There are many different methods from the
¡°experts¡± on dealing with sleep problems in your developing baby and
child. Again, do what works best for you and what you feel comfortable
with.
The Ferber method involves letting the baby cry herself to sleep, on
the theory that if you're firm about bed time, she'll learn to comfort
herself to sleep. This doesn't mean just plunking the baby down in her
crib and walking away. It differs from what you may already be doing in
that it encourages you to put the baby in her crib while she's still
awake, so she gets used to falling asleep without you. But this might
also mean letting her cry it out for a few weeks. This can be stressful
for everyone in the household.
Another method is the controlled crying method. Again, this involves
your usual bedtime rituals of a bath, perhaps a snack and a story,
rocking and cuddling. Put your baby in her crib and kiss her goodnight.
If she starts to cry, wait 10 to 15 minutes before going in to comfort
her. Try to resist picking her up, just shush her quietly and pat her
on the back. Some experts suggest not talking, as this can reinforce
the waking and crying behavior. You want to reassure your baby that
you're there, but you still want to encourage sleeping.
After the first half hour of crying, increase the intervals before you
check on the baby by a few minutes each time, up to about 15 to 20
minutes between checking. This can take some time, and can be trying on
your nerves, but in time, your baby will learn that you're not going
away and that you're nearby. This teaches your baby self-comforting,
but also gives her the confidence and security that you're there for
her.
