Tips for getting a baby on a schedule

Atali

Wed, Nov 26 2008, 10:34 pm

I would like some advice for how to get my four-month old on a regular sleep schedule.

She does sleep for a long stretch at night, B"H, but during the day it is erratic (today she barely slept and was cranky) and her bed time varies significantly.

My older two settled into a schedule on her own but she doesn't seem to be doing so. Any advice?

zigi

Wed, Nov 26 2008, 11:18 pm

give her a nap in the morning, if she is over tired she will have a hard time sleeping well. and she will be cranky, an example of a routine is wake up 2 hours later nap then up for 2 hours nap then if tired sleep for 40 min and then up and bed for the night, have her be active in between nap times and bed time, she should have tummy time or use a baby gym or exersaucer.

mummiedearest

Wed, Nov 26 2008, 11:30 pm

http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-.....r=8-1

this is a very good book. I haven't read the whole thing, but you can look up the parts that apply to you and use them well. the author discusses a few techniques of sleep training.

zigi

Wed, Nov 26 2008, 11:37 pm

the first thing you want is that she won't be over tired, so put her to sleep any way you can. if she falls asleep by rocking stroller or bouncing or nursing, then you can focus on getting her used to sleeping during the day and going to bed at night. once she is used to it or you want to start earlier you can teach her how to fall asleep on her own. that she knows its nap time and bedtime and she can sleep on her own.
you can do the feber method, she is ready to take a nap fed and changed. then let her cry for 5 min and then go in to comfort.

or the baby whisperer, put her in a darkened room where its quiet hold her and tell her you are going to take a nap. hold her until she is calm and sleepy put her down and pat her tummy while saying shh shh... do this until she is calm and almost asleep. or if you want to do a longer version untill she is asleep. do it less and less until she can fall asleep on her own.

or use what ever method of getting her to sleep and start to wean her from it. lik e not rocking untill she asleep but falling asleep.

shabbatiscoming

Thu, Nov 27 2008, 2:46 am

Atali wrote:

But how do I get her to take a nap if she doesn't fall asleep on her own?

when I see that my baby is getting cranky, I know that she needs sleep (meaning nothingelse will get her to calm down).

she does not fall asleep on her own, far from it. I "force" her head down onto my shoulder and I rock her until she falls asleep, even if she cries and does not want to put her head down. but the rocking is what gets her to fall asleep almost every time.

if not, I put her in her carriage and rock her that way.

cubbie

Thu, Nov 27 2008, 3:01 am

The important thing is getting her into her crib BEFORE the cranky stage. I would start preparing her to sleep 1 1/2 hours after she woke up, and remember that the preparation to sleep is not a 5 minute process, more like 20 minutes until they know how to self-soothe. So say she woke at 7am at 8.30 take her into a darkened room, change her, put on some soft music or sing to her, sit with her and gently rock her back and forward until she's getting sleepy, but not asleep, then put her in the crib and start to gently pat her back.