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How To Make Baby Sleep Training Easy
It may sound complicated, however, baby sleep training is easier than you think. Just like adults, babies need a daily routine.
So what do you do when waking up every hour because you have your baby sleeping in your bed?
Or your baby refuses to sleep at all?
I am not a fan of leaving your baby to cry alone – or the cry it out (CIO) method. I definitely prefer a more gradual approach that involves fewer tears.
There are ways to approach baby sleep training without having to pretend to be asleep, hoping that your partner will get up first and fetch a bottle.
What Is Sleep Training?
Sleep training is the process of helping a baby learn to fall asleep on their own and stay asleep through the night.
Some babies do this quickly and easily. I was very lucky. My little one started sleeping through the night at 4 months!
Little did I know that this was an amazing accomplishment and treat (none of my doing by the way), until I spoke to other moms whose baby’s were NOT sleeping throughout the night.
Needless to say, I was very grateful. Some children are naturally good sleepers, and before long fall into a sleep pattern that you are happy with.
Here are some great items you can let your baby snuggle in to get a good night’s sleep. Very inexpensive and cosy.
I learned that by the time your baby is 3 to 4 months old, your child would have developed a fairly predictable 24-hour pattern.
This is why it becomes important for you to provide consistent structure. A friend of mine swears by this book by Richard Ferber. I have not read it, but it made all the difference for her.
Many babies have trouble settling down to sleep or getting back to sleep when they’ve wakened – and need help along the way.
You approach to sleep training could make a huge difference in your baby’s sleeping habits.
It is never too early to introduce a bedtime routine. A routine can include a warm bath, a book, and a lullaby before putting your little one in their crib.
The Room Your Little One Sleeps In
Your baby needs to learn that the nursery or your bedroom (if your baby is co-sleeping) is a room for sleep, not play.
Keep the area around the crib free of toys and other fun distractions. Crib distractions confuse your baby as they know early on that the toys mommy and daddy use to get them to smile and relax are play toys and not sleep toys.
Baby Separation Anxiety
It’s really common for a baby with separation anxiety to wake more than usual during the night and cry out for you.
Start by putting your son or daughter in their own room for at least one nap a day to begin with.
Slowly transition from one nap, to two, and so on, until you feel comfortable enough to leave your baby in the room by themselves for an entire night.
A daily solo nap also helps both you and your little one get used to being apart.
Trust me, these little breaks are healthy and necessary.
During this time, your baby will also learn to put him/herself back to sleep if woken by a sudden loud noise.
Do Babies Know When It Is Day Or Night?
Light signals daytime to little ones. Babies take some time to distinguish between day and night, since they can’t yet tell the difference or read the clock! LOL.
You can make the process smoother during your baby sleep training by dimming the lights at appropriate times in the summer months. Increasing the light in the late afternoons in winter will also help your baby adjust easier.
Babies need to feel secure that you are close by, so try not to make the room pitch black. I don’t like to fall asleep in complete darkness either.
When there is a bit of light in the room your baby has the opportunity to look around the room and get used to his or her surroundings.
It really is okay not to run to your baby the very second they start crying. I did it. Many many times.
So what is the best technique? There is none.
The best way will depend on which sleep strategy you think your child will respond well to and what you feel comfortable doing. I have learned many ways to get my baby to relax and get a good night’s sleep.
Moms may have trouble sleeping too – here’s what you need to know about sleep.
One thing I would advise you to try is Feng-Shui techniques for your little one. It works wonders.
'Read your baby, not your baby book.'Click To Tweet
Just Be The Best Mom You Can Be
It all comes down to your unique baby, and your unique parenting style. Allow yourself time and let it become a part of your daily routine. Some days will be easy, some will be hard. Be strong yet consistent.
Did you recently have a baby, or are going through the process of baby sleep training? Or are you an experienced mom already? How did you cope or deal with your baby sleep training?
Please share with me some of your tips, comments, and feedback below. I would love to hear your tips and advice!
12 comments
[…] trying to get a baby to sleep, many parents invest in products that produce white noise or soothing sounds to get their little […]
OMG I’m totally bookmarking this for when I have a kid! That’s one of the things my coworkers always complain about (and I’m actually going to show them this blog post tomorrow!).
Thank you so much! I am very grateful and truly hope it helps you in the future as well as your coworkers! 🙂 Sheri
great and very useful tips , my sister used the slow training and it worked well!
Always best to work out what is best for you and your baby as you say, one size does not fit all.
These are great tips. I was lucky mine slept through the night at 4 months as well.
I remember when I was in kindergarten my mom left me alone in the bedroom to sleep at night so she can work at the room next to mine. I ask her not to turn off the desk lamp because I dont like to sleep in the completely darkness. I am not a mom but I will always remember not to leave the room completely dark for babies to sleep.
Sleep training is definitely different for each baby, and even each parent. It’s all about preferences. We’re struggling with my 1 year old daughter right now who thinks our bed is her bed, but we’re making progress and soon enough she’ll be sleeping through the night in her own bed instead of waking in the middle of the night to get in ours. She’s still breastfeeding too, so that plays a roll in her sleep training.
My parents used to read us bedtime stories which is effective. But now for our little sister it is not. Unless you told her that “your eyebags will get bigger if you dont sleep” then she will go to bed and sleep.
I don’t have children either, but these seem very helpful as I know that a lot of them are used with adults having trouble with insomnia!
These are all such great tips! I don’t have any children of my own, but when I do I’ll be sure to keep these in mind!
xo, Helene
I don’t have children yet, but your article is very insightful providing tips to help newborns get into a sleep routine. I do agree with the day and night as this sometimes is affected with wake ups in the night. I hope when I have kiddies my sleep deprivation won’t be too bad!