7 Lessons I Learned from my Baby Sleep Consultant
You hear about those babies that are great sleepers. They take great naps, can fall asleep anywhere, and by a few weeks old, they’re sleeping through the night. Guess what… those aren’t my babies. Both of my babies were the kind of babies who woke up every two hours (or more) wanting to be nursed back to sleep. For the first few months of life, I was more than happy to sacrifice sleep to feed and comfort my babies. But, after months of sleepless nights, daytime exhaustion, and seeing no progress in their sleep patterns, I knew that I needed to make a change.
Elliott is my second baby and is very different from his brother. While Weston was a go-with-the-flow type of infant, Elliott is a very sensitive and particular baby. I decided to get some help when it came to sleep training this time around. I had met Jilly from Baby Sleep Made Simple through a blogging group and I was intrigued by the different options her sleep training program offered (including tear free methods). So, when Elliott was 6 months old, we started the 21 Days to Peace and Quiet program. I’m happy to report that we’ve learned so much over the last few weeks and Elliott is officially sleeping through the night. Here are my favorite tips I learned from our sleep consultant, Jilly.
It’s Okay to Ask for Help
Asking for help with your baby’s sleep does not make you a bad mom. Sleep training your baby does not make you a bad mom. In fact, I stand by the fact that sleep training both of my boys has made me a better mom (and has made them happier children). Sleep training is a touchy subject in the parenting world. I’ve always felt that you should do whatever works for you and your family. If you’re not interested in sleep training, don’t do it. But, if you’re exhausted and looking for answers, don’t ever feel bad about seeking help and teaching your baby how to sleep.
Start with Bedtime
One of the first lessons I learned from Jilly was that we needed to start teaching Elliott to sleep at bedtime (rather than at nap time). At bedtime your baby’s energy tank is depleted from the day and they’re far more tired than they are at nap time. Helping your baby become a good sleeper always starts with night time sleep. While you’re teaching your baby how to fall asleep on their own at at night, it’s okay to get them napping by any means necessary. If that means putting them in the swing, in the stroller, or in a baby wrap, that’s okay! Start with night time sleep and naps will naturally follow.
Introduce a PNR (Peaceful Nightly Ritual)
In my opinion, a peaceful nightly ritual is the single best thing you can do for your baby’s sleep. Creating a ritual and doing it at the same time every night can make a huge impact on your baby’s sleep… and it’s so easy to do. Your ritual, or routine, can look different, but ours looks like this:
Step 1: Bath
Step 2: Lotion, Diaper and Jammies
Step 3: Turn on sound machine and read two books
Step 4: Sing a song
Step 5: Kisses and lay down
I actually do the same routine for nap but without the bath. Repeating the same steps before sleep gives your baby clues that it’s time to rest. I honestly think it also has a bit of a Pavlovian effect, because as soon as I turn on the sound machine, Elliott starts yawning!
Pick the Right Bedtime
Picking the right bedtime for your baby is also an important part of getting your baby to sleep through the night (and wake up later in the mornings). I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but putting your baby to bed earlier can actually help them sleep in later in the morning. Some parents think that keeping their baby up later will cause them to sleep in, but this typically backfires (I know it does for both of my boys). This causes your baby to get overtired and in turn, they don’t get a good night’s sleep.
Get a White Noise Machine
The easiest thing you can do to improve your baby’s sleep is get a white noise machine. When Elliott was a few weeks old and suffering from colic, I noticed that he always quit crying when the vacuum cleaner was running. I hopped on YouTube and found a video that play vacuum cleaner sounds and it worked! It calmed him down and helped him sleep. I quickly purchased a white noise machine that has truly helped him become a better sleeper. I wasn’t surprised when Jilly talked about the importance of white noise in one of her lessons. She suggests you keep it on all night long so that it drowns out any extra noise that’s coming from the rest of the house. The fact that Elliott sleeps through the dog barking and his big brother screaming and laughing can only be attributed to that sound machine. I even ordered a portable one for the car seat and stroller.
Work as a Team
When it comes to sleep training, you have to make sure that you and your partner are on the same page. Do you both want to sleep train? What method of sleep training are you both comfortable with? Who is going to do the peaceful nightly ritual? Who is going to be responsible for night wakings? All of these things need to be considered when you decide to sleep train. I’ll be honest, I went through the 21 Days of Peace and Quiet lessons on my own, but I talked about them with my husband and we decided on when and how to sleep train as a team. We agreed on when to start and who would do what. That way, when Elliott woke up in the middle of the night, we both knew exactly what needed to happen, and we stuck to the plan. All it takes is one 2AM waking without a game plan to sabotage any progress you’ve already made.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key! Babies are quick learners and they love routines and repetition. If you follow the plan that Jilly lays out in the 21 Days to Peace and Quiet (or whatever sleep training program you chose), and stay consistent, you will see results.
Sleep is so important. We all need it to function and be the best versions of ourselves. Having a baby totally and completely disrupts our sleep and it doesn’t take long for it to catch up to us. If you’re exhausted and ready to get you and your baby sleeping better at night, I hope that these tips help you get started. If you’re looking for more help and guidance, I can’t say enough about 21 Days to Peace and Quiet. It breaks sleep training up into simple steps so that you’re building positive sleep habits as you go. It’s easy to follow and offers several different sleep training methods (there’s truly an option for everyone). My favorite part is the fact that Jilly is always happy to answer questions, does live Q&A’s on Facebook, and always seems to know how to solve each individual problem. I absolutely love the program and I love the impact a good night’s sleep has made on both me and Elliott.
Related:
- 6 Baby Sleep Tips for the Sleep Deprived Mom
- How we Sleep Trained our Baby in 48 Hours
- How to Transition your Baby to the Crib
What I Learned from My Baby Sleep Consultant
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