Sleep Training

Sleep training starts from the moment you bring your baby home. Every time you lay down your precious bundle to rest is another chance to teach them. To lay them in their bassinet, crib, or playpen when they sleep teaches them where they should sleep. This also helps later when you change them from bassinet, to crib, to bed.

Personally, I do not believe a child should ever be in the bed with their parents. I know this works for some people and that I'll probably get comments stating as much. From what I have seen, and read, a bed should be a parents retreat, the one place that is sanctuary for them. I am not saying that there won't be nights of nightmares or tummy aches and days where you want or lay around with them on your bed. These days should be limited and children should be put back to their own bed whenever possible.

The easiest way to get them to sleep in their own place is to start as a baby. When they are close to asleep lay them in their crib or bassinet and pat their tummy or back until they are asleep. This mimics when you pat their back as a newborn and will ease them off to sleep.

Routine is key, find a bedtime routine that works for you. Mine was always bath, evening bottle (or breast) and then bed. This slowly changed as they grow older. Try to keep it as close to the same time every night. Set an alarm if needed to keep you on track. Sometimes things happen or you're on vacation.  On these nights, try and find a way to keep them wound down enough so that they will be able to sleep when you can get them down.

I am a firm believer in letting them cry it out. I will probably go into this more in another post. (I could seriously go into this for a while). Bed time is where this is the most important. This is where you have to tough through and let them cry. Of course your baby wants to be held. It helps no one but you by giving in every time. The older that they get, the harder bedtime will get if they don't learn to self soothe.

Switching them from crib to bed is one of the hardest hurdles. They now have free roam to get up and down whenever they want. Try not to get too upset when they want to run and giggle. They won't understand when you get angry. The best thing that you can do is to let them put themselves into the bed and tuck them in. They are going to get back up, they are going to run. It's human nature for them to do so. Try just taking them back to bed and tucking them back in. Say as little as possible except "Goodnight" and give them a kiss. The excuses that come at bed time are the most extensive. Make sure that you note what the most common are and get all of those things out of the way. Let them know once you leave the room, it's time for them to be asleep.

You as a parent need your time of the day to breathe and relax. This comes back to what I said in the beginning. When I'm done for the day I want to curl into my bed next to my husband and relax. The best advice I can give for bedtime is be firm, stay strong and don't give in. Bedtime shouldn't be a battle, it should be a time of peace. The happiest moment of a parent's day is looking upon their sleeping child and knowing they have a few moments of peace.