Just like learning to ride a bicycle sleep training your baby takes time patience and perseverance
To clarify sleep training is not the same as the cry it out method which some studies have found does more harm than good The goal of training your young one is to help them sleep without depending on you to hold them all night long
It may sound heart wrenching or daunting to cut down on cuddle time but studies have shown that kids sleep better in their own rooms than when they co share your bedroom or even your bed The best time to introduce sleep training is during any of your babys sleep regressions
But look up hundreds of sleep training infographics on Pinterest and then try to follow through and youll quickly learn how much easier said than done sleep training can be
While each parent has their own unique style that suits to their own childs needs at least knowing what youre doing wrong is easier to adjust than learning what youre supposed to do
To make sleep training easier for you and your baby weve identified the five common ways most parents ruin their own efforts that youre probably doing as well
You dont notice when theyre tired and you wait too long
Some kids will let you know when theyre ready while some will never volunteer to go to bed However that doesnt mean theyre not tired enough Other than the obvious yawn and eye rub other signs of tiredness can include grabbing ears fussiness slowed movement and even laying down
Be sure to look out for these signs and hop on the opportune time to start putting your little down for the night because waiting too long can actually cause a much less desirable opposite effect of over stimulation
You dont have a routine established
While it may seem like a radical concept to create a routine with a bay whos turned your entire world and own routine upside down nonetheless its a vital practice to establish when it comes to bed time
Give them a bath lotion them up dress them in pjs turn off lights in the house read them a book and feed them a bottle The more senses you involve the more signals theyll get that its bed time Then when youre read to ween a routine away itll be less noticed than if you only started with a few
You rock them for too long
An image of a mother cradling her baby rocking her to sleep and humming softly is the first image you think of when it comes to motherhood But unfortunately the reality is that after two hours your arms get tired and youre out of songs to hum Worst of all You could be doing more harm than good by rocking your sweet little one for that long
Its natural for your baby to want to be held and kept warm and the more you continue to do so the more they will come accustomed to being held Calm them down long enough to fall asleep but resist the temptation to gaze too long at their soft round face and lay them down sooner than later
You dont give them a chance to fall asleep on their own
Once you do lay them down in their own bed there will be some resistance to being left alone especially if theyre used to sleeping in your arms for hours But just because they make a little noise or shift their cute little tush into the air doesnt mean theyre awake
This moment is the heart of sleep training This is the moment when you can teach your little one how to self sooth and fall asleep on their own So obviously its an important moment
If your baby is not completely asleep when you lay them down simply rub their upper back rhythmically and whisper long shhhh sounds until they do fall asleep
If they start crying and even sit back up simply pick them up and try again until theyve successfully fallen asleep waiting an extra minute longer than the last attempt Continue this process every night laying them down more and more awake each time until eventually their eyes are wide open when they go to bed
This process can certainly be tedious But the more you stick with it the easier it becomes Just remember its easier to establish new habits than break bad ones
You react too quickly when they cry
This one goes along with not giving them the chance to fall asleep on their own
When your baby wakes in the middle of the night and starts wailing its instinct to jump up and take care of their needs Or at least you think youre taking care of their needs But just like rocking them too long you could be doing more harm than good
A babys sleep cycle is approximately two hours and they often make a noise or fuss after each cycle But that doesnt mean theyre waking up and going in as soon as you hear their fuss could actually be waking them up
Give them a few minutes and wait until their cry truly does need soothing before going in there
Hopefully with just a few tweaks youll be able to help your baby learn how to fall asleep on his or her own giving everyone in your home some well deserved rest
However the long term effects of sleep deprivation can be critical If youre finding that your little one is still not getting enough sleep at night or you yourself are developing insomnia after countless nights of unrest then be sure to reach out to your nearest sleep clinic for an evaluationLuckily the sleep experts here at Alaska Sleep Clinic know all about sleep dilemmas from insomnia to Obstructive Sleep Apnea If you live in the Anchorage Alaska area then be sure to give our experts a call for a free 10 minute consultation
