How to Get an Infant to Go to Sleep on Its Own
Sleep-deprived, new parents look forward to the day their baby will lie down happily in his crib, quickly drift off to sleep and sleep through the night. For many parents, this day doesn't arrive soon enough, and they start looking for ways to help their baby fall asleep faster. According to pediatric sleep disorders expert Deborah Lin-Dyken, babies between 3 and 6 months old usually reach the stage of development when they can put themselves to sleep. If your baby has reached this age, there are several techniques you can use to help him fall asleep on his own.
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Instructions
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Prepare your baby during the day for nighttime sleep. Help your baby figure out the difference between day and night by exposing him to light during the day, keeping rooms dim around bedtime and not overstimulating him with play just before bedtime. A study published in the "International Journal of Nursing Studies" found that lengthening the time between bedtime and when infants wake up from their last nap helps reduce nighttime sleep difficulties.
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Create a bedtime routine. Following a set routine of calming activities, such as bath, feeding and reading books, and putting baby to bed at the same time every night will help set your baby's internal clock so he feels sleepy at bedtime.
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Make your baby comfortable. Pediatrician Dr. William Sears suggests reducing environmental factors such as dust, animal dander and uncomfortable clothing that irritate some sensitive babies. Swaddle younger babies who feel more secure being wrapped tight, and dress older babies in looser clothes that allow greater freedom of movement. Provide teething medication if your baby shows signs of teething pain, such as drooling or a slight fever. Make sure your baby also has a clean diaper and full tummy.
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Make the room conducive to sleep. Maintain a comfortable room temperature -- around 70 degrees is ideal. Keep the room dark, using room-darkening blinds if necessary, so light from a window doesn't disturb your baby. Play gentle music or white noise to dull any bothersome outside noises.
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Put your baby into his crib drowsy but awake. Many babies will drift off to sleep with little to no difficulty if placed into bed tired and comfortable.
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Let your baby cry for short intervals if he doesn't fall asleep immediately. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends "graduated extinction" as an effective treatment for helping infants learn to fall asleep on their own. With this sleep-training method, parents leave the baby to cry for a few minutes then come back in to pat and soothe the baby briefly before leaving again. Gradually parents go longer and longer periods before checking on the baby.
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Tips & Warnings
Not all babies are developmentally ready to fall asleep on their own at 3 or even 6 months. If these suggestions don't work for your baby, continue helping him fall asleep for now and try again later.
Some medical conditions, such as milk allergies and acid reflux, can interfere with an infant's sleep. Check for such conditions if your baby continues having trouble falling to sleep.
References
- Baby Center; How Do I Teach My Baby to Soothe Himself to Sleep?; Deborah Lin-Dyken
- Parenting Science; Infant Sleep-Problems: A Guide for the Science-Minded Parent; Gwen Dewar, Ph.D.; 2008
- "International Journal of Nursing Studies;" Improving Day and Night Sleep Problems in Infants By Changing Day Time Sleep Rhythm: A Single Group Before and After Study; Arna Skuladottir, et al.; November 2005
- AskDrSears.com: 31 Ways to Get Your Baby to Go to Sleep and Stay Asleep Easier
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine; Practice Parameters for Behavioral Treatment of Bedtime Problems and Night Wakings in Infants and Young Children; Timothy I. Morganthaler, et al.; 2006
- Photo Credit George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
