As with all children, it is impossible to reach the point when your baby can sleep through the night if you don’t have some type of schedule. Kids need structure and their bodies will be able to develop into a routine. It helps to feed them at the same time every day; especially in the beginning.
In the morning, they wake up at the same time, nurse or have a bottle, and then the day continues. Throughout the day the schedule stays the same. In the evening, they eat, take a bath, have a song or a story and the schedule continues with a bedtime that is the same all the time. Even grownups enjoy knowing what to expect and the kids are the same way.
Self-Soothing
If you are a new parent it can be difficult to hear your little one crying in the other room in the middle of the night. In fact, you probably want to run right in, pick them up and figure out just what the problem is. However, there comes a point when a child learns to self-soothe and put themselves back to sleep. Talking to your pediatrician about this is a start. You don’t want to skip the midnight feeding if you have a little baby as they may still need to eat and be changed.
However, when you realize that your baby can sleep through the night, it is time to stop those feedings and even stop going in the room. If you know they are okay, give them some time to get back to sleep. There are always exceptions. If they have any kind of diaper rash and they wake up, it is possible that they need to be changed because they are uncomfortable. Also, if there are teething it may be time for some extra gel for the gums or pain medication.
The Realization
When you realize that your baby can sleep through the night everyone in the house may breathe a sigh of relief. It gives you more time to rest and gives you a more peace full night’s sleep because you aren’t waking up. Other siblings may also enjoy the lack of crying and interruption in their sleep as well. Finally you may realize that you have time to do some of the things that you have given up since you brought the little one home. You can read, spend time catching up on your favorite television shows or even spend some time with your spouse.
By: aabadie
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