Sleep Issues of 4-7 months

When your baby turns 3 months old, she should start sleeping at night. As the baby’s adaptability factor is too strong, so they are learning and observing all the time, and your baby could soon start to associate sleep time with the time when mommy isn’t there. It’s called separation anxiety and it’s a normal part of development for many babies.

You may introduce your baby to some foods, and this can help your baby feel sleepy. But do not forget to introduce the new patterns gently and slowly. If you find your baby crying for you when you aren’t there, or isn’t sleeping, then she needs to learn to self-comfort, but not all at once – put her at ease in learning the habit of sleeping alone.

Don’t change your quotidian activities before bedtime. You can still start off with a warm bath and feeding. Rocking, snuggling, singing or reading – these are all bonding times for mother and baby. If you happen to find out that your baby doesn’t fall asleep right away, so then try putting her in her crib with the rocker or glider right next to the crib, singing or reading to her. You can stand at the crib and rub or pat her back.

Within a week or 2, move your chair a short distance away from the baby’s crib, so the baby can see you, and you can talk or read or sing. If the baby cries for more than 10 or 15 minutes, then get up and comfort her, but put her back down in the crib and go back to your chair.

In another week or 2, put it over a relatively more distance i.e. towards the door. Even these minor changes could be hard for your baby, but be patient. This is a time when you can fold her laundry and put it away; while talking to her so she’s aware of your presence, but your attention should not focused entirely on her. This way she can get used to the idea of separation gradually.