It is very import to encourage your baby to sleep according to the ideal hours they are expected to get, which is about 14 - 16 hours a day. Infants who fail to get this much sleep or are sleeping poorly can be identified with their temperaments.

Usually infants who lack sleep or have poor sleep are highly irritable. You may also suffer from the lack of sleep or poor sleep of your baby - you tend to become highly stressed. As this situation goes on, impatient and exhausted parents respond more adversely to their babies, which aggravate the infant's condition. Poor sleep quality added by the negative responses from his/her parents can cause babies to sustain worsening sleeping difficulties.

However, do not fret too much if your baby has developed signs that he/she has difficulties in sleeping. Contrary to what is widely believed possible, you can still improve infant sleeping in your baby quickly and significantly contrary to what is widely believed that if not treated as soon as possible, 50% of these babies with sleeping problems can continue having such difficulties until they reach preschool and school ages. Parents can get the assistance of professionals also and obtain information from infant parenting magazines/books regarding infant sleeping.

Parents can also learn early on regarding infant sleep when they are just expecting in order that they would know how to prevent sleeping problems from occurring starting from the early days of their infant's life.

What are these sleeping problems that are prevalent among infants who can be prevented by learning how to encourage proper infant sleeping habits?

?The most prevalent is night waking among babies. This is manifested by frequent waking up of a baby for short or even extended periods, many times all throughout the night.

?Difficulties in falling asleep characterized by highly demanding and long rituals before finally falling asleep.

?Falling asleep, not during the more appropriate hours in the nighttime but during inappropriate hours.

?Experiencing nightmares, wherein the baby/child wakes up scared. However, they usually respond quickly when soothed by their parents and calms down eventually through their help.

?Having night terrors wherein the child wakes up screaming, appearing very frightened either with their eyes wide open or tightly shut. They do not respond to their parents or resist intervention.

?Throughout the night or in order to pass the transition to sleep, the child rocks his/her body violently and bangs his/her head.

?The child experiences breathing difficulties or cessations while sleeping.

It is believed that about 20 - 30% of children's population may suffer from these common sleeping difficulties during their first 3 years.

Furthermore, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may not be a prevalent sleep-related event but must be given prevalent concern by parents especially during their baby's first year of life. SIDS is manifested by the sudden death of an infant while sleeping without any explainable causes.

Know that babies must spend more time in sleep than wakefulness during their first 3 years of life because sleep plays a crucial role in their development during this period. Make sure that you encourage sleeping in your child, from the time he/she is born.

Gerrard Mackenzie is the author of the ebook Supercharge Your Sleep and Special Sleep Report which taught thousands of the stressed-out, tired and overworked how to overcome their sleeping difficulties and get a better night's rest. He currently blogs over at Supercharge Your sleep Blog Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerrard_Mackenzie