Ferbers new sleep averages very low??

[lilflav]

Hello all.  I was reading babytalk magazine & there was an interview with Ferber.  He said that new research (conducted by him & his team) shows that babies & toddlers don't need as much sleep as previously thought.  A 12-month old needs 9.25-10.25 night hrs, 1.5-2.5 nap hrs, & 11.75 total sleep.  An 18 month old needs 9 5/8 night hrs, 2 day hours, and 11 5/8 total sleep.  That is MUCH lower than any other sleep chart I have ever seen.  I though it was interesting &  wanted to pass this along & get everyone's opinion.

[mari]

Well, I think I remember mine needing more at those ages. At 12 months they were still having 2 naps.

[debo620]

hmm, both my kids are below averae sleep needs

both seemed to drop to about 12.5-13hrs at 11 months--
and my 3yr old--who has been transitionng to no nap forever seems to average 11.5hrs now

[Vicku]

Interesting... I think it is VERY individual from babe to babe, but my LO has always needed less than the 'averages'. I also know many who need more though:-\

[lilflav]

Debo- according to Ferbers averages your los is on the high end- 11.75 for a 12 month old.  I don't think I know any lo who sleeps that little!  Julissa (15 months) seems to need about the same amount of sleep as your lo.

[clh]

Mine have always needed more than that, James WAY more.

[ark]

My DS always needed less than I was told he should get, and he's pretty close to the above 18mo. old schedule right now at 21 mo., but he's also getting 2 teeth, so who knows really!!  Total sleep avg. for him is about 12 hours. 

[lilac83]

I read that article too, found it very interesting. My DD currently gets anywhere from 13-14 hours per day. I read in another article however that obesity is linked to toddlers getting less than 12 hours of sleep per day. I don't think the experts can agree really, it's just a matter of what the LO needs.

[Shdef]

I think the range is a little small, the average might be fine, but the range isn't  For example this is tiny: 9.25-10.25. Range of one hour is a bit unrealistic.

I'd say at 12 mo the night sleep varies between 9 and 13 hours, naps between 1.5 and 3 a day. Scotty slept 13 hours at night and 1.5 in the day at 12 months. He is now on 11-12 out of 24. Either 10 at night and 2 at nap time or 11.5 at night and no nap. And slightly OT at night.

[marty]

That doesn't seem right to me.  Just because Mr. Ferber comes out with something like that, it doesn't change reality.  The Happy Baby Healthy Sleep Habits book doesn't include recommendations for amounts of sleep, but it does have a chart of how much kids sleep based on over 1,000 patients.  The average for 1 year olds is something like 14 hours.  My son is 15 months and sleeps 14 hours a day (11 at night, 3 for naps).  If he gets any less than that he is exceptionally cranky (just like his mommy).

[sherry lynn]

Lilflav
That is really interesting. Thanks for sharing that.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Yes, very interesting...Masyn is closing in on 3 years and gets about 12 hours total, Spencer at 9 months is about 14.5 total. I cannot imagine what sort of crabby pants girls I would have if they got any less sleep than that! (and frankly I would do well on a 9 hour night myself, but that is a lovely dream for when the kids graduate high school!)

Heidi

[Krissy18]

how exactly do you calculate how much sleep your baby is getting? is it from the time they wake up to the same time the next morning? If thats the case, My son gets about 2.25 hours during the day and around 11.25 hours at night..sounds like alot now..

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Krissy18  - yup, I go from 7am wakeup to 7am the next day...how old is your LO? Some need more sleep than others.

Heidi

[Krissy18]

DS is almost 16.5 months. He seemed to need LESS than average before but now i am even having problems getting him on on nap. He rarely sleeps 12 hours a night for sure and when he does I can not seem to figure out why- like its not when he has less day sleep, it actually happens when he has MORE day sleep believe it or not.