How I Got My Baby To Sleep

My son's been a pretty decent night time sleeper.

At around 3 1/2 weeks old, he was sleeping roughly 4-5 hour stretches at night

Now, at 11 weeks old, he's been sleeping 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours through the entire night without waking up!!

I also mentioned several times throughout my blog that my daughter was also a great sleeper. 

In fact, she slept better and she was sleeping through the night sooner than our son.

With our son, I read "The Happiest Baby On the Block" and "Babywise".

I mostly followed the principles in "The Happiest Baby On The Block", and it's worked for us.

The 5 S's are a lifesaver, in my opinion at least (if you care).

Basically the "5 S's" is a method taught in the "Happiest Baby" book.

I'll explain each one, and how we used it to work for us to get Mattis to sleep through the night.

Also, I am not an "attachment parent", so I never co slept with my son.

He was always in a bassinet in our room, and by the time he was 4 weeks old, we put him in his own crib.

I like to establish their crib as "their place to sleep" early on in life.

Again, my opinion, and just what works for our family and me.

And let me just add again that my son is sleeping 8 hours a night at 11 weeks.

 Again...you have to read the book to completely understand each of the "5 S's"

 

Swaddling

It bothers me when new parents tell me that their babies hate to be swaddled. 

No, they don't hate to be swaddled.

Being swaddled is the most natural state for a newborn.

You are just incorporating the swaddle wrong into your baby's routine.

I am no expert, but this is just what I figured out with my son.

I thought he hated to be swaddled too, but it turns out, it's a lot more than just swaddling the baby.

Also, google the "batwing swaddle". 

It will change your life.

We started swaddling him at night in the "batwing swaddle".

Side/Stomach Position

Obviously, it's not safe to put your baby on his/her stomach to sleep at night, so we chose the side position.

We rolled up a blanket and tucked it behind his back so that he would be on his side (while in the swaddle) to sleep at night.

This also helps your baby from the back of their head getting flat from laying on their back all the time.

Shushing sounds

 We downloaded a white noise app on my iPad called "Sleep Bug", and we keep it on the "white noise" sound all night long in his nursery.

When he's really crazy and fussy, I've turned on my blow dryer, and it instantly calms him down.

I've heard of people turning on vacuum cleaners. 

Read the book.

You'll get it.

Swinging

For our night time routine, we don't really rock or swing him unless he is really fussy.

If he is having "one of those nights", we rock him in our arms while making "shushing" sounds.

Oh, and he is swaddled while we do so.

It calms him down, and right before he is about to fall asleep, we put him down.

I don't like letting him fall asleep in my arms before I put him down because I wanted him to self soothe himself to sleep.

Sucking

As soon as we lay him down in his sleep before he is totally asleep, we give him his pacifier.

It soothes him and calms him down.

He falls asleep within minutes.

You really have to read the book to totally understand all these methods.

The book is really amazing, and while reading it, I had a TON of "aha" moments.

These 5 techniques are mostly used for colicky babies, but I used it on my son to sleep at night.

It's worked like a charm for us.

Seriously though...

He really has become "the Happiest Baby on the Block"....