Let the baby learn to sleep on their own, and hug sleep, milk sleep and say goodbye, this is what many mothers dream of. The baby's habit of sleeping in the cradle is often related to adults, and the incorrect guidance for a long time has gradually made the baby develop this bad habit. So how do we cultivate good sleeping habits for babies?
Babies aged 0-3 months
If your baby is less than 4 months old, congratulations, even if he is used to sleeping in a hug or milk, it is not too difficult to correct. You can try the following 4 steps to let your baby learn to fall asleep on his own.
1. Arrange the environment
One minute they were still playing happily, and the next minute they were asked to sleep obediently, and no one could do it. Therefore, we must first create a quiet environment for the baby, such as carrying him to the room, closing the curtains, quietly listening to music or reading picture books, using the environment and bedtime programs to let the baby know that it is time to sleep.
2. Swaddling
For a small month-old baby, swaddling can help him calm down very well. The swaddling package resembles the mother's warm womb, giving him a sense of security and avoiding the irritation and interference caused by the baby's waving hands and feet. However, this method is not required. If he enjoys it, wrap him up, and if he resists, forget it.
3. Sit quietly
Sit quietly with your baby in your arms for 5 minutes. Keep his body vertical, don't shake, and don't move around. When you feel your baby relaxing, put him in the crib. At the same time, gently tell him that the baby is going to sleep.
If the baby is calm at this time, you can leave the room or stay with him at the bedside for a while. Falling asleep on your own usually makes your baby sleep better.
4. Shhh-beat method
As soon as the baby is put down, he starts to make noise, indicating that he will not fall asleep on his own and needs the help of adults. At this time, many mothers will let the baby fall asleep by hugging and milking. But this can easily make the baby become dependent.
Moms can try the "shh-shoot" method. Make a slow, clear "shh~shh" sound in your baby's ear while rhythmically tapping your baby's back. Be careful not to make a sound in your baby's ears, as it can easily hurt his eardrums.
After feeling your baby relax, gently place him on the crib, let him lie on his side, and then continue to pat his back. After the baby calms down, continue to shoot for 7-10 minutes, gradually slow down the rhythm, and finally stop booing.
If the baby starts humming after stopping, continue to "shh-tap" until he is quiet. If you're crying too hard, pick him up, put him on your shoulder and continue to "shh-pat", calm down and put him back in the crib.
Pick-up-put method (more than 4 months)
If your baby is over 4 months old and used to sleeping in a hug or milk, how can you help him quit gently? Moms can try the "pick up-down" method.
First of all, you have to understand that there is no way to quickly change your baby's habits without being rebelled against by him. When unable to fall asleep in a familiar way, the baby will protest with a cry, "What the hell is going on?" ”
You can try to comfort him with words first, while putting your hand on his back and letting him know that his mother is here (if your baby is less than 6 months old, you can continue to use the "shh-shoot" method).
If he continues to cry, then pick him up, stop crying and put him down immediately. If the baby's head is thrown back, or there is any other resistance, put him down immediately. But keep in physical contact, keep your hands on his back, and talk to him gently and continuously, telling him it's time to sleep.
Repeat the process all the time, pick it up when you cry, drop it immediately if you don't cry or resist, and soothe him with language and physical contact. This method takes an average of 20 minutes (and possibly longer), but please stick with it because you are teaching him to fall asleep on his own, which is important to him.
Don't worry about the baby crying, he just feels a little frustrated and doesn't feel like you don't love him anymore. After about 1-2 weeks, you will see noticeable results. You only need to use your voice, not your arm crook or breasts, to soothe your baby and put him to sleep.
There are a few points to note:
1, do not hold too long
If you hold it too long, your baby will also become dependent. So if he keeps crying, you can hold him for a few minutes and then put him down and pick him up again.
In addition, as the baby grows older, this method also needs to be adjusted. For a 6-8 month old baby, don't pick him up directly, you can open your arms and hold him when he also opens his arms. After 8 months, you just need to help your baby get back down when he gets up.
2, do not intervene immediately as soon as you cry
Listen carefully for a while, sometimes the baby just makes some noises and soon falls asleep again. At this time, premature intervention will wake up the baby. If he does wake up, it's never too late to respond.
3. There may be repetition
The baby's sleep sometimes appears repeated, teething, learning to turn over, the mother returned to the workplace, will affect the baby's sleep. Don't be discouraged, moms, you can revert to the "pick up-put" method. With the previous foundation in place, your baby will soon be able to fall back to sleep on their own.
Picking up-putting down is a much gentler way than simply letting the baby cry and fall asleep, but it will still encounter the baby's resistance. This is normal, and parents who want to adjust their sleep habits should be mentally prepared!
Again, as long as you insist, you will see changes! If you're still struggling with how to get your baby to sleep on his own, take the first step toward change from today.
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