Having problems with getting your baby to sleep through the night is very common. In fact this is due to our issues with having to listen to our babies crying, rather than the child's issues with sleep.
When your baby is born there is an instant bond and the urge to protect them at all costs. We, as mothers, see crying as a sign that the baby needs something, which is true, so when the baby cries we run to them to 'fix' their need. The problem is that when they are tired and we go to them fussing we actually stop them from getting the sleep that they need.
So first you need to re-program yourself as a mother to provide your baby with the sleep they need and this means leaving them to cry a little.
So having said all that, here are our 3 top tips to guarantee your baby sleep through the night...
1) Keep a routine - put your baby down in the same place and keep the same routine, as in what you do and what you say i.e. night night, sleep well, see you soon etc...
2) Provide them with things that they can use as their 'security blanket' - children usually choose their own security blanket/muslin/teddy, but we can help them along by putting something in their bed that is always there. I used a muslin because it was easily replaceable and easy to carry around, but you can use whatever you feel is best or cute, aslong as it is safe for babies. Make this part of the routine, giving their their teddy or whatever you have chosen. (Always try to change these items every so often so that you are not in trouble should it get lost or damaged)
3) Do not worry about noise outside their room/sleeping space - keeping the noise down when a baby is sleeping is bad because if then there is a noise the baby can be woken with a start and may even become scared. So theoretically you should be able to pass the hoover outside the baby's door without waking them. This means that no only can you continue with your life when your baby has gone to sleep, but you also do not have to worry about other children making noise or having friends and family over.
Remember that newborn babies need frequent feeding and sleeping through the night may not be possible until the baby is three month's old or later. Some babies only start sleeping through the night at a year. Once your baby is no longer waking for a feed these these three tips will ensure both you and your baby a peaceful night's sleep. These tips will work however for getting your baby to sleep at night time even before they are ready to go the whole night without a feed. Should they wake for a feed repeat the three steps when they are finished and they should go straight back off.
