Toddler sleep realities - Apprendre à dormir comme à marcher !

Picture of Mohammad Almashni from Unsplash

Why your baby isn’t sleeping through the night yet … and how to teach them

Popular science communication: Evelyne Touchette, Ph.D and Catherine Lord, Ph.D.

Published: July 13, 2021, 15:59 CEST

Published on : 21 December 2022

In this article, Evelyne presents the following sleep realities and discusses methods for acquiring sleep.

Three sleep realities

1- Sleep is a pillar of health, just like healthy eating and exercise.

2- Sleep development is unique to each child, just like walking.

3- Falling asleep on their own becomes possible with the support of parents, one step at a time. Learning to fall asleep on their own at the beginning of the night is an important key for children to be able to move from one train to another independently, without reporting their night awakenings to their parents.

Inspiration and scientific sources:

Dubois-Comtois, K., Pennestri, M. H., Bernier, A., Cyr, C., & Godbout, R. (2019). Family environment and preschoolers’ sleep: the complementary role of both parents. Sleep medicine, 58, 114–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2019.03.002
Field T. (2017). Infant sleep problems and interventions: A review. Infant behavior & development, 47, 40–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.02.002
- - Literature review on the different methods.
INSPQ -Guide mieux vivre avec son enfant. Dormir en sécurité: https://www.inspq.qc.ca/mieux-vivre/bebe/sommeil/dormir-en-securite
Medic, G., Wille, M., & Hemels, M. E. (2017). Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption. Nature and science of sleep, 9, 151–161. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S134864
Paavonen, E. J., Saarenpää-Heikkilä, O., Morales-Munoz, I., Virta, M., Häkälä, N., Pölkki, P., Kylliäinen, A., Karlsson, H., Paunio, T., & Karlsson, L. (2020). Normal sleep development in infants: findings from two large birth cohorts. Sleep medicine, 69, 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1016
Sadeh, A, et Anders, TF (1993) Infant sleep problems: Origins, assessment, interventions. Infant Mental Health Journal, 14 (1),17-34. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0355(199321)14:1<17::AID-IMHJ2280140103>3.0.CO;2-Q

Most popular articles

Naître et Grandir infographic

29 September 2023

Here is a downloadable (pdf) fact sheet from Naître et Grandir that summarizes how to promote better sleep in children in a nutshell. Download a print-friendly version : How can

Naître et Grandir: How sleep affects development and behaviour

29 September 2023

This fact sheet from Naître et Grandir presents the realities of sleep for children aged 1 to 12: their sleep needs, signs of fatigue and the impact of sleep on

Naître et Grandir: Babies and Sleep

29 September 2023

This fact sheet from Naître et Grandir presents the realities of sleep for babies aged 0 to 12 months, divided into age groups. They discuss sleep needs, the evolution of

Naître et Grandir: Helping your child fall asleep

29 September 2023

This fact sheet from Naître et Grandir discusses the causes of difficulties falling asleep or refusing to go to bed in children. The impact of daytime and nighttime activities on

“Learning to sleep like learning to walk” is an online resource that offers reliable information validated by scientists and specialists in sleep, health and child development.

Warning. “Learning to sleep like learning to walk” is not medical assistance and cannot replace the advice of a legally authorized health specialist. Only health specialists are qualified to provide medical advice, regardless of your or your child’s condition after a thorough examination and with personalized care.

Thanks to our funding partners:

Knowledge brokering and web design

Inspiration and scientific sources:

Recent posts

Naître et Grandir infographic

Naître et Grandir: How sleep affects development and behaviour

Naître et Grandir: Babies and Sleep

Naître et Grandir: Helping your child fall asleep

How to manage the transition to stopping naps

Categories

Most popular articles

Naître et Grandir infographic

Naître et Grandir: How sleep affects development and behaviour

Naître et Grandir: Babies and Sleep

Naître et Grandir: Helping your child fall asleep

Sign up for our newsletter!