Literal Interpretation

Here is a sentence that might appear in the Blog or my book. "Children begin to develop nap circadian rhythms about 3-4 months of age. The morning nap develops first and occurs around 9am."

Sometimes, sleep deprivation in parents naturally causes some mental fog and impatience so they might remember this sentence as "4-month old babies take a nap at 9am."

Obviously, to well-rested parents, this is a too literal interpretation leading to frustration. Clearly, the morning nap might occur earlier than 9am, especially in the younger babies and clearly the morning nap might not be regular until after 4 months of age perhaps in the post-colic baby. Babies develop sleep patterns at different rates because of differences in nature and nurture. Please be patient, don't compare babies, and develop coping strategies to deal with your own sleep deprivation such as taking breaks, getting help, and indulging in some self-maintenance as a reward for all your hard work.

Marc

Filed under: Barriers to Sleep Solutions