Most 6-month-old babies sleep between 11 1/2 and 15 hours throughout the day, according BabyCenter.com. By this age, many babies take only a couple of daytime naps and can sleep through the night. However, all babies grow differently. Some still wake up intermittently during the night and may even need to take an extra daytime nap. Yet even babies who seem to sleep longer at night and need fewer naps may go through phases when they have trouble sleeping. A few useful tips will help send your little one dozing into dreamland.
Step 1
Maintain a steady daytime schedule. You would also have trouble going to bed early if you slept in late that morning. Your baby's schedule doesn't need to be so strict that you force him to sleep at precise times throughout the day, but it's important to establish a general plan of action to set his little body's inner clock. Schedule general times for napping, eating, playing and going to bed. Build his routine based upon when you know he tends to get cranky.
Step 2
Establish a bedtime routine. This routine will allow your baby to relax prior to her scheduled sleep hour. Start with a quiet feeding, gentle playing and perhaps even a bath. Once she is in bed, consider reading a story, playing some gentle music or singing to her. Cuddles and kisses can also help soothe her before she sleeps. In time, she will come to expect and enjoy the ritual.
Step 3
Create some static noise. Your 6-month-old may have trouble sleeping if the room is too quiet. The silence can be unsettling, or he may be kept awake by the noises of other family members still awake in the rest of the house. Babies hear all kinds of static noise when they are in the womb, so if you create your own, you may find that your child falls asleep faster and stays asleep longer. Set up a whirring fan, an air purifier, a vaporizer, or a "white noise" CD or machine created just for babies.
Step 4
Adjust the lighting in your baby's room to make it conducive to sleeping. For example, dim her nursery lights as you quietly read her a story, and turn on a night light when you turn off the main light for sleep. Your baby may also wake up as soon as the light shines in through her window (even if it's much earlier than you want to be awake), so cover her window with a dark sheet or heavy shades to help her stay asleep longer. As soon as it's time for her to be awake, set her brain to "wake" mode by exposing her to plenty of natural light.
Step 5
Encourage your baby to fall asleep alone unless you intend to sleep next to him throughout his early childhood. To give him some practice, lay him down as he is still drifting off to sleep so that he gets used to the idea of falling asleep on his own. He may notice your absence and cry in the beginning, but wait to see if his cries turn into screams. If he just fusses a little at first, he will likely fall asleep on his own and learn to fall asleep tear-free in the future.
