How to Get Your Baby to Fall Sleep
After several sleepless nights, tired parents often wonder how to get their baby to fall asleep. It is important to establish regular bedtime routines as early as possible, after the baby is around 3 months old. Babies need to feel safe and secure when they fall asleep. It does not matter if your baby sleeps in your room or his own. As the baby grows, his awake time stretches to include longer and longer periods, and he may want to sleep all day and remain awake at night if his schedule isn't established.
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Instructions
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Start sleep training on Friday (if you do not work on weekends), because the first two nights will be the hardest, as he may cry for up to one hour. Be prepared to listen to your baby cry. Don't respond to his cries -- remember that he is not hurt.
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Establish a set time for bed each night, and be consistent with it, regardless of whether your baby appears to be tired. In time, she will naturally begin to get sleepy at her set bedtime.
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Form a bedtime ritual. This could be as simple as singing a lullaby or more involved, such as bathing, feeding and then reading a bedtime story. Your baby will learn to associate the ritual with good feelings and sleep time.
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Lay your baby in his crib. The crib should be comfortable and welcoming. Do not load the crib with a lot of stuffed animals and blankets, as they may harm your baby.
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Create an environment conducive to sleep. Close the blinds, play some classical music or a CD with sounds of nature, and dim the lights or turn on a night light. The light helps you check on the baby without disturbing her. Lavender and chamomile aromatherapy can also be used to create an atmosphere where she will feel safe and secure.
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Tips & Warnings
The earlier you train your baby to go to sleep, the better.
Most babies are physically able to sleep through the night by 6 months of age.
Wait as long as possible before responding to your crying baby.
Don't pick him up, or he will continue to cry knowing you will eventually give in.
Don't rub his back until he goes to sleep, as this could establish a back rub routine for the baby that may be hard to break. It's okay to pat his back for a minute to reassure him.
Do not eliminate naps.
It normally takes longer for breast-fed babies to sleep through the night.
References
- Photo Credit Sleeping baby image by Radoslav Stoilov from Fotolia.com
