Three Ways to Get Baby to Sleep
Nothing is more frustrating for a new parent than hearing your baby cry and being unable to soothe him. As a parent you want only the best for your baby and it is so important to get your baby sleep, sleep your baby needs to be rested, calm and happy.
Here are three ways to get baby to sleep fast:
1. Calm yourself first. Babies are highly intuitive and pick up on their parents moods and vibrations. If you are anxious, nervous or upset, your baby will be cranky and restless. Take a warm bath, listen to music or take a time out and go for a walk before attempting to comfort your baby when he or she is very cranky and won’t sleep. Your baby will feel the change in your mood and start calming down immediately.
2. Establish a bedtime routine. It does not matter if your baby is very young, it is never to early to get your baby into a routine to get baby sleep. This also means making sure your baby is on a feeding schedule. One of the worst mistakes parents make is letting their baby “graze” and eat whenever they want. A good rule of thumb for young babies who are breast fed is nursing every one and half to two hours and for formula fed babies, every three to four hours. If baby becomes cranky before those times, it is probably because he has gas or needs a diaper change. If you make sure your baby is nursing 10 to 15 minutes on each breast at a feeding or taking in the required amount of formula for his age, he should be able to last until the next feeding.
3. Play Lullabies. Music is proven to soothe and calm babies. In fact, hospital nurseries, especially the neonatal units, play music to calm babies. a fast way to get baby to sleep is to put on a collection of lullabies without vocals that uses classic music. I have composed my own lullabies in my CD, Good Night Lullabies, and you can get two free lullabies to try by going to www.goodnightlullaby.com
Here is a very little known method to get baby sleep that you won’t read about in most baby books. Only experienced mothers are familiar with this trick. You will need a pacifier. Now, do not be concerned that your baby will develop nipple confusion, buck teeth or have a binky in his mouth until he is 5 years old. A pacifier is perfect fine to use if taken away by 6-9 months old. For this technique to be successful, you should offer your baby a pacifier early on so that he won’t reject it later.
Here is the trick:
During the night, when you hear your baby starting to fuss, immediately go to him and offer a pacifier instead of feeding him. He will suck for a while and then will most likely spit it out and start fussing again. Go back in and offer it again. The goal is to prolong the time between nightly feedings and help your baby fall back into a deep sleep. Each night, the time between feedings should be increased until you eventually have a baby who sleeps through the night.
Caution: This should only be used with babies who are at the age and weight to sleep through the night. Do not use on a small baby who needs the night time calories.
Patrice Cosier
http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/three-ways-to-get-baby-to-sleep-675132.html
kristenrcrowder March 5th, 2010, 5:11 am
How do I teach my three month baby to sleep on her own?
My baby is 13 weeks old. She sleeps well at night, and I know she can put herself back to sleep. During the day she is awake for an hour then takes a 45 minute nap. She does this all day long. Although I wish she’d take longer naps I’m ok with her having her own schedule. The problem, is that the only way she’ll fall asleep is if I swaddle her, then cradle her and rock her from side to side for anywhere from ten to twenty minutes until she’s asleep, if I put her down too soon she cries. If she was taking two or three naps a day it would be different. My back feels like it’s on fire all the time now, it hurts just to carry my baby around. I need to teach her how to fall asleep on her own. Can anyone help? (I am NOT going to let her cry-it-out)
There’s no point in keeping her awake longer. She just gets really cranky, she won’t play when she’s like that.
She was born November 23rd.
We have a swing but she won’t sleep in it.
Once she’s tired she gets super cranky and starts squealing high-pitched, you can’t do anything to console her except put her to sleep.
Last week she took three two hour naps for two days straight, then she went back to the 45 minute naps.
I bought the baby whisperer book and am trying it but am also looking for differnet ideas.
I don’t want to use another prop like a swing, I want her to be able to fall asleep on her own.
I appreciate all answers but I don’t want to use a sling, swing or any other prop. I want to be able to lay my baby in her bed and have her fall asleep on her own.
Grant's Momma March 5th, 2010, 10:13 am
the book the secrets of the baby whisperer helped me out ALOT in this area. my almost 3 month old is still swaddled and he will take about 3 1.2-2 hour naps a day.
References :
http://www.thebabywhisperer.com/babywhisperer.html
me March 5th, 2010, 10:15 am
I also have a 13 week old baby….when was yours born???I have to do the same thing….mine loves her swing so I put her in there after she nurses and then she will fall asleep……mine used to take long naps during the day too and she starting to be awake more also….I also will not let my baby cry it out either….I am not sure for an answer for you I just thought I would tell you you arent the only one that this is happening too…
References :
Mommy of 2
Mine was born Nov 26
lashes92 March 5th, 2010, 10:17 am
Do you have a baby swing? I ended up having to get one for my son because I had similar issues. Once I got that thing… I LOVED it because HE loved it! It might help free up your arms a bit
Good luck!
References :
Veronica S March 5th, 2010, 10:19 am
maybe you should play alot with her and she might get super tired
References :
sassylassy2876 March 5th, 2010, 10:21 am
try and keep her up during the day don’t let her nap as much. It may seem cruel to let her cry but it not it worked my mine. some times you have to let them cry it teaches them how to be able to console them selves when they need too. play with her to keep her awake dont let her nap as much now. do things to stimulate her to keep her awake three naps a day is about normal now. she isn’t old enough to use a swing. you can’t keep holding her every time she cries she will earn to to do that to get attention. just put her down and let her cry out her frustrations. but really should try to keep her awake. for 4 hours before taking a nap.
References :
steph19812006 March 5th, 2010, 10:23 am
try getting a baby swing like this one its comfy enough baby can take naps in
References :
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5430279
Maalru3 March 5th, 2010, 10:25 am
If you won’t let her cry it out, then you are going to be stuck in the same rut you are in. by now you know the difference between what her cries mean. YOu have created this by not allowing her to self sooth. So you need to take her into her crib, rock her as you sing or what ever you do, then put her in her crib even if still awake. Get one of those light things that reacts to sound so when she does cry it will come on and get her atention. She will cry and you need to let her. 20 min, if she is still crying, go in and pat her on the back, do not take her out of crib. If you do you will have to start back at sq.1 cause you will have then taught her that if she cries long enough, you will come get her. 3 nights of this process, and she will be trained. You should try to keep her up a bit longer in the day, she is 3 months now and should beable to stay up loner then an hr. at a time. If not you are going to have rougher nights. Trust me, it will be harder on you then her. Like I said, if you can’t let her cry it out, then you are stuck. There is no magical way because you have already taught her that if she cries, you come running. Mother of 2
References :
Hokie For Life *Missing You JLL* March 5th, 2010, 10:27 am
You don’t "teach" an infant to sleep. She spent 9+ months growing inside you, and her new world is kind of a scary place. It makes sense that she wants to be rocked to sleep by you. You cannot spoil an infant, and in fact, holding and rocking her to sleep will help her sleep better on her own when she is ready. Buy a sling, and wear her around in the evenings. She’ll nod off, and a sling is really easy to get off once baby is sleeping.
I’m glad to see you won’t let her cry-it-out like a previous post suggested (I feel sorry for her kids!).
Just a thought for the cry-it-out advocates: Even Dr. Ferber didn’t suggest his cry-it-out "program" until baby is 8 months old. However, it should be noted that Dr. Ferber recanted his cry-it-out advice, and says it is detrimental to a babies health.
References :
luvnbirth March 5th, 2010, 10:29 am
Buy a baby sling or wrap to carry your baby. You can nurse her and she can fall asleep in the sling and you can save your back
References :
heavenlildevil78 March 5th, 2010, 10:31 am
my son is 2 1/2 months old and he feeds every 4 hours and sleep thought the day and night. During the day to get him back to sleep i usually rock him for alittle bit or until his eyes get heavy and then i put him down in his swing and he sleep in there unitl it’s time to feed him and change him. at night i do the same thing but i don’t put him in the swing i put him in the bassinet with his moblie moving, his virbate on and his music he will fall right to sleep. my son has been on the same schedule since he was in the hosptail so we have kept him on that and it works out just fine for me and him. once i while when putting my son in swing or bassinet he will cry but when he does cry sometime he puts him to sleep. I didn’t teach my son to fall alseep on his own he just did one day all by himself because i put him down in the swing to do something and he was crying and then it stop so i went to check up on him and he just fall alseep. try putting her in the swing or bouncing seat and see if that helps.
References :