Dr. Natalie Barnett, a sleep expert from Seven Oaks Sleep, recently joined several Premier Pediatric parents to discuss establishing excellent sleeping habits. Below are a few simple, but powerful themes that were brought up during the discussion.
- Sleep habits are established after four months. During the first few months, create routines that make your life easier and make your baby as comfortable as possible. We recommend keeping your child in your bedroom during this time. The close proximity decreases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and makes nighttime feeding easier.
- When you start to teach your baby to sleep independently, focus on the beginning of the evening. Once your baby can put himself to sleep, they can apply these skills to put himself back to sleep overnight and during naps.
- Create a strategy that suits you and your partner’s parenting style and works with your baby’s disposition. If your child has a stubborn disposition, you may need to be slightly more rigid. If your child has a mellower disposition, you can be more flexible when your baby starts to fuss.
If you have any specific questions or are struggling with your baby’s sleep, feel free to call us in the office.
