Infants like to sleep. A normal sleeping pattern for infants consists of napping 2-4 times per day for up to 2 hours at a time. By 6-9 months the baby usually only takes 2 naps per day. This will reduce to one nap at around 18 months and by 2 ½ years, the baby will no longer require afternoon naps. Insomnia among infants has been linked to the following; a desire for parental attention, infantile colic or other digestive problems, indigestion, teething, fever or other illness.

Infant insomnia has been linked to an allergic reaction to certain proteins contained in cow’s milk. If your baby suffers from insomnia, he/she may be reacting to milk. Try changing to non-cow’s milk and see if a better night’s rest results.

The following suggestions have been helpful to other parents with infants who suffer from insomnia.

• Do not become automatically available to your child during the night. Otherwise they become overly dependant on you.
• Ensure that the child attempting to get to sleep is not affected by outside disturbances.
• Don’t send the child to bed as a punishment.
• Never treat infant or child insomnia with medication unless you have been advised to do so by your doctor.