Newborn Sleep Training: Helps Baby Learn To Self-Soothe
Newborn sleep training is the process of helping your baby learn to sleep on their own. It’s a great way to get some much-needed rest and bonding time with your baby, but it can be stressful and confusing.
Many parents choose not to sleep train their newborns because they’re afraid of being cruel or hurting their child’s emotional or mental health. But there are many benefits to newborn sleep training that make it worth considering, from getting more sleep to improving your relationship with your baby.
Newborn Sleep Training: The Benefits
When it comes to newborn sleep training, there are many benefits for both you and your baby:
- Better Family Health
The lack of sleep that comes with having a newborn can have negative effects on the entire family. The lack of sleep causes irritability, mood swings and overall exhaustion in parents; this can lead to arguments between parents or even divorce if things get out of hand. A lack of sleep can also affect the health of older children if they are forced to take care of their younger siblings while their parents are trying to catch up on some shut-eye themselves. Having an infant who sleeps well allows everyone in the family a better chance at getting enough rest, so everyone stays happy and healthy!
- Create A Consistent Bedtime Routine
Once you’ve established a routine for putting your baby to bed at night (which should include feeding him), stick with it every night, so he knows what to expect when it’s time for sleep. A consistent bedtime routine also helps babies learn how to fall asleep without assistance from parents or caregivers.
- Better Quality Sleep
Babies who are allowed to cry it out are often able to get more rest than those who aren’t allowed to cry at all. This means that they’ll wake up less often during the night, which will help them get better quality sleep overall. Babies who aren’t allowed to cry may not be able to tell when they’re truly hungry or just looking for attention — meaning that they could be waking up their parents unnecessarily.
- Improved Circadian Rhythm
Your newborn’s body needs time to adjust to its natural circadian rhythm. There will be times when he has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep due to hunger or discomfort. With newborn sleep training, you can help your baby learn how to fall asleep on her own so that she can get back on track with her circadian rhythm.
- You’ll Have More Time
You’ll have more time for yourself and family members who live with you full-time (if any). When babies are young and need constant attention, it can feel like there is no time for anything else in life but taking care of them. Once they start sleeping through the night (or at least part of the night), you’ll have more free time that can be spent doing things that only adults should do — like going out with friends or spending quality time with your spouse or other family members who live with you full time (if any).
- Less Chance Of Postpartum Depression
Research shows that babies who sleep through the night are less likely to develop postpartum depression (PPD). PPD is a serious condition that affects nearly 1 in 7 new mothers and involves feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety or anger for a period longer than two weeks after giving birth. It can interfere with bonding with your baby and cause marital problems. If you feel like you might be suffering from PPD, it’s important to get help right away from your doctor or midwife so they can diagnose what’s going on and recommend treatment options like medication or counselling sessions.
- Reduced Risk of SIDS
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “the risk of SIDS decreases with increasing age and length of time in an open bed because infants who spend less time in a crib or bassinet are less likely to progress from unsafe sleeping positions into more dangerous ones.” While babies younger than 4 months should never sleep on an adult mattress, as this increases their risk of SIDS by 500%, it is safe for babies older than 4 months to sleep on an adult mattress without placing them in danger!
Conclusion:
Newborn sleep training is important because it helps them sleep through the night sooner. It allows both parent and child to get a more restful sleep. Sleep is crucial as it allows the body to repair itself, recuperate, and store up energy needed for the next day. Sleep also gives the mind time to process information and form memories. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body will have a harder time functioning properly, and your mental state can suffer.