It is best to start training your baby to sleep from birth. When you first bring your baby home from the hospital, start by letting him get used to sleeping through noise. Although you may be tempted, don’t put your baby in a dark, quiet room during every nap. Let him sleep in his playpen or his bassinet downstairs near you. Let him sleep in his baby swing while you watch TV. This will teach your baby to be flexible and to sleep in any situation.

In the evening, put your baby to sleep in a bassinet next to your bed or in his crib down the hall. Although some enjoy the “family bed” in which your baby sleeps in bed with you, if you need your sleep, skip putting junior in your bed with you. It will only make him dependant on your presence and a constant breast in his mouth.

It is imperative in the early months that you feed your baby on demand. If he wakes in the middle of the night with hunger, go right to him and feed him. This will build a trust relationship between you, and he will be a happier, more secure baby. He will sleep better too.

It is okay to rock your baby back to sleep after his feeding and diaper change. After he is asleep, gently place him back into his crib.

2-6 months

Learning to Fall Asleep on His Own

If you have been rocking your baby to sleep for the past few weeks, it’s probably best to wean him off this. If you keep rocking him to sleep after every feeding, he will begin to depend on it to help him sleep. That means a lot of miles in the rocking chair for you.

To let your baby know it's bed time, establish a nightly bedtime routine. An example would be bath time, massage, story time, bottle, and bed. Follow this routine religiously and your baby will learn that this is the time to wind down to bed.

Start by rocking him until he is very sleepy, but not asleep. Then place him gently in the crib and stay with him until he falls asleep. Place your hand gently on his head or tummy to remind him that you are there and all is well.

Gradually begin to exit his room earlier in this process until you get to the point where you rock him until sleepy, put him in his crib and walk right out of the room. He will learn how to soothe himself to sleep.

Eventually, you will not need to rock your baby to sleep at all. Within this time period, your baby should also learn to sleep through the night. Continue to appease him with feedings on demand as his stomach matures.

Learning to Soothe Himself Back to Sleep in the Middle of the Night

Once your baby is capable of sleeping through the night and is just using his night time feedings as a crutch, start training him to soothe himself back to sleep instead. Invest in a crib attachable music box that he can turn on himself. Babies love the Fisher Price Flutterbye Dreams Lullabye Birdies Soother. Your baby is soothed as one bird flies all around the beautiful nest while two other birds fly around inside the nest, all while mama bird watches. As a ceiling projector baby is soothed as wonderful nature scenes are projected onto the ceiling. Comes with 5 songs and 3 sound effects which play with the touch of a button for 10 minutes, until baby or Mom plays it again.

Another good soothing tool is a favorite blanket he can hug. Do not place loose blankets or stuffed animals in your baby’s crib until he can roll over and sit up.

If he wakes in the middle of the night, go into his room and gently pat his head or his back. Let him know that you are there, but DO NOT PICK HIM UP. If you pick him up, he will learn that he just needs to cry in order to be picked up. Continue to pat him, sing to him, coo to him, whatever you can do to soothe him. If you are getting frustrated and tired, leave the room for a while. If he is still crying, go back in and try the process again. Continue this until he falls asleep. Be patient. It may take him a few nights to learn to sleep through the night.

6 months – 12 months

Your baby should be sleeping through the night with two or three naps per day. If you need further help training your baby to sleep, check out these books on the topic. Click here.

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