- Consistent Order: By singing the same songs, bathing your baby at the same time each evening, and cuddling in the same spot before bed, your baby will recognize these steps as preparation for sleep.
- Bathing: A warm, soothing bath before bed is an excellent way for your baby to relax. Follow the bath with a baby massage and/or cuddling.
- Music: An appropriately gentle, quiet music is great for helping your baby to sense the bedtime mood. You can play soft classical music, use a music box, or sing lullabies of your own. Using the same piece of music each night can also serve as an indicator for your baby of approaching bedtime.
- Low Lighting: Keep the lights low or extinguished when putting your baby to bed. Doing so teaches your baby to know that when it is dark, it is time for sleep.
- Goodnight Kiss: After your bedtime routine, try and end the ritual each night with finality. After rocking/singing/reading time, give your baby a kiss as you lay him or her down in bed. Try to put your baby down while drowsy but still awake; if you wait until he or she is fast asleep, you will inevitably end up repeating the bedtime process each time your baby wakes up looking for you. Allow your baby to soothe him or herself to sleep while still slightly awake.
- Avoid Food Comfort: If your baby is still feeding through the night, waking up frequently is inevitable. If possible, try to avoid your baby falling asleep at the breast or bottle. Do your best to keep your baby awake during a feeding and place him or her in bed while still slightly awake. This practice will prevent your baby from making the association that food equals comfort, and will eliminate unnecessary feedings.
A solidly consistent sleeping pattern may not be realistic for your baby until he or she outgrows nighttime feedings, so you may have to wait until your baby is between five and six months until the sleep routine is steady.
Sleep routines can vary dramatically depending on your baby, so don't lose heart if your first few attempts at establishing a routine are not effective. If you find a method that works, remember that although the strategy may be successful when your baby is two months old, he or she may require something entirely different at six months of age. Use trial and error to see what works best for you and your baby. With love, patience, and consistency, you and your baby will eventually find a routine that works best.
