Getting Your Baby to Actually Sleep

www.momcentral.com

It's an age-old struggle all us parents face: coaxing a fussy infant to fall asleep, and getting them to sleep for a stretch longer than a few hours. I remember as vividly as yesterday the beginning of red lights on the baby monitor followed by rustling sounds. Gentle, quiet at first. As I check the clock, it is 2:15 a.m. I am tired enough to weep and contentedly warm and nestled between flannel sheets. I hope, I pray that this is just a stirring and not a full-fledged middle of the night wake-up. The sounds grow in intensity, and there it is…that infuriated howl and cry for help that only a 4-month-old can truly master. Out comes the latest verb in my new parenting lexicon, "I have got to 'Ferberize' her - but what if she has a full diaper, is desperate to nurse, or has gotten some body part wedged in the crib?" Down the hallway I go, stumbling blindly, to find Kyle beaming up at me and ready for action. I seriously contemplate whether the crib is big enough for us both

As an overtired and stressed parent, even six hours of uninterrupted sleep for your baby and yourself would be pure bliss. While there is no one strategy that works for everyone, there are many tried and true techniques and tricks that can help your infant (and you!) fall asleep.

• Expose your baby to noise during his naps, so that he learns to associate quiet with night and is able to differentiate this time from the daylight hours.
• Think about all the things your child depends on to fall asleep, such as your singing, rocking him, or giving him milk to drink.
• Eliminate each item one at a time, so your child doesn't look for all of these things every time he wakes up in the middle of the night.
• Put your baby in his crib as he's drifting off, instead of waiting for him to fall fast asleep in your arms. If he fusses, don't pick him up again. Stroke him or whisper to him as he dozes off.
• If you normally stay with your child in his room until he falls asleep but you want to change the habit, start by leaving but returning to the room every minute or so to check on him and reassure him that you are right there. After a few nights, increase the amount of time between visits.
• When you do go in to check on your child, don't turn on a light or speak above a whisper. Keep contact dull and stimulation minimal to keep your baby from fully awakening.
• Change your baby's diaper just before you feed him, so he can drift off to an uninterrupted sleep.
• Experiment with swaddling to see how your baby is most comfortable.
• Give your baby a soothing bath or massage before putting him to bed.
• Rock and nestle with your baby as you read him a story.
• If nothing else is working, put your baby in his car seat and drive until he falls asleep; then transfer him to his crib.
• If you know your baby is clean, dry, not hungry, and not sick, let him cry a little longer each night before you check on him. Go to him in increasing intervals of five, then ten, then twenty minutes and so on, but resist picking him up.
• Teaching your child to fall asleep on his own will invariably mean tolerating some crying on his part. Listening to your baby's crying can be torture, but teaching him to self-soothe only works if you stick with it, and the results will be worth it for both of you.

For middle-of-the-night wake-ups:

• Do not talk or turn on bright lights during middle-of-the-night feedings.
• Leave a little bit of yourself behind in your baby's bed, either a nursing pad or your nightgown, to let your baby feel comforted by your scent and fall back to sleep on his own.
• Do not allow your baby to sleep more than four hours in a row during the day, or he won't be able to sleep at night. Wake him up and play with him.
• If you can tell that your baby's discomfort stems from teething, give him acetaminophen (with your pediatrician's permission) before bed to prevent him from waking up repeatedly during the night.
• If your infant is too stuffed up to fall asleep, put a pillow or blanket underneath the mattress to prop it up.
• Don't put your warm baby on a cold sheet, or he will almost always wake up. Put down flannel sheets or a warm water bottle on his mattress before putting him in it.

Copyright 2006, Mom Central, Inc. All rights reserved.           

	Web keepkidshealthy.com

Also visit:
ADHD advice and information
Expert Pediatrician - child health and parenting advice
About Pediatrics - Expert Pediatric Parenting Advice
Father's First Year - read about Dr. Iannelli's new book