Never wake a sleeping baby. Oh I can't tell you how many times I have heard this one before and I am sure you are reading this thinking "why in the world would I tell you differently" but you totally can.

Baby nap time is a golden time for mama. Your baby is resting because no one wants a cranky baby and you get to finally quickly clean up the place, browse Instagram or for Pete's sake, take that long-awaited shower and you dare not make a sound to break that sweet slumber. Creeping stealthily around the house becomes your newest skill and you just want one more quick second before your attention is demanded by another human being. But there are instances when you will have to wake up that peacefully sleeping baby and you can rest assured that it is okay to do so.

Every adult knows how important sleep is to just be functional. When we are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis our entire mood changes. Babies need tons of sleep. Way more than the regular 8 hours recommended for us adults. And as your baby gets older, the length of time that he or she sleeps at a time usually increases while the number of naps that they take during the day usually decreases. This is because your baby will soon stop feeding during the night and start consolidating sleep to have one long rest, like the rest of us. Till then, this is what your baby's sleep pattern may look like:

Age

Hours of Sleep Needed in 24hr Period

Naps

Newborns (0-3 months)

10.5 to 18 hours around the clock on an irregular schedule

Naps and sleep are the same around the clock with 1-3 hours of awake time between

Infants (4-11 months)

9 to 12 hours during the night

One to four naps during the day lasting between 30 minutes to 2 hours each.

Toddlers (1-2 years)

11 to 14 hours of sleep

Naps drop to one per day by 18 months and lasts between 1-3 hours.

Preschoolers (3-5 years)

11-13 hours

One nap during the day. Most preschoolers no longer nap after 5 years.

But situations may call for you to wake your baby if:

One: Your Baby Is Sleeping In An Unsafe Position

Some babies tend to move often during their sleep. You may check on your infant and realize that he has gravitated to a sleeping position that puts him in danger while asleep. Do not hesitate to wake your infant and reposition him so that he is safe while slumbering. To ensure your child's safety while sleeping follow the ABC's of Safe Sleep - Alone in the space, on the Back, in a separate Crib or bassinet.

RELATED: How To Keep Your Baby Safe While They Are Sleeping

Two: Your Baby Has To Be Moved

Adults are not the only ones who enjoy long car rides and strolls in the parks. Our babies absolutely love those and most times they will fall fast asleep during their ride or stroll. What do you do when you have gotten to your destination? Well you can't sit in the car till your baby wakes up to take her inside. Though it may break your heart, you have to gently wake her out of the transitional car seat or stroller and place her in a safe sleeping zone. Fingers crossed that she goes back to sleep.

Three: Your Baby Needs To Be Fed

Your newborn will most likely feed every 2 to 3 hours, but he can actually take naps that go past the scheduled time for his next feed. Typically if your baby is just a few weeks old you should not let him go for longer than 4 hours between feeds. It is important for your baby to be fed on schedule because it ensures that he remains well-nourished and continues to gain weight. The plus side is keeping up with this schedule will also help you maintain that golden milk supply since your body will produce milk in response to your baby's feeding needs.

Four: Your Baby Has Not Distinguished Between Day And Night

Newborns are usually born clueless about day and night. Really, all they seem to know is just awake and asleep times and that continues around the clock. As your baby gets older, training her to take shorter naps during the day and longer ones at night (along with speaking in softer tones during the night, keeping the bedroom lights dim or off throughout the night, and keeping the level of activity at night to a minimum) will help her understand the difference between the two. This sets the foundation for your baby to start sleeping through the night between 4 and 11 months because she will be sleeping for less time during the day. And well, you no longer have to go crazy from exhaustion.

Five: Your Baby Is Well Rested At Bedtime

It goes without saying that if anyone sleeps for a long time during the day, he won't be tired in the night. The same goes for a baby. If you are trying to get your baby to consolidate sleep at night then you may have to nudge the little darling awake if his daytime nap is getting a wee bit too long or is getting too close to his preferred bedtime. Babies usually stay up for 2 to 3 hours before needing the next nap and as they get older they may be able to stretch it out a little longer. Either way, you do not want an exhausted baby on your hands, likewise, you definitely do not want a well-rested baby just waking up at 9 pm. Waking your baby up with enough time to take a second nap or to be ready in time for bed can be a super game-changer for a good night's rest.

Six: Your Baby's Night Time Sleep Is Off

There may be other contributing factors, but if your baby wakes in the middle of the night it may most likely be caused by problems in her sleep schedule. Most times the child is getting enough sleep - but you guessed it - during the day. The baby will sleep in late into the morning and take long naps during the day, but at night she will be the most energetic little one awake at the time. This will require you to wake your baby in the morning so that you can, again going back to managing naps, set good time intervals between her sleep and ensure that by bedtime she is ready to hit the sack for the night.

Waking your baby is just sometimes inevitable and you can save yourself and your baby a lot of stress associated with sleeping and napping if you just establish and maintain good sleep and nap practices with a few nudges to get him on the right track. If you must wake your baby though, you definitely don't want to intentionally startle him awake. The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends gentle ways to wake your baby like talking or singing to your baby, gently stimulating or dressing him down, changing his diaper or giving him a warm bath to wake him.

If you're worried that you will have to be waking your baby and disturbing his sleep for a long time, this should not be so. Sticking to routines, schedules and good sleep and nap practices, your child will eventually (and some do very quickly) fall into a pattern of safe and sound sleep. Just remember that it may mean that you will have to wake him at times when naps may interfere with the grand scheme of sleep. Many babies don't even need the help and can self-correct their sleep problems just given a few days or twitches to their routine. However, if your baby's sleep problem continues for more than 1 to 2 weeks, it may be worth mentioning it to your pediatrician, a certified baby sleep trainer or a feeding specialist.

Sources: Sleep Foundation, Pathways, The Bump, Psychology Today, Baby Sleep Site, Sleep Baby Love

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