Article featured in-
OC Family Magazine
July 2016, Page 50
By: Michelle S. DonaghyAfter months without sleep, you’re ready to help your baby learn to sleep through the night. Getting better sleep for your baby, and you, is one of the best things you can do for your entire family. If your child is 6 month or older and still waking during the night, it’s time to make a sleep plan.
Sleep 101:
Sleep is learned! Sleep is a learned skill and teaching a brand
new skill to your baby is no small task.
But you want the best for your baby and are willing to help your child
learn this life-long skill.Sleep Associations:
What are they? Do you rock or feed your baby until they are completely asleep? If yes, this is your child’s sleep association. Sleep learning begins with changing your baby’s sleep association.Here's how to create a plan:
1 New bedtime routine.
A calm and predictable routine will help your baby, prepare for
sleep. If a pre-bedtime feed is a part
of your routine, move the feed to the beginning of the routine - with lights
on. Then continue with the rest of your
routine. Your routine could be pajamas, feed
(but not to sleep), followed by (pick one or two): reading books, singing a song,
massaging, baby yoga or story time.
2 Ideal bed time. Identify your child’s ideal bedtime. For most
children it's between 6 and 8 p.m.
Look for sleepy signs such as yawning, rubbing eyes, or fussing.
3 Sleep training method.
Will you use a gentle method, where you stay with your child while she learns and you gradually fade out your assistance? Or will you leave the room, to give your
child a few minutes unassisted, then every 5 or 10 minutes (when crying) go in
to reassure? Keep each visit brief and
do not pick up or touch to sleep.
4 Start at bedtime. Bedtime
is the easiest time for children to learn to put themselves to sleep! Put your child into bed while awake - this step is
critical to your success!
5 Night feed or none. Decide
if you will feed your child during the night.
Check with your child’s doctor and ask if he needs to eat at
night. If yes, keep it brief, with
lights off and right back into bed.
6 Plan Naps. Skipped or short naps will create more night
waking and come bedtime, an overtired baby.
Well-napped children sleep better at night! Children need a nap often in the day and the timing
is based on age. Follow these guidelines
to plan your child’s naps. 6-9 months – nap
every 2 ½-3 hours, 9-18 months – nap every 3-4 hours, 18-36 months – one nap at noon or 1 p.m.
7 Be consistent. Once you
have started your sleep plan, it is absolutely critical to be consistent! Every time you give in and assist your child
to sleep, expect more tears tomorrow night, success to take longer and your baby to
learn to cry more.
Expect huge improvements in week
one and the entire plan to take two weeks – if you have been consistent!
Michelle S. Donaghy is a local baby/ child sleep consultant and certified Gentle
Sleep Coach. She is the founder of MSD Baby
Sleep Coach (msdbabysleepcoach.com) and has two children.
ReplyDeleteHard to Believe: This Keeps Your Baby Awake At Night
Dear Sleepless Mother,
It “waits” for you to put your baby to sleep
And is “ jumping of joy” when you start rocking or swinging your little one
Because it knows the next thing you do opesn the gates…...and invites midnight wakefulness into your baby’s sensitive brain and body
I’m talking about this simple habit
Could one simple habit increase the risk of your baby waking up in the middle of the night......by 87%? “It’s like setting a midnight fire alarm in his brain”, one study revealed
The worst part is that you keep doing it ……it’s part of your routine……and yet it’s wrecking your little one’s sleep
So what is this disruptive habit? And what can you do to fix it?
>>> Click here to find out… <<<