Your baby needs to learn how to fall asleep by herself. You can help her by doing the same things each night when you put her to bed. Doing the same things before bedtime will help her know that it is time to sleep. Going to bed at the same time each night will help her settle down.
Here are some tried and tested techniques for helping your child to sleep.
Some babies have more trouble settling down than others do. Keep the house quiet. Loud TV or music may keep your baby awake. To help your baby to relax, you can give her a warm bath, massage her or rock her. Reading or singing to her may also help her settle down. This can help set a good pattern for going to sleep.
Always place the same baby-safe soft doll or stuffed animal in your baby’s crib when it is time for sleep. She will learn to connect the stuffed toy with falling asleep. Don’t let her fall asleep in your arms. As she gets sleepy, put her down in her bed. Stay with her for a moment. Then leave her alone to fall asleep by herself.
What your baby does during the day can affect her at night. If she had too much excitement during the day, she may not sleep through the night. It may take several days for her to get back to her usual sleeping pattern.
If she wakes in the night and cries, wait for about five minutes. She may be able to fall back to sleep by herself. If her crying continues, speak softly to her to comfort her. You can rub her stomach, but don’t pick her up.
When you get up to take care of him, do it as quietly and quickly as you can. Don’t give him any extra stimulation. Don’t even turn on the light. She needs to learn that night is for sleeping.
If she needs a diaper change or seems sick, take care of that. Avoid feeding her unless you think she is truly hungry. Then tell her it is time to sleep, and leave her alone. Don’t play with her, or she will begin to expect you to play every night.
Some babies want to sleep more in the daytime and as a result they wake more often at night. One thing parents can do is to keep the baby awake during the day. Talk to him, read to him or play with him gently. Let him grasp your fingers or a toy. Keeping him awake more during the day may help him sleep longer at night.
Most babies will learn to fall back to sleep by themselves. Babies who wake up a lot or cry for a long time during the night may be sick. If your baby is waking up too much, ask your doctor for advice.
