As a parent, one momentous milestone that is always worth celebrating is the night your little one starts to sleep through the night. If your baby is under six months old, chances are that he or she is still waking up in the middle of the night. However, by the time your child reaches nine months, he or she is likely to be sleeping through the night. In fact, about 70 percent of nine-month-olds regularly sleep through the night. If your child is 10 months old or older and still can't sleep until morning, there are steps you can take to help. Here are a few things you can do to help your child sleep comfortably through the night:
Stop rocking.
If your baby has become used to you rocking him or her to sleep every night, the child may not be able to go to sleep on his or her own. Thus, if the baby wakes momentarily during the night, the little one will need his or her sleep aide, more commonly known as "you," to fall back asleep. However, if your child learns to self-soothe, falling asleep on his or her own won't be so difficult.
Instead of rocking your child to sleep nightly, place him or her in bed when the child is drowsy but not fully asleep. This will help your little one learn to drift off to sleep without assistance.
Establish a bedtime routine.
Children are creatures of habit. If you establish a nightly routine, your child is more likely to wind down and fall asleep in a systematic manner. Your routine could be giving the child a snack, bathing him or her, reading a bedtime story and then turning out the light. Find what works best for you and your little one. However, be consistent and start early. If possible, begin your routine before your child reaches six months old. If your child is already older, start your routine now.
Don't schedule a nap too close to bedtime.
Until your child is beyond preschool age, he or she will generally need a nap during the day. However, if you allow your child to nap too close to bedtime, you could be sabotaging his or her rest at night. Try to schedule naps early in the day instead of during evening hours and leave at least three or four hours between the end of a nap and the beginning of bedtime.
If your child is unable to sleep through the night, a few changes to his or her routine could help. If you are concerned that there may be underlying issues preventing your child from sleeping, contact a parental therapist, such as Associated Psychologists & Counselors, in your area for a consultation.
Share25 August 2015
As a child, I used to spend my days roaming through the woods. I climbed trees, smelled the flowers, and laid in the grass looking at the clouds. My love for nature continued through my teen years, but when I turned 23, I began to sneeze whenever I left my home. I could no longer enjoy my outdoor hikes and I started taking antihistamines so I could at least open my windows on warm days. My allergies got worse though and I met with an allergist who completed a variety of skin tests. I started receiving allergy shots and my allergist taught me about natural cleaning processes and sinus rinses. The injections and natural treatments improved my quality of life greatly. Even if you do not want to start allergy injections, you have a variety of options that can lessen your symptoms, and you should learn what these options are.
