Few, if any, things compare to the overwhelming joy a baby can bring. But for many parents, a lack of a good night’s sleep can sometimes dampen that joy, just a little.
If you find yourself in that situation where your baby has a hard time sleeping and you and the rest of your family feel increasingly exhausted as the day goes on, here are some ideas on how to get baby to sleep through the night. .
Establishing a bedtime routine is one way to get your baby to sleep through the night. Bathe him, give him one last meal, and say goodnight with a warm kiss and a smile. Do not stimulate the baby, as this will make the process long. Being consistent will also be important. The baby must know what is going to happen next and what bedtime means.
Another way to get baby to sleep through the night is to make sure your routine includes some one-on-one snuggle time. You don’t want to just throw the baby into her crib without saying another word. Take advantage of your baby’s attachment to a blanket or stuffed animal. If they haven’t established it yet, help them find something that makes them feel comfortable when you’re not around. An object like this, often called a transitional object, can comfort your baby and help her fall asleep, both when she first puts her to bed and when she wakes up during the night.
If your baby cries for you at night and you know she’s not wet or hungry, avoid the temptation to pick her up and rock her to sleep. She’ll quickly get used to it and want it every time he moves in the night. That’s not to say you can’t comfort her at all, of course. Rub her back gently, talk to her softly but don’t pick her up. Babies learn very quickly what you will do to make them happy.
It is important that you stick to this for several nights. Babies often cry for a shorter period of time each night until they finally learn to sleep through the night. Be careful not to give in. Even if the baby has cried for an hour before she picks him up, she should still resist the temptation if possible. All this is going to do is teach her that you will pick her up if she cries enough.
Let me repeat here that this is NOT a suggestion that you let your baby cry, rather the idea is that you be with him or her to comfort him or her, but just don’t give up picking your baby up to rock. or her back to sleep.
