Tips for training your baby to sleep throughout the night
Sleep training a baby can be a challenging task for many parents. Here are great tips to try!
For most parents, training their children to sleep through the night can be a mission and a half!
This is because babies do not know how to differentiate between day and night.
Some children might sleep most of the time during the day and stay awake at night.
This doesn't have to be the case. Sleep training your children will make them sleep longer during the night.
READ: Choosing the best pillow for a good night's sleep
Let's look at ways to achieve this.
- From the earliest stages of their development, infants can be taught routine and the difference between day and night. Try to wake your baby if they sleep during the day. You can wake them up by playing with them, bathing them, and exposing them to everyday noises.
- Ensure that when the sun rises, you expose them to sunlight.
- Feed them regularly during the day and ensure that they are well-fed before sleeping time to avoid them waking up due to hunger.
- At night, dress your baby into pyjamas.
- Decide whether you want to sleep with your baby on the bed or in their own crib and put them there.
- Switch off the light and remove all noise distractions.
- Sing a soft song or read a story to your child to put them to sleep. Only do this if you are prepared to do it every night.
- If your baby wakes up at night to feed, feed them with the lights dim.
- Briefly check on your child when they wake up, so that they know that you are available. But don't stay for long.
- At first, your baby might cry because they are not used to the sleeping routine, but don't always jump at every opportunity to pick them up when they cry. They will eventually learn to fall asleep.
Image courtesy of iStock/ @NataliaDeriabina