How to Teach a Nursing Baby to Sleep Through the Night

Nursing babies can wake up frequently during the night, and this can be a challenge for parents. Some parents find that training baby to sleep for a longer stretch can help everyone wake up rested. There is much debate over when to start this type of training. Dr. Richard Ferber, director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Children's Hospital Boston, says that nursing babies are ready to sleep through the night somewhere between four and six months. But Dr. Jay Gordon, a pediatrician and author, doesn't recommend sleep training for the first year of life.

Instructions

1

Establish a nighttime routine. For example, give her a bath, read a book, nurse her and put her to bed.

2

Wake your baby up for a feeding right before you go to bed. Understand that most doctors consider just six hours to be sleeping through the night, so you may not be able to sleep for eight hours. Thirty minutes before you go to bed, wake baby up and allow her to nurse. When she's asleep, put her back in her crib. This will help ensure that she won't wake up soon because she's hungry.

3

Give your baby a pacifier. Some babies have a strong need to suck for comfort, which can be a reason they wake up for nursing. A pacifier can satisfy this need and help her to go back to sleep.

4

Ask papa to step in during the night. When a baby sees his mama, she may only be able to think about nursing. If papa takes care of the baby instead, she will learn not to expect feedings throughout the night.

5

Allow baby to "cry it out." Though this is a hotly contested method, some parents let their baby cry it out as a way to help her learn to self-comfort. This doesn't mean letting the baby cry for hours on end. Start by letting the baby cry for a few minutes and then gradually increase the time you let her cry before you get her. Jumping up to nurse the baby whenever she makes the slightest noise will encourage her to expect that.