How many times have you heard: “Put the baby to sleep awake but sleepy”; “Put the baby on a
schedule”; “Don’t nurse the baby to sleep”?
Each child is different. Some are born wonderful sleepers and others need more help learning
to put themselves to sleep. If you have one of those children who was not born a natural
sleeper, it is not your fault. Each child will learn to settle in their own time, but you can help
them learn.
When it comes to sleep training, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, even for different children within the same family. If it is your first child, you may be more willing to try the “cry it out” training method, letting a child cry in their bed until they fall asleep, than if you have a toddler in the room or next room, who gets woken by a second baby crying. One of my favorite
sleep training methods is the “chair method.” It is great for the baby who is used to falling asleep in your arms and can work well for toddlers with separation anxiety. The first step is to put the child in their crib awake but keep a hand on them, so they feel your touch the whole time. Once they have mastered that step – so they are calm and can be in their bed without screaming- you then try sitting next to the crib, but not touching them. After mastering that step, move the chair back a little bit until you are out of the room. This could take many nights and may be a long slow process, so don’t get discouraged!
I think the most important thing to remember is that sleep training is incredibly personal and
the time to do it is when you as a parent are ready to start.