Babies are often affectionately referred to as little bundles of joy.
But at times many sleep-deprived, bleary-eyed parents would beg to differ with this statement, especially when being woken at 3.
30 in the morning by their crying baby for the fifth night in a row! It is time to employ a sleep routine for babies, but with so many to choose from how are you going to know which one is the right one for getting your infant to sleep through the night.
You may consider the Ferber method.
The Ferber method is self-soothing method that involves letting the baby cry herself to sleep, on the theory that if you are firm about bedtime, she will learn to comfort herself to sleep.
This does not mean just laying your baby down in her crib and leaving the room closing the door behind you, and never entering the room again until morning.
You usually put the baby in her crib while she is still awake, so she gets used to falling asleep by herself, and without your help.
But this might also mean letting her cry it out for a few weeks.
This method can really pull on the heartstrings, and you would have to be a tough parent to see this one through.
Another method would be the controlled crying method.
Again, this involves your usual bed time routine to help your baby sleep at night, a bath, a story, rocking and cuddling etc.
Then put your baby in her crib and kiss her goodnight before she falls asleep.
If she starts to cry, wait 10 to 15 minutes before going in to comfort her.
Do not be tempted to pick her up though, just calm her down with some gentle back patting or hair stroking until she settles once again.
Leave the room again and repeat the process until your baby finally gives up and self-soothes herself to sleep.
This can be time consuming, and a strain on the nerves, but once she knows you have not abandoned her, and is reassured of your presence, she will eventually settle and the routine will become shorter each night until she goes to sleep by herself on the first attempt.
If you want to find out more about the Ferber method or other sleep routines for babies, or you just do not have the heart to put you and your baby through these types of sleep routines, then it is time to teach yourself baby sleep techniques that are effective in a much shorter space of time.
But at times many sleep-deprived, bleary-eyed parents would beg to differ with this statement, especially when being woken at 3.
30 in the morning by their crying baby for the fifth night in a row! It is time to employ a sleep routine for babies, but with so many to choose from how are you going to know which one is the right one for getting your infant to sleep through the night.
You may consider the Ferber method.
The Ferber method is self-soothing method that involves letting the baby cry herself to sleep, on the theory that if you are firm about bedtime, she will learn to comfort herself to sleep.
This does not mean just laying your baby down in her crib and leaving the room closing the door behind you, and never entering the room again until morning.
You usually put the baby in her crib while she is still awake, so she gets used to falling asleep by herself, and without your help.
But this might also mean letting her cry it out for a few weeks.
This method can really pull on the heartstrings, and you would have to be a tough parent to see this one through.
Another method would be the controlled crying method.
Again, this involves your usual bed time routine to help your baby sleep at night, a bath, a story, rocking and cuddling etc.
Then put your baby in her crib and kiss her goodnight before she falls asleep.
If she starts to cry, wait 10 to 15 minutes before going in to comfort her.
Do not be tempted to pick her up though, just calm her down with some gentle back patting or hair stroking until she settles once again.
Leave the room again and repeat the process until your baby finally gives up and self-soothes herself to sleep.
This can be time consuming, and a strain on the nerves, but once she knows you have not abandoned her, and is reassured of your presence, she will eventually settle and the routine will become shorter each night until she goes to sleep by herself on the first attempt.
If you want to find out more about the Ferber method or other sleep routines for babies, or you just do not have the heart to put you and your baby through these types of sleep routines, then it is time to teach yourself baby sleep techniques that are effective in a much shorter space of time.
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