There are many things parents can teach their children. However, there are some things that children must learn for themselves. Soothing is one of them. But that doesn't mean parents can't provide the environment for baby to do the learning.
If your baby never spends time playing on the floor, how can he or she learn how to crawl? The same concept applies to self-soothing. If your child never has the opportunity to try to calm himself or herself down, the baby will continually be reliant on you as the parent to provide the soothing.
Self-soothing takes time and practice, just like anything else a baby will learn. Ensuring your baby catches on quickly requires a few steps.
1.Create a consistent routine. If you want your baby to self-soothe at nap time and bedtime do the same things each day before you will be placing your child in the crib, and ideally at the same time. For example, at nap time tell your child that he is going to go for a nap. At night, give the baby a bath, feeding or whatever nighttime routine you use.
2.Learn to read the baby's signals that indicate he or she is getting tired. Chances are your baby will become tired at the same time each day and sleeping patterns will become predictable.
3.Baby goes in the crib when he or she is drowsy, but not entirely asleep. Place the child in the crib when he or she is showing signs of sleepiness. This way the infant grows accustomed to falling asleep in the crib, rather than in your arms or in your bed. The first few times will likely be met with resistance. However, give your baby time to figure it out. Don't run in and pick up the baby at the first whimper.
4.Recognize when waking the sleeping baby is acceptable. Many parents adhere to the mantra "never wake a sleeping baby." However, you have to look at the bigger picture and use your own instincts when baby is sleeping. If your child has fallen asleep outside of the usual schedule, or is taking a longer nap than usual, it may be alright to wake him or her to get the child back on track. Also, if your baby has fallen asleep in your arms at night, you may want to wake the child so that he or she has the opportunity to drift back off while in the crib. This way he or she learns how to self-soothe and that will pay dividends when the infant can go back to sleep without your help in the middle of the night.
5.Don't give up. If your baby just won't catch on, he or she may not be ready. Wait a few weeks and try again. Find out if there's something you're doing wrong, such as rushing into the baby's room prematurely or failing to create a relaxing, predictable schedule before it's time to drift to sleep. Eventually your child can learn how to self-soothe.
Posts
