I decided to address the topic of sleep training in one post because it's a hot subject I get asked on a daily basis. Although this post may disappoint you: I have no tips.
Why? Because I am aware that every baby is different AND that every baby has phases, so comparing this topic and giving steps into how to sleep train is a bit unrealistic.
FROM CAT NAPS TO NAPS:
Sofia was the cat napping queen until 4 months. So by 4.5months, after we came back from an international trip and after she adapted back to the 9h time difference, I decided it was time for her to transition into the long naps and a set schedule, which she had not had before. I started implementing the six month schedule, with a daily routine and set activities at each time as shown on the chart. It took us six weeks (again, don't ask me what I did because every day was different, and what I did depended on her, so I progressed as she progressed) and she finally mastered the schedule by 6 months.
NIGHT SLEEP
I have friends that have babies who have slept through the night since they were born. Sofia, like many others, is not one of them. You can read about her sleep roller coaster from 0-6months here. She's always woken up plenty of times. The best month so far was at 3 months when she woke up once or twice. I am happy that she now soothes herself back to sleep, she does not want milk anymore at night, she basically does not require me or my assistance anymore (unless she is teething or has a cold, in those occasions she has wanted to lay by my side). However, even on good nights, she wakes at least 2-3 times, and yells or talks or cries. She soothes herself back asleep but, she wakes up the whole house. And, the times she is "going through something" (teething, a cold, fighting jet lag) are PLENTY. So it's always something.
PACIFIER/SELF SOOTHING
She, on her own, started being uninterested at around 5 months. In this sense I am lucky because I know how amazing the paci is or the first few months, but how difficult it can be for some moms to break the habit as the baby grows older. So I am happy she as able to use it a LOT (she was obsessed) for the first few months of life and that she all of the sudden now could care less. She used to self sooth with the paci, then she self soothed with her finger, sucking her thumb instead of paci) and now she just self-soothes rolling around.
All I can say is patience mamas! They will grow and sleep better one day, sooner or later. I am definitely not complaining about the sleepless nights because they are babies, and that's what babies do! She still makes me want to have 10 more babies :)
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