Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

The term, “I slept like a baby” is one far too many people use incorrectly. In fact, those who use that term to describe a great night’s sleep are the ones without kids. Of this I am certain. When someone says to me that they slept like a baby I automatically assume they had a horrible night’s sleep and that they are exhausted, grouchy and in desperate need of a nap. However, as a parent you do want your baby to sleep – just not like a baby. You want your baby to sleep through the night, which is why these tips are so important for you.

Routine

Even babies recognize routine. They may not understand it, but if you’ve spent a year giving baby a bath at 7 pm, reading him a story at 7:30 and having a last bottle before bed at 8 pm, your child recognizes routine. He also recognizes that at the end of this routine he will lay in his crib and is expected to sleep. If you want your kid to sleep, make sure they know it’s time. Start a routine and stick with it.

Stop With the Rocking

If your child won’t go to sleep in his crib by himself think about what you’ve done. Did you spend the first nine months of baby’s life rocking him to sleep in the living room and placing him softly into his crib after he falls asleep? If you’re doing that you are making bedtime miserable. You need to break the habit if you even want junior to fall asleep on his own.

Daytime Stimulation

Have you ever noticed how well your baby sleeps after a busy day outside? Perhaps you spend the day at a pool party and your little ones sleep like a dream come true that night. That’s because children who are stimulated and busy throughout the day are actually tired and ready to sleep at night. If you want baby to sleep tonight, keep him busy today.