Babies and Sleep Training

If you are a new parent and are having trouble finding those calm days of uninterrupted sleep then you need to explore the world of babies and sleep training. For the first few days, newborns will have no daytime-nighttime difference in their sleep behavior. It takes about 2-3 weeks before babies begin to realize the difference between daytime and nighttime. During those 2-3 weeks, parents will find themselves entertaining the baby at odd hours. 

The first lesson in babies and sleep training is to offer minimal chance of disturbance at night. Keep the baby awake during the day but not forcefully and at night hold the baby quietly in low illumination surroundings. Do not let the baby sleep for 20 minutes after each feeding by keeping it interested in various activities. 

Babies will not sleep if they are too tired or they are too excited. The "Crying Down" method will sound a bit cruel but it can prevent sleep problems later on. Note that this method is to be used only with babies who have a mild problem with falling asleep. Most parents will find it unendurable to hear the baby cry but in this method of babies and sleep training, babies under 6 weeks are allowed to cry themselves out for 5-10 minutes. In some cases the baby might even cry for as much as 20 minutes before falling asleep. Once the baby quiets down and begins to dose it is very important to reassure the baby by a sooth touch and soft voice. Do this for around a minute and let the baby sleep alone after that. Return after 5-10 minutes to make sure everything is alright and repeat this until the baby learns to fall asleep. 

The next stage in babies and sleep training is implemented for babies more than 6 weeks old and weighing more than 10lbs. The baby should be healthy and already accustomed to the sleep training. You will know the right time for this training when your baby requires feeding in the middle of the night but not feed properly in the morning. The "Core Night" method of babies and sleep training suggests that if the baby sleeps through the night, missing a feed, then this habit must be cultivated to encourage even longer sleeping spells in the night. In case the baby does wake up, wait to see if sleep resumes. Sometimes you may have to help the baby go back to sleep. For babies over 6 weeks old who are putting on weight nicely, offer them water or a dummy but do not feed them. 

If nothing works then try "Controlled Crying" for babies and sleep training. Make sure you have seriously tried the "Core Night" method before trying this. The Controlled method works by putting the baby in bed and leaving them alone for increased intervals. For the first day you may come back after 5-10 minutes of crying to sooth the baby. Keep increasing this duration between crying and sleep every day but in gradual amounts. It may take from 3-5 days for the baby to learn to fall asleep independently.