Some of the biggest challenges for new parents involve sleep: their own lack of sleep, getting the baby to sleep through the night, and establishing a predictable sleep schedule. There are no easy answers when it comes to babies and sleep, but with consistency and effort, you can get your little one into a regular sleep schedule, making it easier to plan your day, and, hopefully, get some rest yourself.
Step 1
Understand your baby’s sleep cycles. According to Dr. Marc Weissbluth, author of “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child,” babies younger than 6 weeks don’t have predictable sleep cycles and can’t go more than three or four hours without eating. But at 3 or 4 months, daytime sleep should be organized into two or three long naps and ten to twelve hours of sleep at night.
Most babies between 6 weeks and 8 months start to feel sleepy one or two hours after they last woke up, and 8- to 12 month-olds can be awake for about three hours. So, note what time your little one wakes up in the morning and plan to start a soothing routine in one or two hours. Then, repeat the process when he wakes from his first nap and then again from his second nap.
Some younger babies also take a brief third nap in the late afternoon. Plan on putting him down for the night one to two hours after he wakes from his last nap. After a few weeks, the timing will become predictable, and you will have a solid sleep “schedule.”
Step 2
Keep her active during periods of wakefulness. Take your baby outside for a walk, go on a brief outing, or play with toys. Just be careful to avoid overstimulation.
Step 3
Learn to recognize your baby’s sleepy signs. It’s easiest to get a baby to sleep on her own if you do it during the so-called “magic hour” when she’s drowsy but not overtired. According to Weissbluth, signs of sleepiness include: decreased activity, slower motions, less vocals, weaker or slower sucking, disinterest in surroundings, less focused eyes, drooping eyelids and yawning. Once you see some signs of sleepiness, begin a soothing-to-sleep routine.
It can be hard to recognize these signs at first, so start by watching the clock and trying to put your baby down after one to two hours of awake time. Don’t wait until she is fussy or cranky, as these signs mean she is overtired and will have a harder time falling asleep.
Step 4
Use a consistent soothing-to-sleep routine. You want to establish a peaceful state of tranquility in order to lull your little one to sleep. Snuggle him close to your body, breastfeed or give him a bottle, and rock him back and forth in a rocking chair or swing.
For bedtime, you might want to add a bath or massage, which means you have to start the routine earlier, before your baby gets overtired. Choose a routine that works for you, but keep it consistent so that your little one learns to anticipate nap or bed time. The key, according to Weissbluth, is to soothe your baby when he is naturally getting drowsy.
Step 5
Teach your baby to fall asleep on her own. After your soothing routine, lie down with her or put her in her crib when she seems very drowsy. She might cry a little, a lot, or not at all. It’s up to you to let your baby cry until she falls asleep or pick her up and try soothing again, but Weissbluth recommends leaving her completely alone, even if she cries. This will help her learn to fall asleep on her own and return to sleep unassisted if she wakes during the night, as we all do.
According to Weissbluth, you should not let your little one cry for more than one hour at naptimes, but there is no limit at bedtime. This may sound cruel, but Weissbluth writes that, if you go to your baby after a short period of crying before she falls asleep, then she will learn to cry until you come in. If you leave her alone, she will eventually fall asleep on her own, and the crying will only last a few nights. If your baby cries through an entire nap period, skip that nap and try to keep her up until the next sleep period is close at hand.
References
- "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child;" Marc Weissbluth; 2003.
- "What to Expect The First Year;" Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway; 1996
