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When your baby is having trouble sleeping, it can be very frustrating. Lack of sleep on your part makes it difficult to cope with the needs of your baby. Babies do not have regular patterns of sleep until they are at least four months old. There are babies who do not sleep through the night for quite some time. Each baby is different, and there are no rules set in stone. If your baby has not developed a regular sleep pattern, napping when your baby naps can help you get the rest you need.
During the day, try to shorten your baby's naps, and don't over stimulate your baby with play before bed. Short naps in a baby swing are fine as long as it isn't used for long periods of time. This can be bad for the spine of a growing baby. Also, you want your baby to be able to sleep without constant movement. Continually allowing your baby to sleep in a swing will make it harder for him to fall asleep in a bed.
Before bed, try and create a routine, and avoid creating a cycle of habits that are hard to break. Getting your baby used to a regular routine will also help him fall asleep on his own. A warm bath before bed can be relaxing and comforting. Rocking your baby to sleep is nice, but it can be the beginning of a habit not easily broken. If you start doing this on a regular basis, your baby may wake up often and have to be rocked in order to go back to sleep. A pacifier isn't a good crutch to rely on either. If your baby has to have a pacifier in order to sleep, every time he looses it, you'll have to get up and put it back in his mouth.
Problems with sleeping at night can be avoided by not reacting to your baby's cry too suddenly. You soon learn to recognize what your baby's cry means. A little fussiness should not be a reason to get up and give your baby attention. Many times a baby will go back to sleep on his own, and attending to him will soon make him realize that his fussing can manipulate you. If your baby cries for more than a few minutes, then you should attend to his needs.
Some parents chose to put their babies to sleep with them. There are conflicting ideas on the wisdom of doing so. Some people believe it creates a habit that's hard to break. Other people believe it gives their baby an added sense of love and security. Only you can decide what works best for you and your baby.
There are NO studies confirming the association between sudden infant
death syndrome and the baby sleeping with her parents in bed.
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