How do I get my child to sleep through the night?
It’s 4 am and you’re up for the fifth time that night. Now you realize you only have 2 hours until you have to get up to start your day. What is your job? Do you get up again or do you go find the little one and take him to bed with you? If any of these sound familiar, this article will help you figure out how to get your child to sleep through the night.
Here it is, simply put, your baby can’t tell night from day. They’re on a 24-hour sleep cycle while inside your womb, so when they’re out in the world you don’t know the difference. At first, your child will eat every 3 to 4 hours and mostly sleep the rest of the time. Yes, right now you need to start teaching your child the difference between day and night. The longer your child sleeps during the day, the less she will sleep at night. How do you do this? Let’s break it down. Whether you breastfeed or formula feed, your child will learn to go longer and longer between feedings. It is imperative that you start nursing or bottle feeding them before bed and “group feeding” them, which gives them everything they need to get through the night. Always have a bedtime routine. Bedtime should be fun. For example, bath, books, breast/bottle, bed. Make it fun and make them want to get into bed! Here are some common parental questions about sleeping through the night.
1. At what age can my baby sleep through the night? At 4-6 months, your baby will begin to stay up longer during the day and to play. At this time, the night shots of her will be shorter and shorter. Night shots should be quick, quiet, and with the lights off.
2. Should I change his diaper when I go to feed him? At first, you will change your baby as much as needed, but as time goes on, you will be able to sleep longer and not want to wake your baby to change. This is your decision and how full the diaper is at the time of feeding.
3. I am breastfeeding; Does my baby need milk at night? The only reason your baby needs milk at night is if he’s used to it or if she doesn’t get what she needs to eat during the day.
4. How can I tell if my baby is hungry or just used to waking up? If your baby wakes up at the same time every night, he’s used to waking up. If your baby sleeps longer and longer and still wakes up. Most likely they are hungry and need to eat.
5. Should I let my baby cry? This is a truly personal choice and one that each parent must decide on their own. You can only handle so much and you need to sleep. Remember that if your baby has a need like food or a diaper change, then cio is not the answer. CIO is just to make your child sleep more and more. If you want to try this, set a time limit on how long you can drive, 15, 30 or even an hour and if your baby is still crying at your limit then go to them. This is her child and she needs to feel confident in how she is raising him.
6. Should I use a pacifier at night? I’ve heard too many stories about using pacifiers, they work great but then they fall off and the baby wakes up and cries until you go in and put them back in his mouth. All babies know how to calm themselves. They will find a way to comfort themselves when necessary.
7. What happens if I sleep together? Can my baby sleep through the night? Yes, yes, yes, but of course it is more difficult, especially if you are breastfeeding because they can smell your milk. You need to set ground rules for your baby and stick to them.
8. Is it okay to take my baby to bed with me? I don’t think this is a good idea and should be done only as a last resort. They are opening up a lot more problems throughout the night and neither of them is sleeping well. If her child sleeps in a separate room and is upset, go over to him, stay with him, and then have him sleep in her crib or bed.
Once your baby sleeps through the night, the challenge is to keep him asleep. You should always remind young children that bedtime is important, staying in bed is the right thing to do, and start learning about time. Your child loves to learn, let him learn the right way to be and he will have a long history of sleeping well and getting plenty of sleep.
If you have any further questions or comments about this article, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]