Most posts contain affiliate links.

I make a small PROFIT off of you purchasing

products from these links, at no additional cost to you.
AUGUST 11, 2014 BY KATIE 3 COMMENTS
Gentle Ways To Help Your Child Sleep Through the NIght (Without Crying it Out)
8
Share
174
Share
2
Share
550
Share
Share
Share
Share
One of the biggest challenges a new parent faces is with a child who won't sleep
. Here are a few gentle ways to help them that don't involve crying it out.
Despite the advice of some well-meaning people, I never resorted to crying-it-ou
t with Jack. I believe all parents have the right to make the best decision for
their child, and Forrest and I never felt good about letting Jack cry-it-out, de
spite his terrible sleep problems. Hes had health problems since the day he was b
orn, that often result in pain, so we just didnt think it was the right decision
for us. And before any of you think Im judging you if you used crying it out, Im n
ot. It just wasnt right for us!
Because of that decision to not use the cry-it-out method, I found myself search
ing high and low for tips to help Jack sleep better. Even though it took a littl
e longer to get him to sleep through the night, it was worth the effort and slee
pless nights. He now goes to bed really easily (well, at least when we are at ho
me) and takes a nap every day between two and four hours. I like to think were be
ing rewarded for those many sleepless nights.
If you are finding yourself with a child who just wont sleep, but for whatever re
ason dont want to use crying it out, here are a few things we did that we found e
ffective. Some of these ideas are based off of The No-Cry Sleep Solution, which
is a book I highly recommend. Its very well-written and has some great tips. Whil
e none of these are fast fixes, I believe they are gentle ways to help your chil
d be more comfortable!
1) Routine
Children are creatures of habit. I think one of the most important things you ca
n do is establish a sleep routine early on. With Jack, we usually put him down t
o sleep at the same time every night, but it wasnt until we finally started havin
g a very specific routine right before bedtime that he not only stopped fighting
us when we put him down to sleep but seems to look forward to our nightly ritua
ls. Im sure our routine seems a little bit silly to some, but it works. One night
when I was away taking some photos for my sister-in-law, Jack was having proble
ms going to sleep, so I sang to him over the phone the song we always sing, and
it helped.
It can be hard to make sure your child goes to sleep around the same time every
night, but its important to try and do so. Their bodies start to get trained to g
et tired around the same time if its done over and over again. If you are putting
your child to sleep at random times, it can confuse them, making it hard to get
them to sleep ever!
2) Comfort
I think its important to make sure your child is comfortable and knows you havent
abandoned them. Whether or not you decide to have your child cry-it-out is up to
you, but whatever you do, let them know you havent left them to the wolves.
Before your put your child down at night, be sure to make sure they have a clean
diaper on (who wants to sleep in a wet one? No child I know), and that the clot
hing they are wearing are appropriate for the climate and temperature. There hav
e been a few times that we put my son to bed with just a onesie on, and he woke
up earlier than usual because he was so cold.
Giving your child a comfort item at night is a great idea, too. Whether its a fav
orite blanket, a stuffed animal, or something else, having something to cuddle a
t night can help them feel less alone. For my son, he has to have some of his li
ttle trains, his Grammy blanket, and his WubbaNub before hell let us leave the room
.
3) Wind Down Time
This is something Forrest swears by. It seems like right before bedtime is when
Jack gets the most wound up, especially when weve been spending time with family
. For anyone, it can be hard to go straight from non-stop fun, to non-stop quiet
ness. Right before naptime and bedtime, we take about 10-15 minutes where we hel
p our son wind down a little bit. It usually involves reading a book, or just sn
uggling on the couch, but weve found that he goes to sleep much eaiser if hes not
wired.
And when you think about it, isnt that the same for most of us? I know that when
I try to go to bed after a rather intense workout, or even watching a captivatin
g television show, I have a really hard time falling asleep. It can take some ti
me to wind down, but the ten minutes that it takes is worth it, when it prevents
60 minutes of whining and trying to avoid sleep.
4) Sleep Associations
The author of the No Cry Sleep Solution suggested creating sleep associations, whi
ch is basically something that the child only associates with sleep. This can be
anything from soft music playing, to a blanket, to lavender essential oils in a
diffuser it just has to be something that is only used during sleep time. It ma
y take time to create a sleep association, but after a little bit of consistency
, these sleep associations can be incredibly powerful and comforting. For Jack,
we have some white noise that we only put on right before bedtime or nap time, a
nd as soon as it goes on, he falls asleep pretty soon after.
5) Wear their blanket
This is something that works best with younger children (under about a year.) In
fants are usually comforted immensely by the scent of their mother, especially a
t night time. And since you probably dont really want to climb in their crib and
sleep with them, putting a blanket, or even an article of clothing, near them th
at smells like you can help calm them down.
When Jack was smaller, I would often put his swaddling blanket (the Aden and Ana
is brand is the BEST) around my neck, like a scarf, for about two hours before I
wanted to put him to bed. When it was bedtime, I would swaddle him in it, and I
really feel like it helped him fall sleep faster and for longer. Its not recomme
nded to put loose blankets or pillows in a babys bed when they are young, so keep
that in mind.
6) Bath
A lot of children are very soothed by their baths, and it can really help them s
leep better. Jack isnt one of those children hes hated bath time since he was abou
t nine months old. However, from everything Ive read, giving your child a nice, w
arm bath right before bedtime can help soothe their minds and body and prepare t
hem for bed. Lavender is a scent that is oft associated with relaxation, so if y
our child isnt sensitive to scents, I would recommend getting a lavender shampoo
or bubble bath. We always like using Lavender and Chamomile from Baby Magic.
7) Rule Out Illness
As I mentioned, our primary reason for avoiding crying it out with Jack was beca
use of his health problems. He has had digestive problems, ACID REFLUX, and ear
infections since he was young, which does affect sleep. This was something we di
scovered after several doctors visits, and Im grateful that investigated why he ha
d so many problems sleeping. After countless ear infections, he had tubes put in
, which almost immediately helped him sleep better. The stomach problems have be
en harder to help, and he does occasionally still wake up because of them, but n
ot nearly as much as he did before.
Not all children have health problems if they are having problems sleeping. Howe
ver, some do, and if you find your child just wont sleep, or cries inconsolably f
or hours, I would definitely consult your doctor. You never know if theres any un
derlying problem! If you find that your child is having a lot of gas, one thing
you can do is use gas drops. We never had a ton of success with this (since Jacks
problems were more than just gas), but I know a lot of people swear by them.
8) Patience
Its not realistic to expect your child to sleep through the night a few weeks aft
er they are born. Nor is it realistic to think that it may not take a little bit
of work. There will always be those children that start to sleep through the ni
ght, with no trouble, super early on, and then there will be others who, despite
your best efforts, refuse to sleep for a very long time. Although it can be inc
redibly frustrating, and tiring, try and remember that this too shall pass. Easier
said, than done, I know. But I promise, there will come a time when your child
will sleep through the night, and you might just miss those middle of the night
snuggles.
As always, be careful with putting blankets, stuffed animals, or other objects i
n your childs crib, especially when they are young.
No related posts.