, you can help your baby in so many ways. If you would like to learn more about the mental development of your baby, order a copy of The Wonder Weeks, which is based on international research.
