We have continued using J’s bedtime routine with the inclusion of putting her into her cot awake.  Half expecting the same as the night before, however this time it took her 10 minutes to settle.  It is nice to be able to have the evening to ourselves and not having to rush up when she cries.

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We have followed instructions to the letter, and J’s bedtime routine has only changed in the fact that we don’t put her in the cot asleep.  This resulted in her having a hissy fit and crying, so we followed the technique and went in after 10 mins, didn’t pick her up and said ’shh shh’ continuously whilst rubbing her.  We do have the problem that she likes to stand up in her cot so we were concerned that it was going to be a pain.  After 35mins the crying tappered off and by 40 minutes it had gone very quiet.

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All was quiet last night and I went to bed feeling upbeat about starting the Technique.  Surprisingly J slept till 3.45am to which I was woken with screams.  I didn’t go in straight away but when I did she was standing upright in her cot, dummy out and wailing like I’d neglected her for hours.  I quietly went over and without taking her out the cot I swooped her back to lying down.  (not sure if you are allowed to do this as it might be classed as picking up).

For 2 minutes I repeatidly said ‘Shhh Shhh’ and rubbed her belly as that is her usual cue when going to bed to go to sleep.  She went quiet but still eyes wide open.  After what i thought was 2 mins (not easy to count when your tired) I left her.  As soon as I took my hand off her she started crying again. 

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Please read The Ferber Technique (part one) before attempting this technique.  As I discussed, this method should only be considered if your baby is healthy, well-fed and at least six months old.  Before starting this technique you have to be sure your baby is only crying because he wants something rather than that he actually he needs something.  If you suspect it might be the latter obviously give him everything he needs (a change, a feed etc).  Please note, I am not advocating the Ferber technique, I am simply letting you know the best way to go about it if you decide you want to give it a try. 

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Dr Richard Ferber was the first to propose the idea of ‘controlled crying’ in 1985.  Since then it has taken on many names such as, cry it out, self-soothing, sleep training, crying down and many more.  Some techniques vary slightly in the details but they all work along the same basic principal as Ferber first proposed.

There are few baby-related issues that evoke as much controversy as this one.  Some big names in the field frequently have fiery exchanges because of their conflicting points of view.  Many will remember Gina Ford and Dr Miriam Stoppard for example, who had a fierce debate on The Today Programme over the issue.  

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When baby is at least six months of age and developing well, you can start reducing the night-time feeds as these are no longer essential to health and growth. 

If baby is used to a 1.00 am feeding, his stomach will hunger for food at that time every night. One of the best techniques for helping your baby to sleep through the night is to reset his ‘stomach clock.’ The aim is to reduce baby’s night time food intake without letting him go hungry. Regardless of the age of the baby, he will generally take in the same amount of calories per 24 hours. If you gradually reduce the night time feeding, baby will just eat more during the day to make it up. This is called calorie shifting.

If you have decided it’s the right time to start reducing the night-time feeds here’s what to do if you’re bottle feeding: Start by reducing the volume of milk or formula in the bottle by one or two ounces (30-60 mls) each feeding. You could start with just the bedtime feed and move onto the other night-time feeds or you could attempt them all at once. Keep reducing the volume of milk/formula by one ounce (30 mls) per night over the course of the next week, until there are no more feeds.

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This post describes the tried and tested tricks that parents use to help baby drop off to sleep. Some can be incorporated into your nightly pre-bed ritual but some should be kept for emergencies. Experiment and see which work for you.

• Nursing.  During the fist year it’s very normal and developmentally appropriate for babies to be nursed to sleep. Breast feed or bottle feed her until she drifts off naturally.

• Swaddling. This is a traditional technique for making a baby feel secure.  To swaddle your baby, spread a cotton cot sheet out flat, with one corner folded over a little. Lay your baby face up on the sheet with her neck resting against the fold. Wrap the left corner of the sheet over her body and tuck it beneath her. Bring the bottom corner over her feet, and then wrap the right corner around her, leaving only her head and neck exposed. Don’t cover your baby’s face with the sheet, since that could cause her to overheat or suffocate. Beware of overheating your baby; the aim is to make her feel secure rather than to keep her warm. Avoid using a blanket for this and make sure you don’t wrap your baby too tightly, or his circulation could be impaired.

Swaddling creates a slight pressure around your baby’s body that gives most newborns a sense of security because it mirrors the pressure they would have felt in the uterus. For some babies it becomes the trigger for sleep, but it can irritate others. You should stop swaddling your baby once she is about a month old because after that it can interfere with mobility and development. When your baby begins to kick off the covers, it’s a sign she no longer appreciates being bundled snugly (Bates et.al.. 2007).

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Nap times are essential for babies.  You may use the same techniques for helping baby nap as you learned for night-sleeping. Here are some additional tips:

-Without disrupting your life too much, try and plan nap times for roughly the same time each day. Obviously, this won’t be practical for some parents but if you can manage it then the rewards will be well worth it. Not only will it make nap times easier but babies will sleep better at night time as well.

-For newborn babies, sleeping habits are closely linked with eating patterns.  You might want to consider keeping baby awake for a short time after each daytime feed.  This will stop baby getting into the habit of needing a feed to get to sleep.  Don’t leave it too long however or baby may get over-stimulated and possibly even hungry again and won’t be able to nap which will make him irritable and fussy.   You should plan nap times for about half an hour after lunch or a snack to aid sleeping habits.

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Babies learn best through routine and this is the age when baby is ready to get into the habit of eating and sleeping according to a fairly consistent timetable. The best way to accomplish the challenge of getting your baby to go to bed at a regular time is to follow a well organised day with a consistent bedtime routine. A bedtime routine can include all or some of the following: bath, feed, story, massage, cuddle, lullaby. It culminates with the baby in her place for sleep on her own or with you. A little trial and error is needed to see which techniques relax your baby. In time you will develop a unique bedtime ritual of your own but you should follow this advice:

• Set a bedtime and try and keep it as consistent as possible. Bedtimes can vary from as early as 7pm to as late as 9pm. Your lifestyle and work commitments may determine this for you. The important factor is consistency. Don’t set a late bedtime thinking baby will get exhausted and sleep right through. This is bad news and usually doesn’t work. She’s far more likely just to get overtired.

• Try and make the elements of the routine come in the same order: babies love predictability and will be much calmer if there are no surprises.

• Also try and make sure it’s practical. There’s not much point in having a routine that’s easy to follow at times and difficult at others.

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Your baby is incredibly adaptable and can learn effectively through association. He will start to associate the process of falling asleep with the things that he has been used to experiencing immediately prior to bed-time. By making these things consistent and predictable, their very presence will signify to your baby that it’s time to sleep. For example, playing the same lullaby cd just before bedtime will help baby to associate the music with the process of falling asleep. In time, baby will fall asleep much more quickly each time he hears the music and makes the association. This is a great comforter during the dreaded night-wakings. See the post on Lullabies and Babies for more information.

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.