Is putting your baby to sleep a big challenge for you? Do you have difficulty in sleep training your baby? Or does your baby keep waking up at night and make you sleep less, too? Then this article is the one to read!
It helps a lot if you know how to put your baby to sleep and keep him or her asleep. It can be a little demanding at first, because it requires so much effort and patience, but at the end of the day, it will be worth it.
Whether this is your first child or not, you must know some tips in sleep training your baby. Here are the things you must learn and do with your baby.
1. The Right Age
Once your baby turns 4, sleep training begins. This is the best time to train a baby in sleeping independently. While still young, it is easy for every child to learn and develop things that they will used to do sooner or later.
2. Consistency
Whichever methods you use, it is necessary to stick with it. The tendency of changing your techniques in sleep training your child is that he or she becomes confused and may cause sleeping problems. It may not only affect the sleeping pattern or time, but also the health of your baby.
3. Verbal than Non-Verbal Action
Babies can wake up at any time and they cry a lot. Some parents, well most actually, soothe their babies by tapping the side of the hips or the butt. In most cases, they carry them and dance just to put them back to sleep. This is not recommended because your baby would be used to and relied on that. Instead of touching your baby, talk or sing until he or she falls back to sleep. This can benefit you also as your baby won’t have to keep crying when he or she wakes up in the middle of the night.
4. Checking
At night, when you randomly wake up or still not asleep, have time to check on your baby. But be sure that you do not make noise or anything that can disturb your child. This should be done more often at day time if you are at home when your baby takes a nap.
5. Responsibility
Though you may be tired and exhausted, you must not over-sleep your baby. Let your child falls asleep first before you lay in bed. Do not be selfish in taking care of yourself first before your baby. As a loving parent, this must not be an issue to you or something that you neglect to do.
6. Nice Room
One helpful element that easily puts your baby to sleep and keep him or her comfortable is the room itself. It must have good ventilation, which means the temperature in the room must not be too cold or warm. It must be also quiet, so you may need to build a nursery room with soundproof, especially if you are in an area that is high in traffic or near the commercial establishments.
7. Complete Beddings
Not only that your baby has a good and conducive room. You also provide all the necessary things for his or her sleeping. There must be at least three pillows, one for the head and two for the sides. The blanket and bed sheet must be soft and smooth, while the crib is spacious enough.
8. Early Bed Time
Babies need more time to sleep than anyone of us. But it must not be only tracking the number of hours of your child’s sleeping. You also have to put him or her to bed as early as possible. Also, do not try to change the sleeping schedule of your baby especially at night. Stick to that time to have a normal sleeping routine.
9. In Between Wake Ups
There are two types of a baby waking up. The first one is a wake up that means he or she needs attention or help to sleep back again. The second is a wake up that tells you he or she needs to get up and see the day. Some babies do wake up early and never sleep again after long hours, and you must be aware of that. That’s why it is helpful if you keep track of the time your baby usually wakes up to have some milk or baby food breakfast.
Parents must know better and this is one edge that makes you a good mother or father to your baby. Sleeping is a big factor to the health, growth and development of your baby. So, make sure that you apply what you have read and learn from the tips above. This does not only benefit your child, but the two of your as well.
