How to get your baby to sleep through the night

Is something that every parent would like to perfect. After all that is definitely the number one thing that changes when having a baby. At least in my experience. SLEEP. I am not here to give you the secret, but a few tips that helped me. I figured I should also jot these down for the next baby as well. Both my kids slept through the night almost instantly. Riley was amazing and was sleeping 10+ hours in the first week.

1. NEVER wake a sleeping baby. I remember when I had my first, Kayleigh, she was a day old and the hospital took her to the nursery so I could get some rest. I woke up five hours later completely panicked! Where was my baby? I was nursing so I thought I had to nurse her every two hours. Five hours had gone by something MUST be wrong. I called the nurse who came in a few moments later with my baby. "She just woke up." The nurse said. When I inquired why she hadn't been brought to my room earlier the nurse smiled and said "never wake a sleeping baby." "You were both sleeping so soundly so I didn't want to bother either of you." I never woke Kayleigh to eat. A few times I would give her what is called a twilight feeding, where you nurse them when they are sleeping, but only because I was engorged and too lazy to pump.

*Please note that if your baby is premature or special needs in any way and your doctor instructs you to wake the baby please do. Both my babies were full term and gained weight from the beginning. If you baby is gaining weight and your doctor is telling you to wake them for a feed that doctor is a sadist.

2. Nurse on demand and often during the day. The more they get during the day, the less they will want at night

3. When they do wake to nurse at night DO NOT do the following...this is very important: NO talking to the baby, NO lights on, NO diaper changes unless it is poop.

4. If it is poop and you have to change the baby and there is an explosion, NO baths. That will surely stimulate the baby and good bye sleepy time.

5. I gave both my kids baths every night to signal bedtime. Then we take fifteen to twenty minutes for storytime and then into bed. Routine is key but this doesn't usually start until they are a few months old.

So there are some tips that I have used. Both my kids were great sleepers until about six months old when they start teething and everything goes to hell. When I figure out what works during that fun time, so far nothing, I will let you all know! Hope this helps someone out there!!

Until next time....