So you need your child to sleep? You can't deal with hours of him crying it out, or a strict schedule b/c you actually have a life outside of your home. Here are some tips I have picked up, some from The no cry sleep solution by Elizabeth Pantly (she
is wonderful!!!!!)
1. Try to put your child to bed and get them up about the same time a day.
2. Try getting your baby to take at least 1-2 naps at home (depending on age) before you run your errands.
3. Don't enforce a strict schedule b/c you will have days you can't enforce this. Try to be flexible. If your child is incapeable of napping any time but the scheduled times, you will deal with hours of fussiness b/c you missed the normal naptime.
4. Try a mobile or other singing toy at night or at naptimes. It will often soothe a sleepy baby to sleep to look at something pretty and they wil fall into slumber.
5. Have some quiet time before bed so your child can wind down. If you just plop them in the bed you will deal with a lot of crying.
6. If you have sat quietly, turned on their music and it has turned off and they are fussing, go in and pat them, kiss their head, etc to try and get them to sleep without picking them up. That way they are falling to sleep in their bed just with your help.
7. Consider using a blanket or special stuffed animal, swaddling or a sleep sack to help you child associate sleep time with. We use a sleep sack not only for a cue for sleep, but also b/c she kicks all her blankets off and gets cold.
8. Try to associate key words with getting them to sleep. We say "we turn out the light, when its time to go night night" and then turn the light out. Eventually your child will understand oh, its time for me to sleep.
9. If you try to let your baby cry it out, sometimes it helps if you are in the room. If they just want their bed, mine tries to throw herself on the floor now when she is sleepy and won't let me hold her, put them in bed, plack one hand on their tummy, and then another on their cheek or rub their back or head, whatever seems relaxing. I stay in the room like this until her eyes are closed, then I slowly put her favorite stuffed animal in her hand in place of my hand.
10. If your child wakes up crying, it usually means the nap was too short. Do a quick sniff test to see if their diaper is dirty, if not, try to get them back to sleep, especially if its been under 30 minutes for a nap. You could try a pacifier or some soothing music, sometimes just your presence will help.
11. When all else fails rock them to sleep or use a bouncy seat or go for a car ride, then try again later. Sometimes you just have to take a break, and try again. There is no reason to feel bad, sleep is something your child has to learn. You have to be patient and teach them. It won't happen in a day. You could also try rocking them until they are almost asleep, and slowly shorten the time you rock your baby. We rocked ours to sleep first, then put her in bed as soon as her eyes were closed. Did this a few days, then rocked her until she was relaxed. And gradually shortened the time.
Good luck, I know this is very frustrating try to get a baby to sleep.
(April 2007) (
