Infant sleep problems cause stress for parents due to the sleep loss and frustration of not knowing how to handle the situation. Infants grow to rely on the same conditions being met each night to fall asleep. If your baby becomes used to being rocked to sleep, he may have difficulty falling asleep alone. Transitioning your baby from a co-sleeping arrangement to sleeping in his own bed may present similar challenges.
Step 1
Inspect your baby's nursery to ensure the environment is comfortable. Adjust the thermostat if the room is either too hot or too cold. Use a white noise machine or fan to cover up distracting sounds your baby might hear.
Step 2
Nurse or feed a bottle to your baby a half hour before going to bed, a tip suggested by Dr. Greene of Pediatrics, Naturally. This prevents your baby from falling asleep while eating and gives you a chance to brush her teeth after she eats.
Step 3
Follow a specific bedtime ritual each night, using the same elements to get your baby in a routine. The routine might include a relaxing bath, lullabies, reading stories and cuddling together. Customize the routine to fit your needs as long as you stay consistent with it.
Step 4
Place your baby in his crib before he falls asleep. Placing him in the bed sleepy but not actually asleep allows him to learn to fall asleep on his own.
Step 5
Stand or sit next to the crib, patting your child and singing or soothing her if she begins crying. Dr. Greene recommends patting and comforting your baby until she falls asleep, without actually picking her up to soothe her. Continue this each night.
Step 6
Leave the room after you place your infant in the crib awake once she gets accustomed to falling asleep in the bed instead of in your arms. Give her a chance to fall asleep on her own without you in the room even if she cries initially.
Step 7
Enter her room after about 5 minutes of crying to calm her down without picking her up. Exit the room once she calms down, again giving her about 5 minutes to calm down and fall asleep. Gradually lengthen the amount of time you wait before going in to comfort your baby.
Step 8
Enter her room when she wakes in the middle of the night only after giving her several minutes to calm down on her own. If she won't settle down and fall back asleep, pat and sing to calm her crying, just as you did at bedtime.
Tips and Warnings
- The process may take several nights and lots of crying before your baby falls asleep peacefully. Stay consistent with your efforts, and get support from your spouse as necessary.
