5 reasons why your sleep training is not working

Don’t want sleepless nights? Tired of waking up consistently because of the baby? Maybe your sleep training lags behind or maybe something is ruining your training.

You’re not alone. Many moms face this problem. Through their experience and doctors’ guidance, this article will help you find out as to why your sleep training isn’t working.

Finding out the cause behind the disturbance in the sleep training will let you get rid of the same. Both and your baby will be able to get comfortable nights of sleep.

How is the environment?

The environment has a major role in the sleep training of the baby. If it isn’t comfortable, your baby won’t go to sleep.

The environment for the baby should be dark because the amount of light controls the circadian rhythm. It disturbs the baby’s sleep and can deter it from getting a good nap.

Many adults can’t sleep with the lights on so it’s clear that babies find it difficult to sleep in light.

Minimize the amount of light that enters the room. Avoid screens before the sleep as they can alert the baby.

You can use the screen freely when the baby falls asleep. Just keep the noise levels down.

You will have to keep the temperature between 65 to 70 degrees. This is the most suitable range for a baby to sleep in.

And while you’re maintaining the temperature of the room, avoid over bundling the baby too. Choose blankets that have breathable fabrics.

Lastly, ensure that the room is quiet. Developing a sleep routine becomes a difficult job when there are disturbances around.

You can use a white noise machine as it helps in masking other noises. If that doesn’t work, then play some smooth and continuous music.

But remember that the music will become a part of the baby’s sleep routine.

What are the Sleeping Schedules?

The sleep schedules of a baby depend largely on the age. It might be sleeping a lot in the night and staying awake in daytime whereas the vice versa can also be true.

Some parents are blessed with babies who sleep early in the night. But that schedule tends to change as well. As your baby ages, it tends to develop better sleep schedules as it forms sleep routines.

Newborns tend to sleep soon after a feeding. But as they grow older (after 3-4 months) they tend to change the sleep cycles.

So does it mean you can’t do anything about it?

No, it only means you’ll need to switch your approach depending on the age of the baby. The expectations of the parents tend to cause problems here.

You might want the baby to sleep too much or too little and that can cause problems to you and the baby. If your baby has slept more than it needs to, it’ll stay awake longer.

On the other hand, if your baby didn’t get enough sleep, it’ll remain fussy and performing the sleep training can be rather difficult with a fussy baby. Your goal is to balance the baby’s sleeping and awake time.

Babies which are younger than 6 months sleep for 11 to 12 hours at night and nap for around 4 hours. Older babies (> 6 months) only sleep for around 2 hours in the day. Such slight differences in the sleep requirements are important to keep in mind.

Where does the baby sleep?

Do you sleep with your baby? Does the baby sleep often in the car seat? The location where the baby sleeps is considerably important. Martin Gonzalez, MD, recommends parents to move the crib or bassinet in a separate room.

According to him, babies who sleep with parents don’t sleep well. It’ll seem harsh in the beginning.

Dr Gonzalez believes that the first three nights are crucial. In that span, the baby will automatically develop the habit of sleeping alone.

Major mistake parents do is they let the infant sleep in the car seat. A small nap is okay. But when the baby sleeps in the car seat for hours, it is a cause of concern.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that the baby shouldn’t sleep on the car seat for more than 30 minutes. While it’s impossible for working moms and dads to stay within this limit (those commutes can be long), you should avoid letting the baby sleep in it for long.

It can cause the development of the flattened head syndrome. In total, you should let the baby sleep in her own room. And avoid its sleep on the car seat. 

Do you feed the baby before sleep?

Letting the baby doze off right after feeding can be cute but it disturbs the sleep training. Sleep training is important to develop the habit of sleeping alone in the baby.

And when it sleeps during or right after feeding, its sleep training gets disturbed. The baby will associate the feeding session with the sleep.

Dr Mindell, PhD recommends parents to develop a sleeping routine for the baby if it has developed the habit of sleeping after feeding.

Does your baby nap on the go?

You’re in a grocery store, buying supplies with your baby when you realize your baby started napping. So you don’t disturb it and let it sleep. Many parents in this situation behave in a similar way.

But letting the baby sleep whenever it wants can get problematic. Especially the on the go naps.

They can disturb the sleep schedules of the baby and make it difficult for her to go back to sleep when she gets home. You should try to let the baby sleep in the crib (or bassinet) as often as possible.

This way your baby will associate the crib with sleep and it will only sleep there.

Another mistake worth mentioning is picking up the baby whenever she cries. As a parent, you can’t see your baby crying but if you’ll keep picking her up, she won’t get the training.

Final Thoughts

Sleep training is essential for the growth of your baby. By keeping these points in mind, you’ll avoid the mistakes other parents make. It will ensure that both you and your baby get a good night’s sleep.

Have some experiences to share? Contact us. Or if you know any parents who might find these tips useful you can share this article.