Sleepless in Santa Barbara

By DR. DAN BRENNAN — Feb. 5, 2010

Bedtime stories. Teddy Bears. Snuggly blankets. Another restful evening? For parents who are sleep training their infants, the reality is often anything but sweet dreams.

Understanding the basics of normal infant sleep patterns may help put an end to those sleepless nights.

Meet Sophia

Sophia is a six-month old who is used to being rocked to sleep. Mom is returning to work and desperate for her to sleep through the night. After weeks of unsuccessful “crying it out,” Sophia’s parents start to receive plenty of advice from their friends and neighbors.

Have reasonable expectations

Many healthy infants may start to sleep through the night between four and six months of age. A few younger babies may sleep through the night, but this is generally the exception to the rule.

The normal sleep–wake cycle

Your baby is not the only one who wakes up through the night. We all have brief awakenings to roll over, fluff the pillow or pull up the covers. The difference is that most of us have learned to fall back asleep on our own.

Sleep associations

We all have activities that we associate with bedtime, such as reading a book, drinking a cup of tea or watching the nightly sports report. Babies have sleep associations too, a bottle of formula, nursing in mom’s arms, rocking in a chair, sucking on a pacifier or driving around the block in a minivan.

If your baby is used to one of these sleep associations to fall asleep, chances are your baby may also require the same intervention to fall back asleep after waking up in the middle of the night.

Develop a new bedtime routine

Establishing a new bedtime routine can help develop new sleep associations. A typical routine can include a feeding, bath, singing a song or reading a book.

The goal is to create new sleep associations that encourage your baby to fall asleep on her own, in her own bed without feeding, rocking or cruising State Street at 2 A.M.

Consider how you might be startled and have a hard time falling back asleep if you fell asleep in your bed, but later woke up in the middle of the living room floor. This is no different for the infant that falls asleep in her parent’s arms, only to awaken in a strange room, with her parents nowhere in sight.

The infant who learns to fall asleep in her own bed will be less scared and more likely to sooth herself back to sleep.

When your baby wakes it is okay to go into her room to reassure her, but try not to pick her up, rock or feed her. Often times, she will fall back to sleep on her own after ten or fifteen minutes of wakefulness.

Pitfalls

It does not take much to disrupt the sleep training process. Teething, traveling or catching a cold may interfere with sleep training.

After four months of age, most healthy babies no longer require overnight feedings. Babies will likely eat in the middle of the night, however, even if they are not hungry.

Some babies are not ready to sleep through the night at six months of age. Every baby has a different personality and her own needs.

It is never too late to start sleep training. If your baby is not ready, it is okay to wait and try again in a few weeks.

Be consistent

The good news is that sleep training can be accomplished in one or two weeks with consistency and a little luck.

Sophia revisited

We return to our six-month old. At a recent check-up, her parents are reassured that she is thriving and no longer requires overnight feedings. With their pediatrician’s guidance, they evaluate Sophia’s sleep associations and construct a new bedtime routine. Within two weeks Sophia is falling asleep on her own, in her own crib and sleeping through the night.

Empowering your child to learn how to fall asleep on her own is a life-long gift, for your child and for you. Understanding the basics of sleep and creating a new bedtime routine for your baby will allow you to once again curl up under the blankets and return to those sweet dreams.

Dr. Dan Brennan is a board certified pediatrician who appreciates a good night of sleep. His column can be found on alternating Fridays in the Daily Sound. To contact Dr. Brennan, please call 563-6211 or visit www.SBPediatrics.com.

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