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SLEEP TRAINING The decision whether and when to institute some sort of sleep training program is very difficult, especially for new parents. Almost always they have received unsolicited opinions from family, friends, acquaintances, media, etc. Parents may not have really thought about the issue before there is an acknowledgment that there is a problem, and each parent may have a very different opinion and approach to the solution. The first thing you need to do is stop and discuss how you feel about where you are now, what are your goals, and whether you and your spouse can agree on an approach to getting your child to sleep. Towards this end, there are a number of well-regarded authors and books to get you started. If you want a good overview of the so-called "sleep experts," take a look at the book Amazing Baby Sleep Secrets (http://amazingbabysleepsecrets.com). This book has a chapter on each author/book which summarizes that author's theories and approach to sleep training. If you find an approach that you and your spouse can agree on, you have a place to begin. Remember the following: 1. Babies are different. What worked for someone else's baby may not work for yours. 2. Parents are different. A reasonable approach for some people may be unreasonable for you. 2. Support each other. If you don't agree on the program and share the responsibility for it's implementation, it is likely to fail. 3. Be consistent. Your baby will learn new things if the message is clear. 4. Be consistent. This is the hardest part. 5. Be consistent. If you deviate, your baby will be confused and won't know what to expect from you. This will sabotage your efforts. 6. Be patient. Sleep training is hard. It takes time. There will be backsliding from time to time. Reinforce good outcomes. Remember #3, even when it's easier to give in. 7. Be willing to try something new if your first program isn't working after a reasonable period of time. One of the most important things you can teach your baby is to sleep independently. While it may feel wonderful to have your baby sleep on you, in your arms, or next to you in bed, this will quickly become a pattern that is difficult to break. The earlier you can get your child to sleep in a recumbent position on their own, the sooner everyone will be getting the sleep they need. The Happiest Baby on the Block (see below) can get you started. Get the DVD version so you can see how the techniques are performed and for the white noise tracks. Here are 3 quick approaches to sleep training that may be implemented after your baby is at least 3 months old and thirteen pounds. Your ability to let your baby cry will determine if any of them is right for you. There is no value judgement attached to any of these approaches, none is better than another, and you may reject all of them. The point is to have a plan and follow it through. Sleep #1 1. Lay the baby down awake but dozing off. 2. If he/she cries, pick her up immediately, use the 5 S's to calm her down. Do not allow her to fall asleep in your arms. 3. When she calms down and starts to doze off again, lay her down. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until she falls asleep. 5. Repeat steps 2-4 if she wakes up. Do not feed her. Sleep #2 1. Lay the baby down awake but dozing off. 2. If he/she cries, let her cry for 5 minutes to see if she can settle herself down. 3. After 5 minutes, pick her up, use the 5 S's to calm her down. Do not allow her to fall asleep in your arms. 4. When she calms down and starts to doze off again, lay her down. 5. Use increasing intervals of time before picking your baby up (5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45). Babies rarely cry for longer than 30 minutes after the first few nights. 6. Repeat steps 2-5 until she falls asleep. 7. Repeat steps 2-6 if she wakes up during the night. Do not feed her. Sleep #3 1. Lay the baby down awake but dozing off. 2. Do not pick the baby up, even if crying. 3. If she wakes during the night, quickly check on her, interacting as little as possible. Keep the lights down. Change the diaper if necessary. Do not feed her. Sleep Experts (in alphabetical order, not order of preference) T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., touchpoints: The Essential Reference and The Self-Calmed Baby. George J. Cohen, M.D., F.A.A.P., American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Sleep. Joanne Cuthbertson and Susie Schevill, Helping Your Child Sleep Through the Night. Gary Ezzo, On Becoming Babywise. Richard Ferber, M.D., Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems. Paul M. Fleiss, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P., Sweet Dreams: A pediatrician's secrets for your child's good night's sleep. Jeffrey W. Hull, M.D., F.A.A.P., Sleep Tight Video®. Harvey Karp, M.D., The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer. [I recommend the DVD version of this book] Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D., Sleeping Through the Night. Elizabeth Pantley, the no-cry sleep solution. Michael Quarles, Sr. (the Baby Sandman), Amazing Baby Sleep Secrets. William Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N., The Baby Book and Nighttime Parenting: How to Get Your Baby and Child to Sleep. Benjamin Spock, M.D., Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care. Marc Weissbluth, M.D., Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. |
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