How to teach your baby to sleep through the night

Baby's don't know how to sleep through the night. They don't know that it's time to sleep. We need to teach them. People often feel that babies train us, but really we are just lacking on training them.

They wake up, cry, and know mommy will be right there. Usually they get fed, often they aren't really hungry, but it's the chain reaction that they get used to.

As a mom of four I've learned to let them cry it out. Let them learn to find their pacifier, or thumb, and go back to sleep.

Mommy's are better mommys when they have sleep. It's a fact. We can't function on little sleep. We can, but we aren't the best for our babies. It benefits EVERYONE if we all get the sleep we need and deserve. Babies need their sleep to. That is why I feel this is the best method.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. If you are a night owl, and sleep later in the morning, think about starting your babies "sleep" at a later time. You won't want to put the baby down to bed at 6pm, if you don't go to bed till 11pm. You may want to put the baby down at 9pm. Make sure that the babies last feeding is a good feeding. Also a clean diaper helps. Many people bathe the babies before bedtime to. Just make sure you start a pattern when it's time for bedtime, and be consistent.

2. If you are hoping to stop the middle of the night feeding, I highly recommend moving baby into his/her own room at this point. Let them learn to sleep in their own space. There will be less distractions for the both of you. If your close enough to the babies room, I'd suggest not using a baby monitor. There is no need to hear a crying baby amplified. Mom or Dad will eventually wake up if the baby is crying. If the baby is on a different floor, then I recommend using a baby monitor, but putting it in a different room. Don't put it in your room. Put it in the room next to you.

3. When the baby cries, let the baby cry for 5 minutes. And then go in, and give the pacifier or help the baby to get their thumb in their mouth. Don't pick up the baby, or turn on a light. You can pat their backs, or gently vibrate the crib mattress to console them, but don't pick them up.

4. Gently talk to the baby and let them go back to sleep. Then go back to your room. If consoling the baby doesn't help, leave and come back in another 5 minutes.

5. 

   Do the same at any other time they wake up. The next night let the baby go for 10 minutes. After 3-4 days your baby will start sleeping through the night. She/he will learn to console themselves, or pacify themselves and start to sleep through the night.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't use a baby monitor.
• Don't beat yourself up. You both need your sleep.
• It's temporary so don't feel bad.

[k4clife]

on 7/9/2009 I put my 3 month old down for daytime naps awake, after soothing her for a few minutes-she still protests most days after 2 weeks but not for long. I want to try the same for night-I have been holding her until she is asleep, swaddling her and putting her in her crib. Should I do the same bedtime routine, but only hold/rock for a few minutes and then put her down? I know she will cry-and she gets more mad if I check on her-so I am thinking of just letting her cry until she falls asleep. Any advice?

[nellymin]

on 12/20/2008 i wish i read this sooner. my baby is 13 months old and still sleeping with us. waking up twice to feed during the night. is it too late to start trying this?

[Pamelateda]

on 11/29/2008 So true. Thanks for putting it into an article!

[Aria]

on 11/12/2008 Good advice! I'm expecting right now and not planning on being one of those moms that teaches there baby to feed every 2 hours and never sleeps!

[mil102]

on 10/7/2008 This is a great article. For first time mothers this is a dose of medicine!
mil102
http://www.milsopportunity4successbusinessideas.blogspot.com/