Teaching your baby to fall asleep alone

Being a mama is no piece of cake! The first few weeks of having a newborn can be overwhelming, they bring so much joy and so much exhaustion at the same time! Most moms would tell us that they just enjoy putting their babies to sleep and watching them smile in their sleep, sending them away with the best of dreams. But they will grow faster than anything else, and before you know it you are trying all you can to put them to sleep so that you can get grab some sleep for yourself too.

Then you will be ready for your little pumpkin to start learning to self-soothe themselves to sleep. This is a crucial development skill for your baby of which will help their bedtime routine into their toddler years.

                           

1. Finding a routine

Many of us find routines boring, but they are definitely comforting for babies. This prevents confusion for the baby during the day of what and when they are supposed to be doing things, like mealtime, bath time, nap time, reading time, and bedtime. They will then know exactly what they are meant to do.

2. Stay still when putting your baby to bed

When putting your baby to sleep, instead of rocking them back and forth in your arms, try and start holding them still until they fall asleep. This gives them the same environment as when they are laying alone and still in their baby crib. This also means that if they wake up in the middle of the night, they won’t expect you to rock them back to sleep.

3. Put them in their crib, awake

Most experts agree that teaching your baby to sleep on their own is best achieved through laying them down in their crib still awake. This does not necessarily mean wide awake, but drowsy even with their eyes closed. What’s important is that they know they are alone in their crib and not carried by you. They will then associate being put in the crib with going to sleep. If they wake up later in the night, they will learn that they don’t need you to help them fall asleep again.

4. Stick to just one method

The internet may provide you with hundreds of ways to put your baby to sleep. But it is best to just stick to one, even though it may seem like it isn’t working in the beginning (and it may be very tempting to try other methods, don’t) because it will only be confusing for your baby. All your hard work could just be thrown out the window. 

5. Don’t give up!

For many parents, they would feel guilty leaving their baby alone in their crib or fear that the baby will feel lonely without you. But don’t give up, it’s not an overnight process. It’s only possible if you stay strong, and both you and your baby will be so happy you gave it a shot!