Even though you want to respond to your baby’s needs, it’s important not to jump up and soothe your baby the minute you hear him stirring. All humans, babies included, wake up either partially or completely several times a night as they enter a certain phase of their sleep cycle. It’s natural for babies to whimper, coo or cry a little at these times, but if they’re left alone, they’ll usually settle themselves back to sleep.
However, if mom and dad rush into rock, feed, sing or cuddle them back to sleep, they don’t have a chance to learn this important skill- ensuring that their bleary-eyed parents will endure many more sleep –deprived nights. I’m not saying that you should ignore your newborn’s crying altogether- remember, newborns do need attention a few minutes before you go to your baby, just in case he manages to fall back to sleep on his own.
Bedtime rituals will take on increasing importance as your baby gets older, but you can start developing a comfortable routine right from the start. End your baby’s day with peaceful, smoothing activities. Just before bed isn’t the time to play airplane or a boisterous game of patty-cake. Instead, give your baby a bath, hold him in your arms as you softly sing or read to him, rock him for a few minutes, then gently put him down. Try to stick to the same routine every night; it soon will be his signal that lights out is just around the corner.
Many parents make the mistake of rocking or holding their babies until they are completely asleep. Some even drive their babies around in the car every evening! Once a baby is completely, the relieved parents tiptoe over to the cot and try to set down their little bundle of joy. But, nine times out of ten, the moment a baby is out of the warm arms of his mother or father, he wakes up and begins to cry. So, the ritual starts all over again, except that the parents is even more tired out than before.
There is a simple way to avoid this trap. You need to put your baby to bed when he’s drowsy but not fully asleep. While they may fuss at first, most babies quickly learn to feel comfortable lying in their cots when they’re drowsy and letting themselves drift off into sleep. Once your baby has mastered this skill- and it is harder for some babies than for others, to be sure – bedtimes become easier.
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This is so, so, so important. Our little girl is only 4 months, but I can already see how crazy things get if we aren’t diligent about keeping her on a schedule. She’ll sleep ALL day one day and not sleep AT ALL the next. Yikes. As you can imagine that really screws with her ‘personality’. We’re trying very hard to get her on a schedule. However, my work schedule and our tiny house make it very difficult. I’m working ’round the clock and it rubs off on the rest of the family. Guess I better cut the hours now that I’m a father. A much needed break!
When my child was an infant, she slept all kinds of hours. My husband and I at certain times of the day would just walk around with her until she feel asleep. I did work. She slept at those time after awhile without our help.
Sorry, I don’t agree with scheduling babies. They are little mammals, like baby puppies or calves. Nobody schedules their sleep or feed times. I was told by a pediatrician once that humans are the only animal species who have their young sleep in another paddock. Any sort of scheduling is done for the parent’s benefit, not the babies. It should be us as parents who have to make allowances for the needs of very young babies. Jessica, we did the same thing with our reflux babies, and they eventually got it sorted and slept through the night.
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Im the same, mine sleeps all sorts of odd hours.
Actually we have tried to develop some rituals…. nothing was success.
Our daughter is 8 months, and she is quite active child. Nothing can make her sleep alone.
She sleeps about 40-50 minutes and than starts crying, and we have to repeat all things again. And after 2-3 times at about 1am we go to bed with her. Its terrible.
complete sleeping doze is good for baby health.