Top 10 Sleep Tips
Top Ten Tips from The Sleep Lady:
- Skipping naps and keeping your child up later will cause early risings, more wakings and poor quality sleep.
- Pay attention to your child's sleep window -- when a child is naturally ready to fall asleep. If you miss that natural opportunity, your child will get wired. That second-wind will mean it takes the child even longer to get to sleep, stay asleep, and won’t sleep later in the morning.
- Put your child to bed drowsy but awake. Stay with her and reassure her until she is asleep.
- Start introducing gentle sleep shaping techniques when your child is an infant and avoid the years of sleep deprivation everyone talks about.
- When your child is 6 months or older, encourage him to become attached to a lovey – a special stuffed animal or blanket. It makes the child feel safe and secure, particularly at bedtime or when he wakes up at night.
- Children usually transition from two naps to one afternoon nap between 15-18 months. Don’t transition them until they sleep through the night.
- Moving from crib to bed before age 2 usually doesn’t solve sleep problems but increases them. Not only is your child up at night but now he’s able to walk around!
- Install room-darkening shades if your child wakes up very early or has trouble napping. Also, consider using a white noise machine or a fan if you live in a particularly noisy home or neighborhood.
- If a new baby is coming, move the older child from crib to bed at least two months before or four months after the birth of the sibling to avoid feelings of displacement. Better yet, borrow a crib for the interim if the older child isn’t ready to move out of hers.
- Consistency Counts! Whatever your plan is, be consistent at bedtime and for all night wakings. Also, give it time. Sleep is a learned skill and children don’t learn it over night.
REMEMBER…. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO IMPROVE YOUR
CHILD’S SLEEP HABITS!
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