Are you a parent in Dubai whose baby needs rocking to fall asleep, or do they wake up in the middle of the night seeking a breast, bottle, or snuggle before drifting back to sleep?
If the answer is yes, it’s probably time to start sleep training your baby (but only once they are at least four months old). If they are under 4 months of age, you can hire a maternity nurse or babysitter in Dubai and avoid missing out on your sleep.
What is sleep training?
Sleep training is the process of teaching your infant to fall asleep without your assistance.
Of course, keep in mind that each child is unique, and not every infant will respond well to sleep training immediately. Furthermore, sleep training isn’t easy by nature and necessitates time, effort, and consistency.
That said, if you’re looking to give sleep training a try, here are ten tips to get you and your little one started.
1. Develop a sleep regimen as soon as possible
As newborns desire routine and need to know what’s going to happen next, in this instance, you’re communicating that it’s time to sleep; establishing nap time and bedtime routines is critical.
To help your baby shift from awake to sleepy time, stick to a 30-minute bedtime routine. You can start with giving them a warm bath and changing them into their sleeping clothes. After their bath time, read them a bedtime story and by the time you finish, they will hopefully be sleepy.
2. Place them in the cradle before bedtime
Sleep training aims to train your baby to fall asleep independently, something they won’t learn if you constantly let them sleep in your arms before moving them to the crib.
3. Decide on a start date that will be effective
There’s no perfect moment to begin sleep training, so just try to avoid timing it around significant life events for your child (a new nanny, teething, a different bedroom, etc.)
4. Set up the Nursery
The atmosphere is incredibly crucial when it comes to sleep training your infant. Maintain a pleasant and comfortable temperature in the room, ideally between 65F and 70F.
Consider adding blackout curtains if your baby’s room gets a lot of light and they struggle with naps and early wake-ups.
5. Understand when your infant is tired
Keep an eye out for sleep signs such as yawning, eye rubbing, or crankiness, which may occur simultaneously each night.
Overtired babies have a more difficult time calming down for sleep, so put your baby to bed when they’re sleepy but not overtired.
6. Change the way you respond
At the first whimper, don’t rush into the baby’s room. At night, babies produce a variety of noises, including screaming, before falling asleep on their own.
Responding to every noise or cry could startle a sleeping infant or disrupt their attempts to self-soothe.
7. Recognize sleep crutches
Sleep crutches are activities or behaviors that help your child fall asleep, such as having mom or dad in the room, nursing, rocking, and so on.
Once you’ve identified their sleep crutches, you may learn how to eliminate them so your baby can go to sleep on their own.
8. Decide on a sleep-training technique
There are various sleep training methods available. You’ve certainly heard of “Cry It Out” and perhaps the “Ferber Method,” but know that there is a sleep training choice to suit your family’s needs.
9. Hire a babysitter
Regular routines and sleep schedules are essential, and working parents may be unable to find the time needed to develop a routine or align their routine with their baby.
One easy solution to this is to hire a babysitter. Before beginning your sleep training journey, get down with your nanny to explain your approach and assess your expectations.
10. Maintain Consistency
Inconsistency is one of the most typical mistakes parents make, regardless of the sleep-training strategy they adopt.
Even if you believe you’ve all gotten over the sleep-training hump, your tiny one will scream for you in the middle of the night at some point.
Conclusion
Sleep training your baby by yourself may seem like a daunting task. To make things easier, you can hire a nanny to assist your baby in forming a consistent sleep schedule, especially if you are a working parent.
Luckily for parents in Dubai, you can use ServiceMarket to hire a babysitter easily!
Why wait? Your baby needs that stability, and you need to make the best decision for them.
