Sleep Training: How We Achieved 10 hours of Sleep in Three Months

“Let her sleep for when she wakes she will move Mountains”

The Secret

Having a baby is one of the greatest experiences imaginable, but to be honest, it can also be one of the most challenging. Especially when it comes to sleep. 

SLEEP DEPRIVATION IS REAL!!! Let me save you some time reading. The secret to achieving your baby’s sleeping schedule… especially through the night, is to have consistency with your daily routine! This comes with teaching your child and/or children how to self-soothe. Self-soothing is a basic technique where your child can calm him/herself, relax, and figure out ways to go to sleep on their own. That’s it! Sounds pretty simple right?! Well, If you want to know some detailed tips that assisted my family to achieve uninterrupted relaxation for both babies and parents for 10 hours, keep reading below!

Do what’s best for your family

What is Sleep Training? In short, sleep training or sleep-learning is the process of helping your baby fall and stay asleep independently. The benefits of sleep training an infant is important not only for the critical development of babies during sleep but also for everyone in the house to be well-rested. Before we get started with the details, keep in mind that effective sleep training methods can vary from different families as well as children. Always follow your instincts and choose a method that you are comfortable with and that works for your family. The more time you spend with your child, the more you will learn how to navigate through this life of parenting and decide what niche works for you! Besides, it’s a good idea to start reading about sleep training while you’re pregnant or in the early weeks of your baby’s life. Don’t be afraid to discuss the topic with your pediatrician to gain great feedback.

Create a Routine based off your child’s Natural Rhythms

Let’s start with the daytime schedule. For the first few weeks, keep a log of when your baby requires feeding and naptime. Use this information to create a schedule that mimics your child’s natural rhythms. For us, we began to notice that Zuri would require daytime feedings every 3-4 hours and nighttime feedings every 4-5 hours. Her nap times would consist of 1-2 hours of sleep typically after feedings and playtimes. I also began to notice she would start getting fussy around the evening so that was my cue to begin her bedtime routine which consisted of a bath, book time, and feeding. By the time she was two months old, her natural schedule would look something like this:

7:30AM    – Wake Up

8:00AM    – Feeding

12:00PM   – Feeding

4:00PM    – Feeding

7:30PM    – Bath

8:00PM    – Feeding

8:30PM    – Bed

Once you establish your feeding schedule, you can start to focus on the nighttime schedule. Slowly begin to reduce the number of nighttime feedings by reducing the amount of food. Continue to do this with one feeding until the night time feeding is completely dropped. This is another great opportunity to discuss with your pediatrician; overall health of your baby. For example, if you have a premature infant, I wouldn’t recommend dropping any nighttime feedings, especially if gaining weight is one of your focuses for the baby. If you don’t have any health concerns, continue with trying to drop nighttime feedings as stated above.

Once all the night time feedings have been dropped, begin to leave your baby 10-12 hours in their crib at a time. Luckily, we didn’t have to do the cry it out method night after night but there were a few times here and there where Zuri would cry for 2-4 minute blocks of time in her crib. I would walk over, quietly, tell her I love her and let her know that it’s bedtime while leaving her in her crib. After a few nights, she began to self-soothe and fall asleep on her own while she remained in her crib. For us, crying it out consistently was not a method that we had to enforce, although I do hear many successful stories about it as well. Keep in mind that life happens and sometimes you may deviate from your schedule. If your child wants to eat before schedule, try your best to distract them until closer to your scheduled time. If you find yourself off track, just take a few days to adjust and get back on your routine.

Extra Tips for Sleep Training a Baby

• Don’t adjust the volume. Babies should learn to sleep through some noise. I wouldn’t blast music at the highest volume, but I also wouldn’t sneak around the house to avoid making any sounds either.
• Learn to balance cuddling your baby and teaching them to be independent so they are able to manage without you always being by their side.
• Create a consistent bedtime routine regardless of what method you choose. Zuri expects a soothing bath, cozy pajamas, book time and a warm bottle of milk before she’s put down for the night. Babies succeed with consistency, schedules, and routines.
• Even though rocking a baby until they fall asleep in your arms is the most loving feeling imaginable, it’s best to lay them in bed while they are still awake but drowsy. This method will allow them to learn how to self-soothe and fall asleep on their own without your assistance.
• For babies with reflux issues or parents that have concerns with babies sleeping right after the feeding, you can elevate the infants mattress to help avoid spitting up.
• Use a humidifier. Clean air often helps babies sleep comfortably.
• Avoid long naps during the day. If your baby has napped more than 2 hours, wake them up.
• White noise is heaven sent! Zuri would fall asleep literally 30 seconds after hearing it.
• Invest in a safe and comfortable mattress to help promote great quality sleep. Do some research on different brands and their reviews before purchasing. I absolutely love our TEMPUR-Dream™ Baby Crib Mattress . It’s also dual sided for infant and toddler use and extremely comfortable yet firm enough for safety.
• Learn your baby’s cues. Cues are non verbal signs from your baby that tell you what they need. Zuri licking her fingers or lips were signs that she getting hungry. To help figure out what cues mean, observe what your baby is doing and what’s happening around them. You’ll be surprised that even at a young age, your baby can give you signs when they are tired, hungry, or even want to interact and play.

Stay Positive and Consistent

At the end of the day, I honestly can’t stress enough by saying that there is no wrong or right way to choose what works best for you and your family. Feel free to try out or even mix up different methods until you find something that works for you. Sleep training will not happen overnight but staying positive and consistent with any choice will definitely help you long term! What sleep training methods worked for you? Let me know if you have any questions or additional tips to add to the list!