Young babies sleep much of the day time. Though babies need to sleep most of the night as well, getting them to fall asleep at night can be challenging. Your baby may be excited from seeing you and your spouse come home from work so he’ll want to stay up later. If you are having trouble getting your baby to sleep at night, you can try several methods to find the one that works best for you.
Step 1
Comfort the baby to sleep with rocking and co-sleeping. Co-sleeping is when you, your spouse and the baby all sleep in a close proximity. You may want to use a bed extension for the baby or put the baby crib right next to your own bed. The theory being co-sleeping is that the baby smells you and knows that you are near him. This can soothe him so that it is easier for her to fall asleep. If you’re sleeping in close proximity, you can also try gently rocking the baby until she falls asleep.
Step 2
Nurse the baby to sleep if you are breastfeeding. Pediatrician and Professor at UC Irvine, Dr. Bill Sears, states on his website that the warmth of a woman’s breasts can be very comforting to babies. Giving him a bath, followed by nursing him and then putting him in the crib is a sure way to make him sleepy, states Dr. Sears. BabyCenter.com states that nursing, or feeding otherwise, before bed time will also make sure that his belly is full so he doesn’t wake up too quickly after being put down to sleep.
Step 3
Wear the baby down by letting her get his energy out during the day and before bed time. Dr. Bill Sears recommends putting the baby in a baby sling and wearing her while you work throughout the house, about a half an hour before bedtime. Whether you are doing dishes, typing emails or picking up clutter; bringing the baby throughout the house in a sling can make her tired so that she falls asleep easily when you put her in his crib.
Step 4
Try the “cry it out”, CIO, technique if you do not want to co-sleep or continually visit your baby in his room as he falls asleep. The CIO technique is quite controversial, yet some medical professionals highly recommend it. With the CIO technique, you simply put your baby in his crib at night, close the door and leave him to sleep. Even if he is crying, don’t go back into the room to pick him up or play, as this could wake him up more. Make sure you have a baby monitor in his room for safety, but otherwise, leave him until he falls asleep on his own.
Things You'll Need
- Baby crib
