It is your job as a parent to teach your baby to sleep through the night. It’s very important to understand that baby's sleep is needed for growth and development, and developing good sleep habits is something you are going to have to teach her. You are robbing your child - and yourself - of a necessary good night’s rest if you continuously respond to her every whimper.
Create a Restful Environment
Create a soothing, dark environment. Don’t have toys or stuffies in the crib (unless it is a beloved bear or soft doll), or mobiles hanging overhead. Babies do not need night lights. Hang a thick window covering to block evening or morning sun. If it helps, create a continuous white noise such as a fan or sound machine to block house hold clamor. Make certain that it is something that will remain on until morning. If it is on a timer, baby will wake up when it shuts off.
Put Baby to Bed Awake
Don’t put baby in her crib already sleeping. If you’ve rocked her or fed her until she has fallen asleep, you are associating these activities with sleeping and baby will expect it every time she wakes up. If your baby falls asleep during pre bedtime feeding, change her diaper or get her out of daytime clothes and into pajamas, rousing her enough (pg 13) that she will be awake when you place her in her crib.
Don't Help Her Fall Asleep
If baby cries when you put her down, do not pick her up again. Pat her back and “shush” her for a moment and leave the room. Give her some time to settle. If you need to go back in, pat her and shush her again, then leave. Let baby know that you are there, but you want her to learn that she can get herself back to sleep without your help. If she becomes inconsolable, pick her up for a moment but do not rock her or sway her or talk to her. Simply hold her for a minute or two and put her back in her bed. This may take some time and courage on your part, but don’t give in. Remember, it’s your job to teach your baby to sleep through the night. Don’t deny her that capability or step of independence.
Creating Bad Habits
Do not create an environment that will not be there when she wakes up in the night. Breast feeding to sleep, music that shuts off, rocking in a chair, a bottle feeding – if it’s not there at midnight, don’t let her fall asleep with it at 7:00. Have cuddles and stories, but not until she falls asleep. Babies do not need nutritional feedings through out the night at around six months of age. If you find you are still feeding baby many times through out the night, you are really just helping her go back to sleep as opposed to actually giving her necessary calories. This will be a difficult transition, but again, it is your job to teach your baby to sleep on her own. Start eliminating the night time feedings one by one. Go in and let her know you are there by patting her back and shushing her, but then leave.
Teaching baby to sleep through the night will not happen in one night, but if you are persistent and consistent and stick to your plan, it will happen, and quicker than you think. It often takes three or four nights of consistent routine to get baby on her way. You owe it to your baby, and to yourself, to teach her good sleep habits. A well rested baby is a happy, healthy baby - and plenty of fun during the day!
Here are some books for further help on getting your infant to sleep through the night:
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Marc Weissbluth
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, by Tracy Hogg
