Sleeping Through the Night – Baby Sleep | Toddler Sleep Help

Why The Babywise Method May Not Be Right For Your Baby

kimberly — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:22:25 +0000

On Becoming Babywise is a popular book with new parents, but it receives a lot of criticism from doctors and other parents as being too restricting, especially for newborns. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) even spoke out several years ago and said Babywise is downright dangerous. It is up to each individual parent or family to decide if a method like Babywise is right for your baby.

On Becoming Babywise

The Babywise methods suggests feeding on a schedule of every 3 to 4 hours (depending on the age of the baby) instead of feeding on demand starting from the first day of baby’s birth. It also includes an eat-play-sleep schedule that they suggest you follow in that order every time throughout the day. The book indicates that your baby should then be sleeping through the night at around 8 to 12 weeks of age.

The eat-play-sleep routine is meant to help your baby know what to expect each day providing a sense of predictability and security. This type of routine is meant to encourage baby to take a full feeding since he will not be too sleepy and fall asleep while feeding, which prevents him from associating feeding with sleeping (a common baby sleep problem) and thus have a better wake time to play since he is both full and well rested.

Babywise Criticism

Because of the strict routine emphasized in Babywise, the APP indicates that some babies can be at a higher risk for “failure to thrive” and become dehydrated, especially for younger babies due to the stringent feeding schedule of every three hours from birth. When using the Babywise method, parents who are ardent followers of the method will delay feeding their baby until the “right” time even if the baby is showing signs of being hungry.

Additionally, the Babywise Method is thought to be even harsher than the Ferber method in some ways. Babywise will advocate for allowing your baby to cry in 20 minute intervals including for newborns while Ferber suggests waiting until the baby is 4 to 6 months old. For the eat-sleep-play schedule to work with feedings every 3-4 hours, then baby needs to be napping between 1 to 2 hours each time. For many babies, they do not nap consistently for these longer periods of time and it is not uncommon for a baby to have short naps through 6 months old. Babywise indicates that babies who wake early from their nap should be allowed to cry back to sleep, even from a young age.

Why Babywise may not be right for your baby

While Babywise does clearly state that if your baby is hungry sooner than the scheduled feed time, then you should feed him. How parents interpret this advice or any of the advice in the Babywise book, can vary widely. The most important thing for parents to remember is that you know your baby the best and you should use your best judgement to apply what works best for your baby and your family which can include making modifications to any sleep training method.

For some babies, sticking to the suggested awake times that are outside of your baby’s comfort zone may simply be out of the question and lead to meltdowns and over-tiredness. As babies get older and can naturally stay up longer between sleep periods but need to eat more as they are more active, then it can become very difficult to make the Babywise method work for your child. As parents, we need to be aware that not every baby will thrive with this method. There can be a variety of reasons that it may or may not work with your baby. It does not mean, however, that you cannot borrow from Babywise or any other method and make modifications for routine that works well for your baby.

With regards to sleep, our philosophy is to wait until a baby is at least 4 months old before trying a sleep training method that involves allowing a baby to cry for 20 minutes or more. This does not meant you cannot still use Babywise and instead you can use the suggested routine while helping your baby learn to sleep in a gentler way. As babies reach the 4 month mark, their sleep becomes more organized and they gain the ability to self-soothe.

This article isn’t to suggest that Babywise does not work for some families. It is simply to suggest that not all methods work for all babies. Each baby is different and unique and quite often there is no one-size-fits-all method. For some who try the Babywise method, they find their baby is too hungry or may even nap worse due to being hungry, some nursing mothers may see a decrease in milk supply by going too long between feedings or it simply is not the right method for that baby. If you find Babywise does not work for your baby, that does not mean you have failed. Just work to create a plan and a routine that works for you and your baby using baby sleep books as guides to help you.

If you haven’t already, please make sure you pick up your FREE copy of 5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night to get tear-free tips to help your baby with his or her sleep problems. This is a FREE guide for you and we hope your baby is sleeping through the night very soon! Good luck!

Tips to Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Better

kimberly — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:21:10 +0000

Many parents find that after they bring their baby home, that “sleep like a baby” really only lasts for a short period of time. It generally is not too long after baby comes home that parents start to wonder when their baby will “sleep through the night.” However, it should be noted that it can be dangerous for a very young newborn to sleep all night as they really need to eat about every three hours as part of their growth and development.

We also want to point out that all new parents should be aware of that the safest way for a baby to sleep in on his back to help avoid the risk of SIDS. Parents should also read about other ways to reduce the risks associated with SIDS.

Keep Awake Time Short

During the first week or two, a newborn will most likely sleep a substantial amount in a 24 hour period. After the first week or two, keep baby’s awake times very short. This means that you should be helping soothe your baby to sleep after a maximum of one to two hours wake time. Keep an eye out for signs that your baby is getting tired and move towards getting them down for a nap. If a baby is starting to fuss or cry, then you have waited too long and then baby is moving towards being overtired.

Once a baby is overtired, then it becomes more difficult for them to go to sleep and then to stay asleep. In those first few weeks, a new parent will start to gain a good sense of their baby’s tired signals as well as how sensitive their baby may be to being overtired. Each baby is different, so the more in tune parents are with their baby, the easier it can be to avoid difficulties in getting baby to sleep.

Wake time typically includes feedings, diaper changes, bath time or other periods of time that are stimulating to your baby regardless of how long his last nap was. It is important to keep in mind that in those first few weeks, a baby cannot be awake long before becoming tired and overstimulated.

Swaddle Your Baby

Many newborns will respond well to swaddling as it mimics the feeling of being in the womb. Swaddling your baby in a blanket or special swaddling wrap helps her to feel safe and secure. It can also help a baby to stay asleep during any moro reflex moments. Most babies will stop being startled awake by reflexes around the 4 or 5 month mark.

Parents will often think that their baby does not like to be swaddle because it will appear that they are fighting or struggling against the swaddle. This typically happens because the baby is already overtired and is agitated. Once you have your baby swaddled, trying rocking or swaying your baby in your arms and see if it calms your baby down.

Keep Days Bright and Nights Dark

A common concern for parents is the day/night confusion that occurs with most newborns. While it might seem appropriate to have naptime be dark and quiet for your newborn, this can actually extend the period of day/night confusion. Day/Night confusion typically lasts up to six weeks but you can help to keep that period from lasting longer by keeping the days bright and active but nights should be dark and quiet. This means using little to no light during night time feedings or diaper changes as light is what cues us to wake up or stay awake even when it’s time to sleep.

Limit Naptime

If you are having trouble with a newborn that is not sorting out their nights and days, then you may want to limit their naps during the day to no longer than three hours each.

Daytime Routine

Another way to help your baby overcome day/night confusion is to develop a daytime routine of a bit of play or activity after she eats. Try to keep her awake 30 minutes after feeding by doing something active like playing, singing, taking a bath. The goal here is help her body adjust to more daytime light to stimulate her eyes and help her body understand that daytime is the time for being awake (in between naps, of course.) A eat-play-sleep routine is often recommended for young babies.

Co-Sleeping with Your Baby

Some families find it easier (and more comforting) to have their newborn in their room for quicker access for night time feedings and diaper changes. It can also be a source of comfort for the baby to be able to hear and smell you close by. If you do choose to have your baby sleep in your room, then it is recommended to use a co-sleeper, a sleep positioner or a bassinette rather than placing your baby directly in bed with you. Speak with your pediatrician or read other resources for additional safety tips regarding co-sleeping with your baby.

Angle Baby’s Mattress

If your baby is spitting up a lot or has issues with reflux, then it can help to put his crib mattress at an angle when he sleeps. This keeps him from being flat on his back so his feet are lower than his head which keeps spit up down. With most cribs you can angle a crib mattress by changing the support platform on one end. If that is not possible, then you can place blankets or a pillow under the mattress until it has a slight incline but is still otherwise relatively flat. Be sure to not tilt the mattress at such an angle that your baby may slide down the bed. Speak to your child’s pediatrician or another child healthcare provider before doing this though to be sure you are doing what is best and safest for your child.

Using White Noise to Help Your Baby Sleep

White noise is sound that is makes a static, continuous sound such as a fan whirring, a vacuum cleaner, a dryer or static noise from radio or TV that is not set on a station. Often white noise can be comforting to a newborn as it reminds her of the noises from inside mom’s womb such as the sound of blood flowing or her heart beating. While you may not inclined to run a hair dryer or vacuum all day so your baby can sleep, you can use a white noise machine, sound machine or a white noise CD near where you baby is sleeping.

Wearing Your Baby

Parents with fussy babies or for parents who believe in the benefits of having baby close to your body, it can help to “wear” your baby using a baby sling. The sling not only provides baby with comfort by being physically close to mom or dad, but the snugness mimics their feeling in the womb. When used while mom or dad is walking, the movement can help lull baby to sleep. It can be a good way not only to help get your newborn to sleep, but can provide a way for mom or dad to go for a walk and get out even while baby is sleeping.

Using a Baby Swing

Just as the movement of being walked in a sling can help a baby to go to sleep, baby swings are another option for getting your baby to sleep. There are swings which go back and forth and now there are swings which go side to side. Some babies will respond better to one type of swinging over another. It is also not uncommon for some babies to prefer going to sleep and staying asleep when in the swing is going rather fast.

If you take your baby for a drive to help her fall asleep and then bring her inside to sleep while still in the car seat, keep in mind that some feel it is not safe for a newborn to sleep in a car seat. You may want to research the issue yourself or speak with your pediatrician about it

These newborn sleep tips are meant to help you get your baby to sleep in those early weeks and the first few months. Some of them can create sleep associations but during those early weeks, you generally want to do whatever you can to help your baby to sleep. It certainly does not hurt to try and put your baby to sleep without using some of these ideas but as we all know, each baby is different and for many of our babies, they will need our help getting to sleep and learning how to go to sleep as they get older.

How to Get Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night

admin — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:07:11 +0000

A baby waking at night is a common problem for new parents. Many tired parent often wonder why do babies wake at night? Babies get tired within a short of amount of time but still will not sleep. Here, we will discuss the 5 top reasons for baby night waking.

1. Sleep Prop

Officially known as “sleep association,” the more widely used terms are “sleep props” or “crutches.” A “sleep prop” is something your baby believes she “needs” in order to fall asleep. For most babies, this is a pacifier, bottle, or breastfeeding as the sucking is soothing to them. Other babies will have a sleep association with movement such as rocking, bouncing, walking, the car, etc.

In general, the bigger the sleep prop, the easier it is to transition the baby from it. However, the sucking reflex can be rather strong for some babies and that can be a difficult sleep association to change.

2. Developmental Milestones

As a baby is discovering how to crawl, or pull themselves up, walk and talk, then parents will often see a disruption on their baby’s sleep both at night and for naps. It makes sense that this can cause temporary sleep regression for babies and toddlers since adults often do not sleep well either when they have something on their mind.

During these times, it is important to keep your expectations in check. Even while it may not seem like your baby is learning a new skill, does not mean that he isn’t. Babies are continually learning in a short amount of time. A baby who learns how to fall asleep on his own and without needing help from you, then sleeping through the night becomes more frequent.

3. Teething

Babies will go through different periods of teething during the first two years of life. Often, a baby will be bothered by new teeth even before the tooth has erupted. When teething disrupts sleep, this can make parents feel powerless as they wonder if their baby is in pain and how to best comfort their baby without creating a sleep association. For some babies, teething does not disrupt their sleep at all. Having a plan for how to deal with teething when it disrupts sleep will be the key to not creating new sleep props during teething.

4. Hunger

Many babies will continue to need at least one feeding at night up until 12 months of age. It is more common than not that a 5 to 7 month old baby will be hungry at night. As most babies are sleeping 11 to 13 hours a night, this can sometimes be too long for a baby to go without feeding. Gauge how much your baby eats during the feeding as way to know if night feedings are necessary and to understand when to night wean.

5. Being Human

Parents often hear that babies thrive on routine and schedule so sometimes they are surprised and confused when their baby does not sleep the same every day. The majority of babies do well with routine but they are not robots and cannot be programmed to be the same every single day. There are some babies who you can set a clock by and then others who remain unpredictable as just part of their nature. Babies will have good and bad days just like their parents do.

There can be many reasons a baby will be waking at night and those reasons can increase with toddler sleep. The reasons listed above are among the top five that come up frequently for parents struggling with their baby’s sleep. Understanding the reason why a baby can wake at night can be the first step to helping teach your baby to sleep through the night.

If you haven’t already, please make sure you pick up your copy of 5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night to get tear-free tips to help your baby with his or her sleep problems. This is a FREE guide for you and we hope your baby is sleeping through the night very soon! Good luck!

Your Baby and Sleeping Through the Night

kimberly — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 17:58:13 +0000

New parents often ask how long will it be before a baby starts sleeping through the night. For some parents this means a baby sleeping through the night with a few feedings and other parents believe that means sleeping through the night for 10 to 12 hours with no feedings. Everyone may have a different definition of your baby and sleeping through the night.

For most babies, “sleeping through the night” means going 5 to 6 hours without waking and a feeding or two a night. The key to helping a baby learn to sleep through the night is to change any sleep associations she might have such as needing you to replace the pacifier or feeding to sleep. Beyond thinking that sleeping through the night is with or without a feeding, parents often feel like their baby will never do it. Even when overcoming major sleep associations like rocking your baby to sleep then there can be other disruptions such as illness, developmental milestones and teething. Sometimes it can feel like there will always be something that keeps your baby from sleeping through the night.

When Do Babies Start Sleeping Through the Night?

Ask ten parents what they have been told when a baby will start sleeping through the night and you just may get 10 different answers. Some doctors and other health professionals believe a baby should be sleeping through the night with no feedings by 4 months of age. As most babies need between 10 to 12 hours of sleep at night, a feeding is often needed to help get through the night. Each baby is different and parents know their babies better than anyone, so if you feel that your baby needs to eat at night, then it is okay to feed them. Breastfed babies often need to eat at night longer than formula fed babies, in my experience, too.

When a child reaches 12 months of age, however, and they are waking multiple times per night for a bottle or to breast feed, then that is most likely not due to hunger, but is out of habit.

On average, many babies will begin to sleep fairly well between 4 and 6 months of age with feedings. For a baby to sleep through the night without a feeding, most babies can be night weaned between 9 and 12 months of age.

If you research the topic among parenting and baby sleep consultants, you will find differing opinions even among them about when a baby will sleep through the night and what sleeping through the night really means. While parents can read a wide variety of parenting and sleep advice, it is best for parents to go with their instinct when it comes to deciding how to handle their baby or toddler’s sleep.

If you believe your baby is waking out of habit and needs help learning healthy sleep habits, then he probably does. If you feel that if your baby ate more during the day then he might be able to sleep all night, then it is worth an attempt to night wean at that time. If your instincts are pointing towards a belief that your baby or toddler relies on feeding to fall asleep, then take the steps to help teach him how to fall asleep on his own without eating.

Parents will often look for the answer for getting their baby to sleep through the night. Understanding and using the right tools and skills to teach your baby to sleep independently will lead to your baby sleeping through the night naturally when your baby is ready.

5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night – a FREE e-Book by The Baby Sleep Site™

admin — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:48:19 +0000

To receive 5 (tear-free) Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night, our FREE and instantly download-able e-Book in standard PDF format, simply enter your name and e-mail below. No obligation. It’s that easy! (Privacy policy: We will never share your info!)

“I downloaded your pamphlet from your website about 6 weeks ago on a morning when I had gotten less than 4 hours of sleep for the 5th night in a row with my four-month-old son (our first baby). I was desperate for advice, anything to help us improve what was becoming an urgent situation. Our son has a ventricular septal defect (2 holes in his heart) and we have had struggles since his birth with him needing to eat too often, but not taking in large enough meals. After reading your advice and implementing the portions of it we thought fit into our situation we were able to get our son into a routine in less than two weeks that has CHANGED OUR LIVES! He now goes to bed between 7:00 & 8:00 each night and doesn’t wake up for a meal until 2:00 or 3:00am. I was so confident that this routine would continue to work that I decided it was time to go back to school online full time this fall and it’s going great. I can plan homework around when I know he will be sleeping and we are just one happy bunch around here.

THANK YOU for taking the initiative to help parents like my husband and me by making your advice available online. I’ve recommended your website to half a dozen or more friends to date and I’ll continue to do so.”
-Erica

Getting your baby or toddler to sleep through the night can be one of the most difficult experiences of parenthood. Not only are poor sleep habits bad for the overall health of your baby, but a lack of proper sleep creates a repeating cycle of frustration and exhaustion that can worsen over time and extend its reach into all the parts of your family’s life. Let’s face it: cranky babies mean cranky parents, and cranky parents can quickly turn entire households upside down.

Where Can You Turn for Help?

When sleeping through the night affects your family, authors, psychologists, pediatricians, and well-meaning friends are all likely to weigh in with the rights and wrongs of getting your baby back on track to restful, consistent sleep. Much of this information is founded in sleep science, some of it is based on traditional wives tales, and the rest is usually packed into 200-page books that will take weeks of dedicated reading. Unfortunately, all this advice can quickly stack up to make your bleary-eyed days even more difficult to face.

5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night, a pamphlet released by the baby sleep experts from The Baby Sleep Site™, is a quick and easy solution for parents looking to bring a little more sleep (and a little less crankiness) into their lives. It takes the best of the information contained in books, scientific studies, online forums, and experience and transforms it into one short e-book that you can read in a single sitting.

5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night offers the tips you need to make important changes, but it also respects the unique ways in which you want your children to be raised.

For busy parents seeking some much-needed tips on how to get their babies and toddlers to sleep through the night, access to this kind of streamlined information is the first step toward great results. At the same time, you don’t want a cookie-cutter approach to sleep patterns, since no two children act – or sleep – the same way. 5 Ways to Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night offers the tips you need to make important changes, but it also respects the unique ways in which you want your children to be raised.

How to Get Your Free Sleep Through the Night Report

Everyone deserves to enjoy a baby or toddler who sleeps through the night – especially parents who are rapidly reaching the end of their ropes. Sign up for The Baby Sleep Site™’s mailing list down below, and you will get instant access to this free downloadable pdf report. As part of The Baby Sleep Site™ community, you’ll receive updates, special offers, and announcements. You will also have access to the regularly updated articles on The Baby Sleep Site™ blog.

Because your peace of mind is what getting your baby to sleep through the night is all about, your contact information will be kept confidential and will never be sold or shared to outside parties.

Get Started Tonight

It’s never too soon – or too late – to learn more about your child’s sleeping habits and what steps you can take to promote sleeping through the night. The information you learn right now can be put to work as early as your baby’s next nap time.

We want you to succeed and start getting the rest you all deserve.

“I haven’t had to purchase any of your products and in a way I am sorry b/c I haven’t financially supported you but in another I’m glad that at this point I don’t need it. Somehow I’ve managed to read your blog, navigate your website and get through the development hurdle that is going on at the time….but I do want to say one thing….THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your blog, your newsletters and just your genuine and honest nature. I just read your article “your baby won’t sleep and it’s your fault!” and I was so close to tears (good ones) when you said something along the lines of ‘it is your fault and it is b/c you are a loving mom/dad’. I just wanted to say thank you for not judging us moms and not making us feel like failures. I do have to say that I recommend your website to so many moms and friends of mine as the place to go to not feel judged and to get in touch with someone who will really put their interest and needs first.

Ok, I’m going to bed now…my son has been sleeping thru for the last few nights (again) and I want to make sure I take every chance I get to do the same….talk soon and once again…THANK YOU for helping so many of us that need your help and guidance!”
-Michelina, Ontario, Canada

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