Has your baby taken control of your nights? You no longer get to rest because your baby has either made the decision to stay awake at night, or does not want to sleep unless you are holding them. Baby sleep training allows you to take back control and begin to make the changes you desperately need.
Warning, baby sleep training must be a mutual decision by all caretakers in the house. Just one person disagreeing destroys your chances. This means mom, dad, big brothers, big sisters, and any one else in the house who may take care of the baby needs to be ready for what is about to begin.
The reason baby sleep training takes a mutual decision is because you are going to be letting your precious little baby cry. It is going to drive every one of you crazy. Plan for feeling distressed, worried, maybe even a little panic stricken. You are not abandoning your baby, or ignoring them. You are simply taking some proven steps to help modify your baby’s sleeping patterns.
Ready? The most effective method of sleep training is called “Crying It Out”. It means exactly what it sounds like. Prepare your baby for bed at the proper time, when you know they should be sleepy. Make sure they are well fed, the diaper is freshly changed, their clothes are comfortable, all the essentials need to be finished.
Now comes the hard part. Put your little baby in bed, kiss them goodnight, comfort them for a moment, and walk out of the nursery. The crying is going to start, you already know that. Keep walking and go to your bedroom, the living room, or whatever room you need to be in. Check the clock and make a commitment to not check on the baby until 15 minutes have passed.
This 15 minutes is going to feel like forever if the baby is screaming. Everyone in the house is going to feel anxious about checking the baby. At the 15 minute point one of you, only one of you, can walk back to the nursery, check the baby to make sure everything is all right. Spend two minutes in the nursery talking, touching, and comforting your baby. Do not pick them up unless it is required for fixing the bed or changing clothes. After two minutes leave the room again.
The crying may start up again. If it does, watch the clock carefully again. Do not return until at least 15 to 20 minutes have passed. You can then repeat the previous checking of the baby. Spend only the 2 minutes in the room again.
This cycle can be repeated for about 4 cycles and then if the crying is still going on pick up the baby for a few minutes and try again.
No one said baby sleep training is easy, but it is effective. You must train yourself as much as the baby. After a few days you will start to see changes in behavior which can last a lifetime. It is worth your efforts.