Sleeping Techniques For Babies: How They Sleep Through

Teaching a baby to sleep is a difficult task that most parents end up facing. Every child is unique, and families should adapt the sleeping techniques they use to suit the child’s needs. If you want to learn more about sleeping techniques , just read on.

Sometimes you will even discover that conflicting techniques can be effective with the same child in different periods.

Specialists generally recommend introducing sleeping techniques during the fourth month of the baby’s life. But the right time can vary from person to person.

Some babies sleep for several hours at a time from a very early age, while others have more difficulty with it.

General advice for teaching your baby to sleep at night

There are two completely opposite theories on how to help your child get a good night’s sleep.

However, you should first know some common rules of thumb that will help your child develop this habit. 

• The whole family should agree on what kind of sleeping techniques are used. If a mother decides to let the baby cry for a few minutes, then no one should pick up the baby.
• Set specific times for dinner naps and stick to those times. Otherwise, your baby will get tired at bedtime, and then they will actually have a harder time relaxing.
• Repeat the same routine every night before bedtime. This can involve giving your baby a bath, reading a story, singing a song, cuddling her on her back, etc.
• Try to put your baby to bed early. If you wait until it’s too late, she’s going to be too tired and irritable to fall asleep easily.
• Avoid quarrels among the adult or older siblings at bedtime, as children may perceive the tension.

Experts continue to examine and debate the best conditions for teaching babies to sleep. But they have not yet agreed. This is because there are no sleeping techniques to suit everyone.

Some parents get the best results with one technique, while other families are happy with another.

Sleeping techniques that teach your baby to sleep

• To sleep without tears

This is without a doubt one of the most desired scenarios for any baby’s grandparents. Grandparents can not bear to see their precious grandson cry, no matter what the reason.

William Sears is a pediatrician who started No-Cry Sleep Solution. He bases his ideas on the concept that babies should associate sleep with positive experiences and emotions. 

If your baby can associate sleep with caress and warmth, then he will be able to sleep peacefully.

According to this method, you should put your baby to bed when he is already about to fall asleep. Try to avoid even the quietest sounds. Pick up your baby again and cradle him if necessary. 

You can breastfeed your baby or give him a bottle or pacifier. Caress him gently and make him feel safe. This is an essential part of the sleeping technique.

Another suggestion is that parents should sleep with the baby if they feel like it. The most important thing is that the baby connects this moment with comfort and security.

This method takes longer and it goes at a gradual pace. Slowly, your baby will stop waking up so often during the night and it will be a more pleasant experience to fall asleep.

• Cry-through methods

At the other end of the spectrum, there are those who claim that you have to make her cry to teach her to sleep alone. 

With this method, children adapt to a new sleeping habit much faster. But the process requires a lot of patience and discipline.

The doctor, Richard Ferber, confirms that a child must learn to calm his own fears so that they can learn to sleep. To achieve this, the baby must be placed in her cradle while she is still awake.

If your baby is crying, you can walk up to her and soothe her with some pats on the back without picking her up. You must then leave the room.

It does not hurt your baby if you let her cry for a few minutes. She will feel safe when she sees mom or dad. Your baby will fall asleep after a few tears.

• The fading method

This method is slightly between the other two. The goal is to teach the child to calm himself, but in a more gradual way.

The child should be put to bed while still awake. The parent must stay by his side until he falls asleep.

The parent should gradually go further away from the child, or spend less time by his side. This way, the baby will gradually be able to fall asleep alone without the need for company.

There are endless sleeping techniques, and specialists offering a wide range of advice. But the most important thing is that the parents are flexible enough to switch between the methods if necessary. 

Some of these sleeping techniques may work on one child but not another. It’s about seeing what works and not being overwhelmed. Sooner or later you will see the results you are looking for.