Friday, December 1, 2017

What Is Sleep Training?

Trying to get an infant or a toddler to sleep can be challenging, and it gets more difficult when it happens on a daily basis. Let us take a look at how most parents deal with the sleep problem and what the benefits are in using a solution called sleep training.


Sleep training is a training process that is practiced for months to help a baby learn how to get uninterrupted sleep during regular sleeping hours. This process is highly ideal for babies who have trouble in getting or getting back to sleep once they’ve been awakened. The goal is to improve a baby’s sleep pattern and routine through the use of behavioral techniques.

Advantages of Sleep Training 

Establish Good Sleeping Habits
One of the major reasons to sleep train is to simply let your baby learn how to fall asleep without anybody’s help. Sleep training is often started at an early stage in life, and this is done to help him or her develop a healthy sleeping habit. Once the child has learned how to get to sleep every night, he or she will have greater chances of having less sleeping problems.

More Household Control 
A child who has difficulty sleeping can negatively affect the entire family. Once the problem keeps on happening, everyone in the family will also have difficulty concentrating on the things that they do on a daily basis. Sleep training eliminates these ugly consequences and makes the home friendly for everyone.

Healthier for Everyone 
When the child builds a good sleeping habit, everyone in the house can get well rested too. The child and other family members will become healthier and will not experience developmental delays and other consequences such as obesity.

Why Sleep Problems Take Place 
There can be various reasons why your baby is having a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep. It can be that the child is suffering from a medical condition or that the sleeping environment is uncomfortable and not soothing. It can also be that your attempts to soothe your baby are too stimulating. The moment you interact with your baby when he makes some noises, you are already trying to wake him up. Other causes include the bedtime being too early, too late, or too variable.


Things to Do Before Sleep Training 

1. Visit Your Pediatrician 
This is important to determine whether or not there are underlying causes of your baby’s sleep problems. There can be minor causes or severe medical conditions such as sleep apnea which hinders your child from getting a good night’s sleep.

2. Make a Plan 
It is imperative that you plan the sleep training first and choose which method works best for your child, family, and situation. You can plan what you need to do exactly and try one method for at least a week. Planning can make things easier, especially if one method doesn’t work for your baby.

3. Clear Your Calendar 
You need to make sure that the sleep training of your child will not be interrupted by any family activity or events. If someone in the family is going to have a surgery or if you are planning to have an area of the home fixed or improved, then you should not start the training. Anything that can disrupt the normal flow of life in the house will also mess up the sleep training. Make sure to clear your calendar and keep the entire training from any sort of disruptions.

Planning is essential to make sleep training work for your baby. You need to also ask for guidance from sleep experts and follow your instincts at the same time. Choose the method that works well for your baby and your situation.

Baby Sleep Training: A Quick Start Guide to Getting More Sleep - Dr. Terrell Clements

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