Getting to Go to Sleep

Routine, routine, routine. At night we use the 5 B's...brush, bath, binky, books, bed. For naps, we read a book, put them in their cribs and that was that. They also go to bed at the same time everynight regardless of what they're naps have been like that day. We've done this since they were tiny babies and they're 3 and 2 now. After a few nights of doing the same thing at the same time, they'll start to know what to expect next and it will get easier and easier until they don't put up a fight at all! Good luck!

I always rocked and nursed my babies to sleep. When they were older I would lie down with them at nap time untill they feel asleep. Then I would sneak out and get some work done. AF

When Kyle was 4 months old I went to the library and got Solving Your Childs Sleep Problems by Dr. Ferber. I believe Chapter 4 (i could be wrong) is about sleep associations and self soothing. They cry-it-out method is controversial, but if you read the book and do it right it's perfectly fine. Kyle was putting himself to sleep and sleeping thought the night within a week.... at four months old. I know two other mom's who've done it and swear by it. E-mail with any questions. Good luck!

Establish a routine and stick with it. Start winding down playtime, maybe cuddle a bit and read a book, then give him a bath, read him a bedtime story (my LO loves Goodnight Moon and it's easy to memorize for those times when the book isn't available), tell him good night, and leave the room. He may cry for a bit, but he will fall asleep and every night gets a bit easier.

We're still working on that with both of ours....naps aren't the problem. Bedtime - oh, that's the rough part for us.

At nap time, they're usually tired enough that if you close the shades on the windows and play some quiet music, it will lull them into a nice sleep. Our son (at 3.5) has started to like to read books to his stuffed animals which gets him to sleep. He takes naps at school still, so we're consistent with that at home even though it makes bedtime pretty rough.

Getting them to sleep at night is our rough time. Both want mom and don't want to sleep without me. It's great to be loved, but it takes a toll on everything else I want/need to do.

Good luck!

I have learned that it is all about consistency. I make sure to do the same routine everytime I put my little one to sleep at night. Our routine is: Bottle, kiss to Dada, getting dress for the night, saying buy buy to a toy and outside while I close the blinds, then I sing a little song holding him and put him down awake. I have a mobile that I turn on and here I go and close the door. In the begining if your baby has not been used to a certain routine he might cry. I do the control cyring techinque which has work wonders for me, but once again it is all about consistency. Let him cry for 5 min. go to him leave him in the crib don't talk to him or look in his eyes, just pat his back until he is calmer and leave the room. Repeat this after 10 min and then 20 min if needed. I usually does not need to go back for the 10 min as my kid has been used to that technique, and usually the next night he won't cry. If he does repeat the same night after night and he will eventually knows that this is time to sleep Mom is not going to get me out of bed even if I cry. I would say that it might take 3 nights or so the first time. It is not easy he will cry but by going in after 5, 10 and 20 min he will know that you are there for him and at the same time he will understand that it is time for sleeping. You can do 2, 4, 8 minutes etc...
For nap time. I just lie down with him on the bed and put on his mobile until he falls asleep and then get out of his room.
Good luck I know how stressfull this is and there is easier and harder time with babies/toddlers sleep, the key: Consistency.