You're ready for your baby to start clocking serious z's, but something's holding him back. Get expert advice, and find out how other moms got their babies to stop waking during the night.
Encourage Calming Before Bed
"Many babies will sleep through the night by 4 months when solid foods begin and most breastfed babies will be able to get through the nighttime without a feeding by 6 months. Make sure the baby has a calming period before sleeptime without a lot of stimulation. Then put her down in her crib half asleep or drowsy. There may be a brief period of crying or fussing. Even if she still wakes to feed in the middle of the night, getting her back to sleep will become much easier." –– Mary Ann LoFrumento, MD, Morristown Medical Center and Goryeb Children's Hospital, Morristown, NJ
Use the Baby Whisperer Method
"As long as your baby's older than 4 months, you can try the Baby Whisperer method, which is about guiding baby through a set routine so she can learn to sleep on her own. We never leave the room and are always present to comfort and reassure her. My daughter is 2 and I haven't had any problems putting her down for naps or bedtime since she was 5 months old (with the exception of growth spurts, teething, or the sickies, of course!)."
Try the "No-Cry" Method
"The 'no-cry' method recommends taking the hour before bed and working on powering down. Slow down the pace of your household (turn off the TV, dim the lights — no roughhousing or loud play, etc.) and really getting into a routine. It's not a one-night-fix-all method. It's more about setting up healthy sleep patterns without the damage of crying for long periods of time."
Set Limits and Stick to Them
"Our pediatrician explained it this way: This is the first of many times that you, as a parent, will have to set limits and expectations for your child. You also have to be prepared to stick to your rules. If you want your child to sleep in her crib, you must put her in her crib and show her that you will not be coming back to get her unless there's something wrong (messy diaper, sick, etc.). This made sense to us so we tried it. After three nights, my daughter was sleeping through the night and was a much happier baby."
Give Baby a Warm Bath Before Bed
"We bathe her, lotion her up, feed her, and then lay her down in the crib. If she gets fussy or starts crying, we give her a pacifier. Keep trying the same routine every night. She will catch on."
Don't Make a Fuss Over Bedtime
"Bath, bottle, cuddle, bed. Put baby in bed awake, give her a kiss and a pat on the head, and leave the room. I usually have to go back in after 10 minutes or so because she wants her paci again."
It's Okay If It Doesn't Happen
"My two-year-old was breastfed and still wakes up in the middle of the night. I think some babies are just like that. They want to make sure mommy is still there."
*Disclaimer: The advice on Cafemom is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
