Baby Sleep Training

• Jen
• Sleep Training
• 4 Comments

Baby sleep training to get a newborn baby to sleep through the night is like the Holy Grail for new parents.  Many, many people will say it’s just not possible until your baby is several months old (at least) and others act like getting no sleep for months is like a badge of honor for new moms and dads.

Well, our family is living proof that you can in fact be getting pretty close to a full night of uninterrupted sleep when your baby is merely weeks old.  By the time our son was a month old, he was sleeping from 7:30 pm until 5-6 am on a fairly consistent basis.  No, he is not a miracle baby (although he is pretty awesome).  It’s because we started baby sleep training when he was a week or two old.  Don’t get scared – we are not talking about Ferberizing or anything like it.  We will walk you through the basics below.

First and foremost, you must remember that your baby is a person! That’s right, you made a little person! We know you know this- at least on some level. But it’s worth thinking about more deeply– especially when all you can think about is wanting to know how to make your baby sleep. Your baby is a new person, experiencing nearly everything for the first time. What can you do to respect your baby and make this transition into the world as easy and comfortable as possible?

Especially for a new baby, you should be aware that most things that you do will have an impact on the habits your baby is forming.  So, unless you plan to hold your baby whenever he/she naps indefinitely, don’t let your baby get used to sleeping in your arms.  If you think we are exaggerating, we are not – friends let their newborn son get used to napping while being held and for the next 8 or 9 months, this is what they had to do each day- it was the only way he would sleep!!  It’s also good to think about your actions in terms of your baby’s routine. There is a tremendous comfort in having a consistent daily routine – including a baby sleep training routine.

Now, onto the heart of the matter – how does one do baby sleep training to get a young baby to sleep thru the night?  What worked for us was getting on son on a pretty strict schedule that dictated when he would be fed, when he would sleep and when he would be awake.  The other big component is making sure that the baby gets sufficient food intake during the day so he/she can sleep thru the night.

Baby Sleep Training Schedule:

Our schedule was pretty straightforward and centered on 2 key things: feeding him enough and making sure he was awake for long enough during the day.  Here was a standard day:

7:00 – 8:00  morning feeding,

8:00 – 10:00  morning nap

10:00 – 11:00 feed baby, get him dressed for day

11:00 – 1:00  keep baby awake – go out for a walk, play, whatever you want, but keep baby awake

1:00 – 2:00  feed baby, get baby ready for nap

2: 00 – 4:00  afternoon nap

4:00 – 5:00  feed baby

5:00 – 6:30  keep baby awake – have visitors over, play, read

6:30 – 7:00  bath time for baby & then dress baby for bed

7:00  feed baby and put to bed

Feeding for Baby Sleep Training

Many baby “professionals” say that you have to wake a baby every three hours to make sure he/she gets enough food.  I guess these professionals don’t recognize the benefits of uninterrupted sleep for mom, dad and baby.  We agree that you absolutely must be very careful that the baby is getting sufficient milk throughout the day (rule of thumb is baby’s weight in lbs x 2.5 oz) but an appropriate baby sleep training schedule should take care of that.

What we did, over a period of days/weeks, was to slowly increase the amount our son ate at each feeding so that he was consuming enough milk during his 5 daytime feedings.  And we initially thought that we should just feed him more before bed – that the earlier feedings didn’t matter – that’s not at all true.  We were most successful when he ate a standard amount across each of his feedings.  If you follow this approach, be aware that you will be feeding your baby more per feeding than many people do – and there are naysayers out there!  But we followed this approach, as did many other people that we know and all of the kids are now at least toddlers or older and all are thriving.

Training your baby to fall asleep and to stay sleeping can be a huge benefit to both you and your baby. And don’t underestimate how valuable it is for you to get sleep as a new parent. It might seem obvious, but being able to get a decent night sleep during a very stressful time in your life will help your health, mood, and of course- let you take better care of your baby! And don’t forget– your baby NEEDS sleep. Incorporate some of these baby sleep training tips and you and your baby will be well on your way.

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