By Anna Stager of The Sleeping Home
I remember waking every 1-2 hours every night with my baby. I felt desperate for sleep. I hardly saw my husband. I read a lot about babies before becoming a mom but I somehow missed reading the chapter on sleep.
After two months of searching, I found my solution. I discovered what I needed to change and how to do it.
We started sleeping through the night. I felt like “me” again and my baby was happy.
Today, I’ll give you my Top 5 Sleep Tips so you can get sleep filled nights:
Create a Safe Sleep Space
Set up your child’s sleep space for success:
1. Safe – Practice safe sleeping guidelines
2. Dark – Black out curtains on windows
3. Quiet – Sound machine to block random noises
4. Boring – Keep their crib and/or bed free from toys, lights, etc.
Catch your child’s sleep window
Ever wonder why your child seems sleepy but then won’t go to sleep? This is because they missed their sleep window. The Sleep Window is the time when your child’s body is naturally ready to go to sleep. Sleepy cues indicate the window has started (rubbing the eyes, yawning, zoning out, etc.).
If your child doesn’t go to sleep at this time the window passes and their body releases cortisol (a stress hormone) that makes your child WIRED and TIRED. This second wind results in difficulty falling asleep, more night wake ups and rising before 6 a.m.
Plan to put your child in bed when the sleepy cues show up – this is the time when their body is ready to sleep. Start noticing when your child is getting sleepy and get them to bed at that time instead of later. You’ll be amazed at the difference!
Follow a good sleep schedule
Children sleep better if we give them a developmentally appropriate sleep schedule. This doesn’t need to be a rigid schedule. Instead, think of having a consistent flow to each day that involves regular wake up times, getting enough naps, and a not-too-late bedtime with a routine.
Grab my free Sleep Schedules to see how much sleep your child needs and suggestions for nap and bedtimes.
Develop a good bedtime routine
Choose a bedtime routine with 3-5 elements that calms your child and cues to the brain that it is time to go to sleep! Then 15-30 minutes before their bedtime, start the bedtime routine. Make sure to do the same things in the same order every night.
Teach your child how to self soothe to sleep
Your child has partial arousals between sleep cycles at night, and however she goes to sleep at bedtime (rocking, nursing, patting, etc.) will be what she wants again during the night wakings. When we teach our children to self soothe to sleep at bedtime they learn how to put themselves back to sleep during those partial awakenings.
Once your child is 5 or 6 months or older and you get a green light from the doctor, you can do gentle sleep coaching to teach your baby how to self soothe to sleep. Gentle Sleep Coaching helps babies sleep 10-12 hours at night (may include feedings) and take great naps within 2-3 weeks.
If you are doing all of this and your child is still struggling with sleep or you want guidance on how to do gentle sleep coaching, reach out and let’s talk. I support parents individually or through sleep classes so you can be a happy Sleeping Home!
Anna Stager is a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach in Spokane. As owner and operator of The Sleeping Home, Anna partners with parents so they can reach their sleep goals with gentle and developmentally appropriate sleep coaching plans and techniques. Check out The Sleeping Home’s high-visibility ad under the Sleep Coaching category of the Spokane Birth Resources Directory.