Sleep training your baby or toddler can be the key to getting a full night sleep back.
But is it the only thing that can improve sleep? And does it mean leaving your baby alone to cry it out?
The good news is that you do not to leave your baby's room at all in order to help them start the process of self-settling. And also if you are not feeling ready for any form of sleep training, there are plenty of other things you can do in order to get better sleep.
What is self-settling and why it is important?
Self-settling is the ability of your baby to fall asleep on their own, without your help. Babies have sleep cycles which are 45 minutes long, and their inability settle for the first sleep cycle would result in them requiring the same help at the and of the first or second 45 minute cycle.
Any help, they require to fall asleep is called a Sleep Association.
Sleep associations can come in a variety of forms. It could be falling asleep on a bottle or breast, needing to be rocked to sleep or needing a dummy in order to self-settle.
As a certified sleep consultant and a mum, I do not believe that all sleep associations are bad. For example dummy can be a good way to help your baby settle without direct input from you.
Not to say, that it is a fool proof method. As it can sometimes result in the need for a carer to replace that said dummy every 45 minutes.
But more often than not it would help them to get longer sleep stretches. If your baby doesn't use a dummy I would not encourage you to introduce it. But at the same time I wouldn't rush my clients into getting rid of it either. As you can achieve significant sleep improvements while still using the dummy.
Top tip 1
Babies can replace their own dummy from around 8-9 months old. You can try placing a few dummies in the cot to make it easier for your baby to find a replacement in the middle of the night.
What to do if you are not ready to sleep train?
A lot of parents I speak with, see sleep training as some method of leaving your baby on their own to cry it out in one for or another. While it is an option, a lot of parent's don't quite feel comfortable with this approach.
But don't worry, it doesn't mean there is nothing else you can do. There are other thongs which impact the sleep quality of your baby.
Wake windows
Putting your baby down at a correct time can be counted as half the job, when it comes to a successful bedtime/nap time.
There are two main hormones, which impact sleep cycles. It's cortisol - wake (or also stress) hormone, and melatonin - sleepy hormone. When your baby stays up past their wake window, their body goes into an overdrive mode and starts producing more cortisol to hep them stay up.
This means that when you eventually take your baby to sleep, they might struggle to settle due all the excess cortisol, even if they are tired and really wan to sleep.
This is why sticking to their wake windows can be essential in their settling process.
Click the button below to download our wake windows guide
Top Tip 2
If you are not ready to focus on the settling training, make sure to follow wake windows and same routines every day. If you want to find out more about age appropriate routines, follow us on Instagram.
Best Sleep Training Practices
Have you decided that you are ready to make this step but don't know where to start?
Below I will walk you through the process of sleep training.
In night 1 you have do to day prep work, in order to ensure the most smooth transition. I would usually suggest choosing a weekend, when you can control the naps and bedtime completely.
It is important to stick to those wake windows and get enough daytime sleep in, to make sure that your baby is not overtired by bedtime.
Once you start the routine, you do not have to make big changes on day 1. You can start by switching to patting them instead of rocking. Or rocking instead to feeding to sleep. It is completely up to you to choose what your starting point will be.
Once you have established their routine, stick with it for the next 3-4 days without any further changes.
You want your baby to get comfortable with the new routine, before you progress any further.
The end goal would be leaving your baby to settle in their own bed, and you can stay in the room with them if it gives you more comfort.
Top tip 3
If your starting point is rocking your baby to sleep, do not transfer them into their own bed until it's been 20 minutes since they've fallen asleep. It will ensure that they are in their deep sleep state and will be less likely to wake up once you leave the room.
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