How can I get my child to sleep through the night? If I had to name the biggest question people ask when they find out that I’m a sleep coach, that would be the hands-down winner, and I completely understand why! When my oldest daughter was small, I would’ve given anything for a good night of sleep! There’s not an easy, one size fits all, answer that I can give people. (Otherwise, I wouldn’t have a job!) There are, however, some hints that can really help!
Be consistent. There are so many different ways to help a child sleep well, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to which one is the best. Just pick the one you can follow. If you change your response to wake-ups (alternating among cry it out, feeding, and bringing him to your bed) your child does not know what to expect, and it will be much harder on everyone.
Have reasonable expectations. Many parents come to me with 3-month-old children, wondering why they don’t sleep through the night. Unfortunately, a normal 3-month-old can only sleep for one 6-hour stretch. A 6-month-old, on the other hand, is usually capable of 11 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Make your child’s sleep a priority. Children, like adults, sleep better in low noise and low light environments. Yes, many kids can sleep on the in a carseat or stroller when needed, but this is NOT ideal. It is fine every once in a while, but a child who consistently naps “on the go” will become overtired, and additional sleep problems will usually result. Young children also need an early bedtime, around 7pm, even if it is a logistical challenge for most parents.
Don’t rely on sleep crutches. It’s so easy to just rock the child until he falls asleep or feed him. They are quick and effective! Unfortunately, they are also things he can’t do for himself, so if he wakes up in the middle of the night, he’s stuck. He needs you to come back and make him sleep with that rocking chair or bottle again!
Put them down drowsy, but awake. Children need to learn how to fall asleep on their own. Otherwise, normal partial awakenings lead to a fully awake and very upset, child. The easiest way to help your child learn this skill is to get him really tired at bedtime, but allow him to do the work of actually falling asleep on his own.
Do you have suggestions or questions that you’d like to see me cover on this blog? If so, please post a comment to this post. :-)
