Getting your baby to sleep through the night is by far one of the toughest jobs as a new parent. Sleeping through the night is not only an important milestone, it’s an essential part of your child’s physical and emotional development. Here, we “put to rest” some of the most popular myths about getting your baby to sleep.
Sleep Myth 1: Your child needs to sleep on your schedule.
No matter how well intentioned, trying to force a baby to adapt to your schedule will prove frustrating and pointless. According to the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Mark Weissbluth (Ballantine, 2005), a schedule is important, but that schedule is not necessarily the parents’ schedule. This book presents a more scientific approach to helping your baby develop consistent sleep habits.
Sleep Myth 2: Your friend’s baby is sleeping through the night, so your baby should be too.
All babies are different, just as all definitions of “sleeping through the night” may vary - is your friend’s baby sleeping 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., or is your friend simply trying to prove that her baby is better than everyone else’s? If your child does not have any medical problems, sleeping through the night will most likely come anywhere from 4 to 6 months (formula-fed infants) or 4 to 9 months (breastfed infants).
Sleep Myth 3: Letting a baby “cry it out” will hurt them emotionally.
Depending on the age of your baby, letting your baby “cry it out” may be the best thing for your child. Although younger babies need to be held and fed during the night, if you’re getting up with a healthy 9-month-old, you’re spoiling your child. Getting up with a youngster at this age may be well-intentioned on your part, but a 9-month-old who is free of medical problems does not need to get up to eat. The older your baby gets, the harder it will be to let them cry. This could potentially spill over into other behaviors because you’re teaching your toddler that screaming gets them attention.
Sleep Myth 4: There’s nothing wrong with your child sleeping with you all night.
Although this depends on the age of the child, in some studies, newborns who are breastfed actually benefit from sleeping with mom. Both mom and baby get better sleep. However, kids who are older (1 and up) and are sleeping in a “family bed” situation have been found to develop attachment disorders and often are not well-adjusted. Moreover, this sleeping arrangement can have serious negative impacts on your relationship with your spouse, the health of which is critical to the long-term well-being of your child.
Sleep Myth 5: Parents shouldn’t leave kids with a babysitter if they aren’t sleeping through the night.
As parents, you need time alone to remain a good team. You and your spouse will be sleep deprived, pooped on, covered in food stains, and you need time with each other to remember why you did this in the first place. Find experienced babysitters who you can trust (and don’t hesitate to take advantage of family members who volunteer for babysitting duty).
As with so many aspects of parenting, when it’s your child, every situation is different. For more information on getting your baby to sleep or to find a pediatrician, visit http://www.rosepediatrics.com.
