There are some simple techniques for helping your baby synchronize her sleeping patterns with the adult way of doing things and therefore she will safely reach the stage where she sleeps through the night more quickly.

During the day, open the windows and let the light fill the rooms. Generate lots of hustle and bustle and try to get outdoors for some playtime. At night do exactly the opposite as sleep-time approaches. Start turning down the lights, be as quiet as possible, turn off the television and reduce talking to absolute minimum. Feed, cuddle, massage and hold baby as quietly as possible. You can also quietly play her favourite lullaby just before bedtime. Baby will soon learn to associate this with the process of falling asleep.

These straightforward procedures remove distractions and so facilitate the baby’s awareness of the ultimate clock-setters, your local sunrise and sunset. With time, the sun’s rhythm will trigger chemical reactions that reset your baby’s internal clock.

References
A. Lavin, S Glasser (2007). “Baby & Toddler Sleep Solutions.” Wiley Publishing, Inc.

The ‘circadian rhythm’ is the 24 hour internal clock that controls various biological processes, including sleep, wakefulness, and digestive and hormonal activity. The natural signal for the circadian pattern is the change from darkness to light.

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One fact that is very clear from all the research that I have studied is that there is no, ‘one size fits all’ technique to helping a baby get to sleep. I will explain the known reputable techniques and the pros and cons of each. It is your job to find out which one ‘fits’ your baby. If one doesn’t work, try the next one until you find a technique, or develop a hybrid that works for your unique situation. You will also find that as your baby goes through the different developmental stages, this technique will need reviewing and updating.