Day 191 - Sleeping through the night

Today's first time parenting tip - Try systematic waking to help your baby through the night

So you've tried crying it out, and you've tried getting up with him. Solid food doesn't help, and you're nearly at your wits end with trying to get your baby to not wake up twice a night. Maybe you've got a kid that wakes up at night. Everyone does, even adults. But the trick is learning to go back to bed.

A possible answer, and one that seems contradictory to what you are trying to accomplish, is systematic waking. Basically, you note your baby's usual wake up times. Then, you set your alarm for a half hour before they would wake up. Get up, change them, nurse them, do whatever you would do if they woke up on their own. Then, gradually extend the time between waking them up.

The idea is they come to rely on you to wake them up. They learn to stay asleep longer, and to associate you coming in to wake them and take care of them as usual. It may or may not work, but give it a try if nothing else works, or if you don't want to let them cry it out.

Parenting, Sleep, Night, Habit, Waking