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Healthy Sleep Habits for Baby
Healthy sleep habits start early. Here’s how to get your baby on track and create patterns that will last throughout childhood.
by: Nancy Ripton
Infant Sleep
- 15 million American school-aged children suffer from health and behavioral problems caused by inadequate sleep.
- You can start instilling healthy sleep habits in babies as young as two months.
- Create a routine, such as bathing or reading, that will signal to your little one it's time to go to sleep.
- Put your baby to bed when she's drowsy, but still awake.
- Create a 10-day sleep log to track your child's sleeping patterns to see what worked, and what didn't.
abies with good sleep patterns turn into children with good sleep patterns. So parents need to start early to instill healthy bedtime habits. According to a recent study in Pediatrics, 15 million American elementary school-aged children suffer from health and behavioral problems caused by inadequate sleep. Here's how to help your child sleep well:
Encourage independent sleep onset
Put your baby to bed when she's drowsy, but still awake. If babies learn to fall asleep on their own, they'll be less likely to need your help getting back to sleep when they wake during the night. "Babies who can soothe themselves to sleep are less likely to have sleep problems as they get older," says Dr. Nicky Cohen, a clinical psychologist specializing in child sleep issues. For most children this can start around two months of age.
Create positive sleep associations
From the time your infant is a few months old anything you do to get her to sleep will become a habit. "If your baby always falls asleep in your arms in front of the T.V., she will soon rely on the sound of T.V. to fall asleep and may not want to sleep in her room," says Elizabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution. Create a short routine of reading, massage or bath time that will signal to your child it's time to sleep.
Make a sleep log
Record your baby's sleep patterns for 10 days. You may be able to spot trends, such as lots of day sleep equals a good night's sleep.
Develop bedtime language
Repeat a phrase such as "Shush darling, it's time to sleep" at bedtime. "Use it when your baby is tired, but not crying," says Pantley. You don't want the words to have a negative association.
Meet our experts:
Elizabeth Pantley (www.pantley.com) is the author of eight parenting books, including: The No-Cry Sleep Solution. She is also a contributing author to The Successful Child with Dr. William Sears. Based in Washington, Pantley is the president of Better Beginnings Inc. (a family resource and education company) and a parenting expert for a variety of publications including: Parents, Parenting, and Redbook.
Dr. Nicky Cohen is a clinical psychologist with a supervised practice in Toronto, ON. Her specialty is pediatric sleep.
