Throughout my time as a sleep consultant, one of the questions I get asked the most is “how do I stop my child from waking up at night?”
The truth is, no one actually sleeps through the night. We all wake at some point but we know how to put ourselves back to sleep. For babies and toddlers it's a little different if they haven't learned to connect sleep cycles and also if there's something schedule-wise in their day.
Two quick tips I give parents are:
- Did they fall asleep independently at the start of the night? A baby or toddler will look for whatever got them to fall asleep at the start of the night and need it for every waking. Now, newborns aren't a part of this process but if you have a 4 month-5 year old, starting with a sleep training method you're comfortable with can help solve this concern.
- Their schedule. Too much daytime sleep and too little daytime can cause night wakings. How can you tell? First, start with the right wake window for your little one's age group. The sweet spot for your little one will allow them to you have better naps, which in turn means better nights. Take a look at the amount of hours they should be sleeping (when it comes to naps) and work on a routine/schedule that fits their age.
Sleep is different for every child, so if you're looking for more guidance and specifics to YOUR child, please schedule your call with me at this link: https://ihelpmoms.com/consultants/consultant/458/jamie-ortiz
