How To Get A One Year Old To Sleep?
By following these simple tips, you can help your little one transition into a good sleep routine that will last a lifetime.
1. Set A Bedtime
One of the most important things you can do to help your child sleep through the night is to establish a bedtime. This will help their bodies and minds know when it's time to wind down and relax.
2. Make A Bedtime Routine
A bedtime routine is a great way to signal to your child that it's time for sleep. This can be something as simple as reading a story together or taking a bath. Doing the same thing each night will help cue their body that it's time to sleep.
3. Put Them To Bed Drowsy But Awake
It can be tempting to rock your child to sleep and then put them in their crib, but this can actually make it harder for them to learn how to fall asleep on their own. Instead, try putting them down when they're drowsy but still awake. This will help them understand that they need to fall asleep in their own bed.
4. Keep The Room Dark And Quiet
As your child starts to drift off to sleep, it's important to keep the environment dark and quiet. This will help them stay asleep through the night without being disturbed by outside noise or light.
5. Don't Give In To Crying
If your child does wake up in the middle of the night, it's important not to give in to their crying. This can actually train their bodies to wake up more often during the night. Instead, try soothing them back to sleep with gentle words or patting their back.
Create A Bedtime Routine
One of the best things you can do to encourage healthy sleep habits in your child is to establish a bedtime routine. This might include a bath, some quiet playtime, reading a story and singing a lullaby. Doing the same things in the same order each night will help signal to your child that it's time to wind down and go to sleep.
Keep The Room Dark And Quiet
A dark and quiet room is more conducive to sleep than a bright and noisy one. Consider investing in some blackout curtains or shades for your child's bedroom and turning off any electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime. You might also want to try using a white noise machine to help your little one drift off.
Don't Overstimulate Before Bed
It's tempting to try to tire out a wiggly one year old by playing lots of fun games before bed but this can actually backfire. If your child is too wound up before bed, he or she may have difficulty settling down to sleep. Instead, try to stick to calm activities in the hour or so before lights out.
Put Your Baby Down Drowsy But Awake
One common mistake parents make is putting their child down to sleep when he or she is already fast asleep. This can lead to sleep associations, such as needing rocking or nursing to fall asleep, which can be difficult to break later on. Instead, it's often better to put your baby down drowsy but still awake so that he or she can learn to self-soothe and fall asleep independently.
Give It Time
If you've been trying all of the above and your little one still isn't sleeping through the night, don't despair. Many babies don't start sleeping through until they are closer to 18 months old. In the meantime, just do the best you can and try to get some rest when your little one does!
