Keep nap time to a minimum to encourage longer periods of sleep at night.
Most doctors recommend adults sleep for at least seven or eight hours each night. Babies should get much more sleep than adults. However, a child may only sleep continuously for five to six hours each night. The object of sleep training is not to keep the child asleep all night, but to teach him to recognize nighttime as a restful period and to encourage the child to lull himself back to sleep when he awakens. Not all techniques work for all children. Variations in personality type mean you will have to try different combinations of techniques before you find what works for your child.
Instructions
1. Increase the child's activity level during the day. With today's work schedules, mom and/or dad may not get home until 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. It is natural for the child to want attention from her parents and to play. However, the majority of the child's vigorous playtime should be earlier in the day so she is less energetic at night.
2. Initiate shorter or fewer nap times and create a nap schedule. Dr. William Sears, respected pediatrician, recommends a consistent nap routine. Lay the child down for a nap at the same time every day. If the child becomes accustomed to regularity during the day, he will adjust to a regular sleep rhythm at night. You may have to experiment with different times of day and length of naps to find what works best for your child.
3. Develop a sleep routine. Young brains naturally associate patterns with outcomes. If every night you give your baby a bath, cuddle quietly while watching a cartoon and then read a book before laying the child down to sleep, her body will naturally begin to understand that when she has her bath, it is time to calm down and prepare to rest.
4. Respect your child's natural sleep cycle. You may want to be in bed by 9 p.m., but you may have given birth to a night owl. This does not mean you should not encourage him to calm down and be in a restful state. Many night owls may be sleepy but stay awake because they need to wind down. Go through the motions of your established sleep routine even if your child does not appear sleepy. This signals to the child that it is time to be calm and prepare for sleep. If the child does not want to sleep at the completion of your routine, encourage relaxed behaviors like curling up in a chair or on the couch with you and have quiet time. Establish this time of night as a time of rest, not play. This allows you to rest with your child and lead by example.
5. Consider using a white noise machine or playing music while the child goes to sleep. The white noise machine will drown out noises from the rest of the house and create a calming environment conducive to sleep. Leave the white noise machine on all night so the child can fall back asleep on his own if he awakens. If you use a white noise CD that stops and your child wakes in the night, you may only need to turn the music back on and allow the child to calm down by himself.
6. Lay your hands on the child's back or stomach if she awakens at night, but do not pick up the child. Some children who wake during the night just need comforting. If the child is standing when you reach her, lay her back down and gently rub her stomach or back to calm her. As the child drifts back to sleep, slowly remove one hand and then the other. Some children may find this stimulating rather than soothing, so pay attention to your child's reactions.
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