Follow these 10 simple guidelines to help your baby reach the "sleeping through the night" milestone. And my number one piece of advice to sleep deprived new moms is BE PATIENT. It is never too early to follow these sleep guidelines but you can't expect your baby to start sleeping 12 hour stretches until they are developmentally and physiologically ready (typically between 4 and 8 months). Also, if and when you decide to sleep train give the approach at least a week to work.
1. Got White Noise? This is must-have, especially for city-dwellers. White noise helps comfort small babies and help to cancels out household and environmental noises which may wake a sensitive sleeper.
2. Darken, Darken, Darken. The ideal level of darkness should allow you to barely see the outline of your hand. This is hard to achieve with blinds alone so we generally recommend blackout liners.
3. Clear the Clutter. The crib should be a place to sleep, not play. Clear out mobiles, electronic crib toys and the mountain of stuffed animals. If your child shares a room with others, partition off his or her crib with a hanging curtain or divider to eliminate distractions.
4. Cool It Down. The ideal temperature for sleeping is 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the guess work out by having a room thermometer on hand. It will help your child sleep better and longer.
5. Pick an Appropriate Bed Time. The best bedtime for babies and toddlers is between 6 – 8 p.m. Choose a time that you can commit to for the long haul.
6. Create a Calming Bedtime. A bedtime routine should not last more than 10-15 minutes (excluding bath time) and be free of television or stimulating toys. Incorporating massage time can also be a wonderful source of connection while helping to transition children into a more calming state.
7. Pick the Right Time ForSleep Teaching. Do not start sleep teaching if your child is sick, received shots within the past 48 hours, or is currently experiencing a major life transition. We also generally suggest waiting until a child is at least 4 months of age.
8. Ensure Partnership Among Parents. Both parents should agree on a sleep teaching method and understand the approach. Start sleep teaching on a night you are both at home, ideally on a weekend.
9. Take a Deep Breath. The less emotional parents can be about the sleep teaching process, the easier it will be for a child. Children looking to parents for cues, remain supportively neutral and firmly believe in your child’s ability to sleep independently.
10. Find Support if You Need To. Sleep teaching can test even the most self-assured parents. If you’ve struggled with sleep teaching for more than two weeks, look for a professional sleep coach such as Dream Team Baby.