We all need to learn how to sleep. But as babies he or she might need your help as a parent to achieve this milestone. You canteach babies to fall asleep by themselves without rocking or sucking and without leaving them to cry. This is of course not an overnight process. The process can take days to weeks and even months. But it does work.
Once kids know how to fall asleep by themselves, without giving them a breast, bottle, pacifier or your arms to rock them, they are more likely to be able to put themselves back to sleep at night.
Stage 1: Do not feed while putting to sleep
Feed your baby when he first wakes up from sleep, and again a bit later if he is awake and still hungry. But when he is just sleepy just experiment with walking or rocking him instead of feeding him. This way he begins to learn to fall asleep without sucking.
Of course you are still using rocking or walking to get him to sleep but that is an easier sleep association to break than sucking.
Stage 2: Help your child sleep in your arms
Once she’s used to falling asleep being rocked or walked instead of eating, the next phase is to get her to fall asleep without rocking. So now you should begin with rocking and then before he or she actually sleeps you stop rocking and just sit holding her. If she protests, begin rocking again. After a few attempts she will fall asleep without rocking her and in your arms.
Stage 3: Help her fall asleep in the bed
The next step is to wait until the baby is almost asleep in the chair with you holding him. Then stand and hold him still in your arms in his sleeping position until he is almost asleep and accepts the stillness.
The next step involves you to begin lowering him into the crib or bed still awake although almost asleep. If he protests you will have to pick him up again in the rocking position.
Keep repeating this. It may take more than 25 attempts but eventually he will let you put him in the bed without protest.
Stage 4: Touch and not hold
This is the last stage to let a baby fall asleep.Eventually you will be able to put your baby in the crib and hold her there while she falls asleep because she will not need rocking any more. Then you move to touching but not holding your baby while she falls asleep in the crib. She will be able to fall asleep with you simply holding her hand or putting your hand on her forehead. Keep doing this until she accepts it as your new routine.
The new routine should consist of getting sleepy rocking, but then being put into her bed lying on her back and falling asleep there, eventually without you even touching her.
