Sleep Training Tips – Cheeky Chops

Before electricity, people rose and fell with the world’s natural light source, which matched our natural biological clock; back then, many people got the sleep they needed. Today, in our fast-paced, 24-hour society, our ability to maintain adequate quality sleep is suffering. Ask yourself where sleep is on your priority list.

This is true for children and babies, with so many classes and activities to participate in, many babies, toddlers, and moms are overscheduled. Some of these classes conflict with a child’s natural decline in alertness, making regular naps increasingly difficult to establish. More sleep is needed in childhood than in any other age group and a lack of healthy sleep for infants and children is detrimental to physical and mental health; should not be underestimated.

The biggest challenge for most parents, of course, is how to get this quality of sleep for their children. If habits are already ingrained, the idea of ​​making changes can seem daunting with so many current schools of thought, combine this with your own sleep deprivation and the whole concept becomes extremely overwhelming.

First, you need to decide what you and your family perceive as encompassing a healthy sleep regimen: what you’re comfortable with and what you’re not. Don’t feel pressured to make changes because of outside sources. Do what is right for your family.

It is possible to make changes with the right knowledge and guidance, but don’t expect fantastic results right away, be realistic. For children who already have associations or have a multi-level problem, sleep training is a learning process and is done in stages to make the transition easy for everyone. It takes time, persistence, and most importantly, consistency. Imagine trying to learn to play a game if someone always changed the rules. He would never learn to play the game, would he?

Here is a list of questions and tips to consider before making changes to your family’s sleep.

Do you have a daily routine? Children thrive on predictability. If you never knew what will happen or when you will eat or sleep again, how would you feel?

How does your baby or child fall asleep? If your baby uses a crutch (rocking chair, mommy or daddy’s chest, breast, bottle, etc.) once your baby is a light sleeper, they will have brief awakenings and constantly need the same conditions to go back to sleep and this will result in no sleep for all parties involved. How would you feel if you went to sleep in your warm and cozy bed with your duvet and pillow and woke up in the front garden?

Where does your baby sleep? Choose a place where your baby can sleep, preferably a crib, this is where she should take most of her naps and sleep through the night. Would she feel well-rested if her sleeping accommodations varied: car, stroller, sofa, harness, swing?

What time does your son go to bed? Missing your child’s natural calm is essential if he wants an easy transition. An overly tired child often acts like a wire and once nervous is very difficult to calm down. Does he feel sleepy after dinner and then have a second wind later at night?

Does your child take a nap every day? Don’t underestimate the importance of daytime sleep. If your child constantly skips naps, then his ability to cope with his environment decreases and then he collapses easily. How do you manage when you’re tired after a long and busy day and you’re cooking dinner, phone ringing, TV on, organizing the next day and trying to take care of the kids? I’m sure you feel like screaming, like a child.

Changes in your baby’s or child’s sleep should be made when there are no other major life changes so you can focus and stay focused. It’s not fair to your baby or child to constantly change tactics or methods; this will only cause confusion. Visit my website for a chart of your baby or child’s sleep and nap requirements every 24 hours and feel free to ask me any questions about your baby or child’s sleep habits if you have any concerns.