Last night I was tag teamed by our preschool aged twins. Usually, they are pretty good sleepers, but since the end of summer they have fallen into the strange habit of waking up in the middle of the night screaming for company. Luckily, they recognize that 2am is not play time and they are willing to stay in their bed and sleep. But, they will only do so with mommy by their side. So, I did a little research and jotted down some notes of my own. Here are some quick tips to get your family resting peacefully and soundly through the whole night.
1. Sleep training works best from about 4 months old to one year old.
2. There is no quick fix. Sleep training can take time and what works for one child may not work for another. Whatever method you choose (Ferber method, crying it out...), be consistent and stick with it. It can take up to 5-6 days to see noticeable differences in your child.
3. Find a routine that works and do it every night. Whether it be dinner, bath, story and bed...or bath, dinner, lullabies and bed, babies and toddlers thrive on routine, as they like to know what's coming next and take great comfort in a regular schedule. It can do wonders to settling a little one down for the night.
4. Try to figure out your child's cue that she is tired. For some children, it's all in the eye rub. I know when my son is tired because he will try to shove Grover's entire blue fuzzy head in his mouth. Once I see the sign, we make a bee-line for the bed.
5. Finally, in my experience, it is best to put a child to sleep while she is still awake - tired, but definitely awake. That way, she learns not only to fall asleep on her own, but that being in her crib or bed is safe and secure.
6. If you are feeling at your wits end with sleep training, we recommend calling Tracey Ruiz, the Sleep Doula. Better yet, come hear her speak at a BlueLoop luncheon on December 1.
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