Dr. Ankita Patel is a pediatrician at Novant Health Meadowlark Pediatrics in Winston-Salem. Here’s her answer.
Sleep training can be started at around four months, as long as the baby is growing well. As babies get older, they need less sleep, although every baby is different. For a 6-month-old, it's normal to wake up at night, but she should be able to go back to sleep after just a few minutes. When a baby is learning how to fall asleep in her own bed, these tips can help:
- Keep the baby calm and quiet at nighttime.
- If you rock her or let her fall asleep in your arms and then put her into bed, she’s going to have a harder time putting herself to sleep.
- The best practice is to put her in bed while drowsy but still awake.
- When feeding or changing a baby at night, try not to stimulate her too much. Keep the lights low and avoid talking to the infant, which may make her think it’s time to interact.
