Counting Sheep and Cuddles: Self-Settling Techniques That Work

Getting your baby or toddler to fall asleep on their own has been likened to the process you need to use to get them to learn to crawl. If you’re a Mom or Dad who carries baby everywhere, they might never learn that important lesson because they never get the chance to figure out how it’s done on their own. Essentially the same thinking applies to getting your child to settle down and get to sleep by themselves and if you get into a long-term habit of rocking or feeding your baby until they drift off, there’s no motivation for them to learn or at least try all by themselves.

However, that doesn’t mean you should just turn the light out on your way out of their room every night and hope for the best either—parents have an important role to play in putting together the right atmosphere for their little ones to self-settle.

In The Mood For Shut-Eye

Start by putting together a routine that tells her it’s time to get ready for bed. A well thought-out consistent plan will let him know the time is approaching for sleep and a nice warm bath and quick massage will put them in the mood for some shut-eye. Reading a favorite story capped off with a cuddle and kiss are excellent ways to set the stage.

Understanding how young children think is invaluable to getting them to self-settle and can make a routine even more effective. Babies think in the simplest terms and while the connections you make with reading and a bath work wonders, these condition the baby to think you need to be involved for them to fall asleep. Teddy Bears, pacifiers and other similar objects can also make for sleep association accessories that work after you’ve left the room.

While talking softly to your baby or toddler is considered one of the other tried and true methods, some parents prefer to let their child cry out as the first step in learning how to fall asleep on their own. There’s one caveat here—ten minutes of crying can seem like hours in the middle of the night!

The Process Of Falling Asleep

Remember, there’s no need to panic in most cases or stand outside their room fretting. Most children will master the process of falling asleep on their own between three and six months and if they have some difficulty, you can try sitting close to their bed and then moving further away on each successive night. While you’re in the room with them, there shouldn’t be any conversation. When you talk to your toddler or baby at all, you should be gentle but firm saying things like “You should go to sleep now,” and making only minimal eye contact.

By mastering this important skill, your little one is learning an important life lesson they can use when you leave the room or later on when you  have gone to work.

Read more info like this at  All My Children.

Author: Rob Starr