Ten Things to Try Tonight

I’ll be honest with you, getting your baby to sleep through the night doesn’t always require weeks of effort, outside help, or even purchasing my program.

I realize it probably sounds like bad business to tell a whole group of prospective customers that they might not need to buy my product, by I do have some hidden motivation here.

I’m not going to kid you, this business is my livelihood, and I love making sales, but helping parents and their babies get the sleep they need is my passion, and if you can accomplish it without spending any money, that’s its own reward for me.

And for a lot of families, not the majority, but still a good cross-section of the families I’ve worked with, they’re so close to having baby sleep through the night, but they’re just missing one key element, or making one little mistake that’s keeping them from sleep-filled nights, long naps, and happy, well-rested babies.

So if your baby isn’t sleeping through the night, take a look at the tips below. You might only be a slight adjustment and a night away from full nights of sleep for you and your little one.

1. Start dimming the lights before bed

   Our internal clocks rely heavily on light to determine when it’s time to get ready to sleep. Start dimming or turning off lights gradually about an hour before bedtime, or slightly before you start baby’s bedtime routine.

2. Keep baby’s bedroom boring

   Night lights, mobiles, music boxes and aquariums may seem soothing to us, but they can be seriously distracting and engaging to an infant. Babies sleep best in a very dark room with no distractions, so try a couple of nights without the accessories and see what happens.

3. Put baby down while she’s still awake

   Most parents I work with are big fans of rocking, feeding and singing their babies to sleep, but this can be counter-productive. When baby wakes up at night, she’ll need you to repeat the behavior so she can get back to sleep. Instead, put her down while she’s still awake and let her learn how to make the journey on her own.

4. Don’t try to wear her out

   This is a big one I see with the parents of toddlers. Just before bed, they’ll run them all over the house, wrestle and tickle and laugh, hoping to “burn off the energy” before bed. I can assure you, if your toddler is having fun, they’ll move heaven and earth to keep the good times going. Schedule baths and high energy activities earlier in the routine, and save the later stages for stories, lullabies and cuddles.

5. Get outdoors

   Exercise, fresh air and sunshine are your greatest natural allies when it comes to baby’s sleep. (And yours too, incidentally.) Get baby outdoors for a couple of hours a day if you can, and let her scurry around. Sunlight helps in seratonin production, which converts to melatonin at night, which helps baby fall, and stay, asleep.

6. Ditch the props

   This one may prove difficult in the short-term, but it’s a life saver over time. If your baby falls asleep while sucking on a pacifier, or your boob, or a bottle, it’s time to break the habit. If this is how she has learned to fall asleep, she’s going to need to repeat it every time she wakes up, and our objective here is to have her fall asleep independently. You can expect some resistance on this one, but hang in there.

7. Establish a routine

   A predictable, consistent bedtime routine does so much more than just keep you on schedule. It helps baby’s brain recognize that bedtime is approaching, and the brain responds by gradually going into “sleep mode.” If baby knows that bath time comes 45 minutes before bedtime every night, she’ll start preparing subconsciously as soon as she gets in the tub.

8. Check the temperature

   Having the bedroom a little too warm or a little too cold can have a big impact on baby’s sleep. Babies typically sleep best in a room that’s around 65°F or just over 18°C. That may seem a little chilly, but our body temperature falls naturally when we’re sleeping. Keep a thermometer in the room, as there can be a big variance between the thermostat sensor and the actual temperature in the nursery.

9. Make some noise

   I’ve had a lot of success with white noise machines when it’s not possible to filter out external noises. Busy apartment buildings or other kids running around can easily disturb a sleeping baby, and are out of your control, but a white noise machine set at an appropriate volume makes a world of difference.

10. Make a commitment

    Sleep isn’t an option or a luxury, for you or your baby. You both need to be getting the sleep you need if you want to function in a happy, healthy, productive manner throughout the day. So if baby’s waking up six or seven times a night, don’t shrug your shoulders and accept it as “just a part of parenthood.” Make a decision to fix the problem and stick to it. It might take some effort from both you and your little one, but once you’ve gotten it solved, the rewards are immeasurable.

So there you have it. Ten of my most effective tips. I hope they work for you and your little ones, and that your whole family will soon be sleeping through the night. Like I said, sometimes all it takes is a little correction or a slight change in your routine to make a world of difference.

If you’ve already tried everything I’ve suggested and your baby still won’t sleep through the night, it might be time to check out the Sleep Sense Program. (You knew there was a pitch coming at you eventually, didn’t you?) It’s helped over 109,000 people get their babies sleeping through the night, and it comes with a one-year, no-questions-asked, 100% guarantee, so you literally have nothing to lose except sleepless nights!