Ask a mom of a newborn about her child's sleep and she'll likely look at you through bleary eyes and mutter, "What sleep?" The fact is, it's perfectly normal for babies to have erratic sleep patterns  -- some rest for little more than an hour at a time! But all of them need as much sleep as they can get in order to develop properly. Read on to learn about sleep training, avoiding a "flat head," whether you should co-sleep, how to protect your child against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and more  -- so your baby (and you) can get more zzz's.

Setting a sleep schedule, especially once your child is at least 6 months old, is a good way to make sure she's getting enough rest. Make naptimes and bedtimes as consistent as possible, and build in a cushion of time beforehand to help her unwind  -- show her a book, rock her, or give her a warm bath before bed.

How much sleep do babies need?

The number of hours of rest a baby needs varies with age. Here's what doctors recommend:

Age: 1 week
Day Sleep: 8 hours
Night Sleep: 8 1/2 hours
Total: 16 1/2 hours

Age: 1 month
Day Sleep: 7 hours
Night Sleep: 8 1/2 hours
Total: 15 1/2 hours

Age: 3 months
Day Sleep: 5 hours
Night Sleep: 10 hours
Total: 15 hours

Age: 6 months
Day Sleep: 3 1/4 hours
Night Sleep: 11 hours
Total: 14 1/4 hours

Age: 9 months
Day Sleep: 3 hours
Night Sleep: 11 hours
Total: 14 hours

Age: 12 months
Day Sleep: 2 1/4 hours
Night Sleep: 11 1/2 hours
Total: 13 3/4 hours

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