How To Get Your Baby To Sleep Through The Night

Like all the skills you’ll develop as a dad, getting a baby to sleep is both a science and an art. As a dad, you must get this skill down since it’s essential not just for your baby’s growth and development but for your (and mom’s) health and sanity as well.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re struggling to get your baby sleeping through the night. Luckily, with our tried and tested strategies, you’ll see your baby sleep peacefully and enjoy your share of 40 winks yourself.

Unlock your inner Hypnos and read our Dad University guide to getting your baby to sleep through the night.

Three Proven Techniques for Getting Your Baby Sleeping Through the Night

There have been various approaches to getting babies to sleep. However, we at Dad University have found these three to be effective.

1. The Ferber Method

Designed by Dr. Richard Ferber, this technique involves letting babies cry before soothing them. By allowing your baby to cry for longer periods, crying times will eventually be less. This is because, over time, your baby will learn to self-soothe.

Because of their newly developed self-soothing abilities, there will be less need for you to calm them down, meaning you’ll have more chances to catch some sleep yourself.

2. Cry It Out

Counterintuitive as it may seem, a good way to let your baby sleep is to just let them cry. Let’s talk about why this works.

Babies cry as a way to get attention to have certain needs met. By catering to every cry and whimper, you’re teaching your baby that it’s an effective way to get your attention. Reinforce the behavior enough times, and your baby will be crying longer and more frequently.

3. The No-Cry Method

If tip number two doesn’t work, you can try the no-cry method. This method is helpful in creating a comfortable routine for your baby.

To implement this strategy, you’ll have to be close to the baby. As your baby is about to cry, you quickly pick your newborn up, soothe the baby, and gently put your baby back down.

The idea here is that the baby learns to self-soothe just before crying. Over time, you’ll notice gradual reductions in the amount of time your baby cries before calming down. And, let’s be honest:

For us dads (and for mom), that’s a huge win!

Tips To Get a Baby To Sleep — Beginner’s Edition

Yes, the methods mentioned in the earlier section are amazing at getting a baby to sleep. However, babies vary in their temperaments and sleep schedules. As a result, you might be unable to master the above strategies or even know where to start.

If you need some easier approaches, here are some simple strategies you can implement immediately.

1. Stick to a Schedule

As much as possible, put your baby to bed at the same time every night. This is an essential step if you’re to establish a routine that helps minimize the chances of your baby crying.

Now, granted, adhering to a sleep schedule won’t always be in the cards with work and other responsibilities getting in the way. Nevertheless, do everything in your power to ensure that you put your baby to bed on time — it will be worth it in the long run.

2. Put Your Baby Down Earlier

If you look at the first three tips in our list, you’ll find that putting your baby to sleep isn’t a one-and-done exercise. Rather, getting babies to sleep through the night involves a series of steps, from putting them in their cribs to soothing them after they cry.

With this in mind, you’ll want to ensure that you put your baby to bed earlier. By ensuring that your baby goes to bed early, you’ll have sufficient time to prime your baby and be at their bedside should the need for soothing arise.

And speaking of priming your baby for sleep, this brings us to the next tip.

3. Establish a Bedtime Routine

Besides your sleep schedule, a routine is a must if you want to help your baby sleep through the night. A bedtime routine prepares your baby for an uninterrupted night of sleep.

While routines can differ from one dad to the next, bathtime is often a good place to start. From here, you can swaddle your baby if it’s chilly and hold them until you’re confident that they’ll sleep uninterrupted.

Feel free to add any steps you see fit. The point is to make bedtime a habit — both for you and your baby.

4. Remove Distractions

To help your baby sleep, you’ll want to eliminate all distractions. Distractions can be anything from lights to toys to additional objects in the baby’s crib.

Removing distractions minimizes sensory stimuli that can prevent your baby from falling asleep. Eliminate them, and you’ll make bedtime a breeze for your baby.

5. Put Them (Your Babies) Down Before They Fall Asleep

No doubt that your baby falling asleep in your arms is a Hallmark card moment. However, this does come with some downsides, particularly when it comes to letting your baby fall asleep alone.

To get your baby to sleep through the night with minimal interruptions, it’s best that you put your baby down immediately after soothing. Once your baby is calm and dozing off, your baby will fall asleep in the crib automatically.

6. Feed Your Baby Right Before Bedtime

Do you know that drowsiness you experience after you’ve had a heavy lunch? It turns out babies feel the same thing. Hence, another way to prep your baby for bedtime is to get them full.

A full belly enables your baby to doze off quickly. Also, by feeding your baby before bed, there will be fewer chances of them waking up in the middle of the night and crying due to hunger.

Get Your Baby To Sleep Like a Pro

At the end of the day, getting your baby to sleep through the night is all about practice and establishing a routine. It may be tough at first, but with patience and time, you’ll have your baby sleeping through the night, enabling you and mom to get some Zs too.

Getting your baby to sleep is one of many skills you need to hone as a dad.

Watch the "How To Get Your Baby To Sleep Through The Night" video here:

Be sure to