How to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night
You’re exhausted, moody and can’t even think straight! Does this sound familiar? Most parents suffer from sleep deprivation at some point. Even those who have babies who are good sleepers eventually have to deal with getting their toddlers to stay in bed at night.
To make matters worse, parents find so much conflicting information as to how and when we should get our babies to sleep through the night. It’s enough to leave a new (exhausted!) parent wondering what’s the right thing to do?
Here are a few tips:
Listen to your instincts. Remember, you know your baby best. Take all the advice you get (including this article) as what it reallhy is: “advice”. Never let it replace your own personal judgment. You know your baby best and only YOU know what’s really right for him or her. If you think you baby needs to be rocked to sleep, then do it. If you want to put a co-sleeper on the bed, or a bassinet in the room, or if you want your baby to sleep in her own room, then do it.
Stop the guilt. Don’t take your baby’s crying personally. A lot of parents suddenly feel instant guilt when their baby cries. Are we doing the right thing? Does she need feeding? Is his diaper wet? Is she scared? Will he remember crying like this? And on and on…
Remember that your baby could be crying for a number of reasons and some are out of your control. Did you know that babies are born with the crying reflex but not the laughing reflex? They are… it’s instinctive for babies to cry. Babies cry to have their needs met. Sometimes that need is just to simply cry it out for a bit while feeling the warmth and comfort of their most loved person… you!
Become an expert. Go online or to the library and read a few books on baby sleep and sleep patterns. Arm yourself with all the knowledge that you can so that when others come your way offering advice you can politely say you know exactly what you’re doing. Remind yourself that you’re the parent. When reading advice don’t go for the latest books or fads. Go to the library and look for actual baby sleep research. Find out from friends whose babies sleep what methods they used. Then sit down and make a list of what your own thoughts on the topic. What do you feel is right for you and your family? This could be more important than any book you may find on the subject of baby sleep. Speak to your spouse and make sure you agree on what method you’ll use.
Whatever you decide, the main thing to remember is that a few weeks sleepless nights are part of having a baby. Do what you think is best for you and remember that this is a normal phase of your baby’s development and will soon end.
