Living and Loving – September 2019

IFYOURTOTWON’T

SLEEPAFTER 5AM...

he’sstrugglingto

managehislast

sleepcycle.

“Anhourtohour-and-a-halfin

theearlymorningisthelastsleep

cycleofthenight,”saysLucy,“and

it’sthehardestonetoachieve.

That’sbecauseby5amyour

babyhasenjoyedalotofsleep

inthenight,sohe’snotsotired.”

Tohelphimmanage

thislastsleepcycle:

●ENSURETHERE’SAGAP

BEFOREBEDTIME“Toavoid

overtirednessorearlywaking

inthemorning,it’simportant

togettherightgapbetween

thelastnapofthedayand

bedtime,”saysLucy.Upto

theageofthreemonths,

heshouldbeawakefor 30

minutestoonehourbefore

bed.Fromfourtosixmonths,

thatincreasestobetween

oneandtwohours;fromsixto

eightmonthstotwotothree

hours;fromeightto 11 months

tobetweentwoandfourhours;

from 12 to 18 monthsbetween

threeandfivehours;and

from 18 monthstothreeyears,

betweenfourandfivehours.

●DON’TNAPBEFORE9AM.“If

yourbabyiswakingearlyand

thenhe’shavinganearlynap

before9am,itwillshifthissleep

scheduleandallhissleepgets

earlier,whichreinforcesthat

earlywake-up,”saysLucy.If

thishashappened,shifthis

firstnapofthedaybackby

fiveminuteseverydayuntil

you’venudgeditto9am.“This

canbetricky–youmayneed

todolotsofdistractiontostop

himnoddingoff,”saysLucy.

WORDS

KATIE MASTERS/BAUER SYNDICATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK

baby & toddler

36 | SEPTEMBER 2019 | L&L

SLEEP-CYCLE HICCUPS

If your baby used to sleep well, but has

now stopped − don’t worry! “Your baby

has got his sleep cycles sussed,” says Lucy.

“What’s probably happening is that he’s

entered a teething cycle or he’s feeling

under the weather. Stick to your sleep

routines and when the tooth emerges or

he’s over his cold, his sleep will improve.

And if you’re worried that he’s getting

overtired because he’s not sleeping as well

at night, bring bedtime forward temporarily

to help him catch up on his sleep.” LL

Click on Family, then General Articles

for 15 survival strategies for moms

returning to work after maternity leave.

LIVING

AND

LOVING

.CO.ZA