How Can I Get My Baby To Go To Sleep?
Here are six ways in which you can get your baby to sleep and how you can help your baby reach this goal.
1. Have a Night Light in Your Baby's Bed
Most parents who have young children have a night light in the sleeping area, especially on the upper portion of a crib. This will give you and your baby time to go outside and check on him (and tell you to check on him). Also, if you are using a night light to check on your baby, it will be a great idea to keep this light running for a while after you get home from work. (For a free light, download our free Baby Night Light.)
2. Let Your Baby Sleep In The Crib For a Time
Another way to help your baby go to sleep and allow him to get to sleep in whatever environment you are using on a regular basis is to let him sleep. You can try to get your baby to sleep in the living room, a bedroom or an office. If this happens, you can either keep doing this
Your baby may need a rest at about the same rate that your child does, between about 4 and 7 hours per day for the first few months of life. This may sound like an odd number to wait for, but you and your baby will be able to understand each other when you're baby is asleep.
If you're looking to help him settle down, try placing one of your hands under the covers and moving it forward and back as fast as you can. Your baby will respond well to the sound of your hand moving, so don't wait until he's restless. Just follow that up with another sound. Try moving your hand into a position on top of him, or lay on his back to be quiet.
When your baby is a little bit older, you can try sleeping more often with him as he sleeps off his rambunctious hours. Sleep training may work on him when he's a baby, or even when he's about two years old. When you want a shorter sleep, try moving him when he sleeps.