General info: WT chart

How to SUCCESSFULLY teach a baby to sleep

How to maximize sleep for babies younger than 3/4 months

Dreamfeeding and here

How to Sleep Train without CIO

Nap extensions (7 mo.) and here (4 mo.) and here (bottom of page 13) and here

Sleep reminders

Is early bedtime a must?

What is TWT?

10 steps to starting ST (4 mo.)

”Non-CIO” (attended) methods (4 mo.)

PU/PD method & CIO vs non-CIO (5 mo. old)

More PU/PD method

Reasons for EWU

When to go BTC on 1 nap

Critical bedtime and this thread

How to shift schedule

White noise machine tips

Room darkening tips

Crib environment

Daylight savings time tips

CIO and “brain-damage from cortisol” (near end of pg. 5)

Sleep logging sites: http://www.baby-connect.com/http://www.babybix.com/http://www.trixietracker.com/or the good old “pen ‘n paper” (continued on next pg.)

Abbreviations: BT -- bedtimeBTC -- by the clockCBT -- critical bedtimeCIO -- cry it out (any form)EBT -- early bedtime (~5-6pm)ENW -- early nightwakingEWU -- early wake upMOTN -- middle of the night“non-CIO” -- attended CIONE -- nap extensionNF -- nightfeedNT -- nap training/trainedNW -- night wakingONS -- overnight sleepOT -- overtiredPD -- put downPU/PD -- pick up/put downSC -- sleep criesSR -- sleep reminderST -- sleep training/trainedTS -- total sleep over 24hrsTWT -- total (a)wake timeUT -- undertiredWT -- (a)wake timeWU -- wake up How to format logs to post:*The more concise, the easier it is to see trends6am WU8:30 PD nap (SR @ 8:50)9:00-10:30 nap 1 (WT 3hr, 1.5hr nap)1:45 PD nap2:00-3:00 nap 2 (WT 3.5, 1hr nap)5:45 PD BT6:00pm asleep BT (WT 3hr, TWT 9.5)7:30 SC9:00-9:30 NW with 1 PU/PD at 9:203:00am NF6:00am WU (11 ONS + 2.5naps = 13.5 TS) *PD times are optional (e.g. if you’re having issues with taking a long time to fall asleep you can put them in)*Please include WT calculations in your log as above

0-2 months: 3-4 months:

How to start sleep training right from the hospital (&

baby #2)

When to begin ST

Sleep training from day 1 & colic

6 day old

1 week old no “honeymoon” period

6 week old up for 2+hrs in the MOTN (& PU/PD and nap extensions)

7 week old

7 week old

7 week old

8 week old

8 week old #2 & colic

9 week old

10 week old & white noise info

10 week old

10 week old

12_week_old_won’t_nap_unless_worn & SIDS/tummy sleep

3.5 mo. sleep training

3.5 mo. swing napper

3.5 mo. swing napper

3.5 mo. sleep training

3.5 mo. sleep training

3 mo. sleep training

4 mo.

4 mo. ST

4 mo. rolling over distrupting sleep

4 mo. rolling over disrupting sleep #2

4 mo. sleep regression

4 mo. sleep training/nap training/PU/PD

“3-4 month sleep regression” Here's what occurs developmentally from 3-5 months from this thread (-BGM): (aka “4 month sleep regression”) 1) greater awareness and alertness. This means the child is suddenly much less portable and is easily overstimulated. Because the child is so alert and do not want to miss anything, catnapping is very common. Every little thing can distract the child from sleep. Some babies would even laugh and coo at the plain white walls in their bedroom! 2) sleep patterns matures and nightsleep consolidates. The child starts his day earlier. Instead of sleeping in till 7-8am like before, he wakes between 6-7am. Bedtime not only needs to be moved earlier but should be about 12hrs (more if naps were poor) from the wakeup time. This early-to-bed and early-to-rise night pattern is here to stay for the longer term. 3) 4 to 3 nap transition. This is one of my newest findings. As the child gets older, longer wakeful periods pushes naps later. Around this age, the 4th nap becomes increasingly difficult and short. Instead of pushing for a late 4th nap, move bedtime earlier instead. Some people claim that "sleep regression" occurs around 4 months. That's not true as this is NOT a phase that will miraculously disappear when the child hits 5,6, 7 or even 12 months. Sleep issues arises because parents are not aware of the 3 developmental points listed above, and hence, severe overtiredness and poor sleep habits are created. With 1), many parents resent that fact that their LOs are becoming less portable. They often mistake that difficulties with sleep means that the child is not tired, whereas in fact the child is already overtired. The fact is - whenever a child has difficulties falling/staying asleep, it means that she's already overtired. Another common mistake is that the child must be helped to sleep at all times for as long as it takes. The sleep/winddown routine becomes too long, keeping the already tired child awake. A baby's sleep routine has to be short and sweet, ideally taking no more than 10mins in all.

Also - whenever a child appears to fight the parent's efforts, or the usual method takes too long (consistently 30+mins); it means that she no longer finds the efforts soothing, but rather overstimulating. Furthermore - if your "old method" is no longer working and your LO is fighting you, it means that LO is ready to go to sleep more on his own. Because babies this age are so alert and social, the parents presence can easily distracts the child from much needed sleep. Extended winddown routines, methods that take too long that keep the child awake, plus the parent's extended presence just adds to the vicious cycle of overtiredness. Points 2) and 3) has to do more with regonizing the baby's changing sleep needs and having a flexible sleep schedule that's in sync with the child's own natural sleep rhythm. Many parents do not want the inconvenience of putting their LOs down for naps every 1.5hrs and having them in bed for the night at 6pm. They try to push the child into a schedule that fits their own lifestyle and may use sleep training to achieve this, but it will not work. This only results in overtiredness and unnecessary crying. 4 months is certainly challenging for the parents, but it does not have to be that difficult. Together with an appropriate sleep schedule that meets the child's sleep needs, some sleep training is often necessary at this age to break the cycle of overtiredness and to reinforce healthy sleep habits that works for the long term. Some say that sleep training cannot be done before the age of 4-6months. After years on this board and from my experience with my 2 children, I can honestly tell you that this is a myth. If the child is healthy and non-colicky, a baby of any age has to potential to learn how to put himself to sleep. I think some people (including myself years back) have this belief that it's impossible or that the child is not yet ready because most of us equate sleep training with strict CIO. More non-CIO methods, the appropriate sleep schedule and sleep behaviour of well-rested younger babies are relatively unknown. More non-CIO methods can work wonders with younger babies. Younger babies are very adaptable (since the habit is less entrenched and their memories aren't that great yet) and they tend to cry/resist changes less. With YDS, I started out "right" from day 1, putting him down awake at all times and keeping overtiredness well under control. After some experimentation and detailed observations of #2, I finally figured things out and realized that this "4 month sleep regression" is NOT something that's beyond the parent's control. I did not have this knowledge before because I too royally screwed up sleep with my ODD during the 1st 4/5 months of her life. Hence, there was no prior baseline from which one can compare how a well-rest newborn and young baby sleeps, to an overtired one. Like myself, because most parents do not officially start sleep training prior to 4-6months, most of the regulars here on the BBC used to recommend to put any sleep training on hold and somehow muddle through things until the child is "ready" at 4-6months. Over the last few months after my YDS was over 5/6 months, I've helped other sleep deprived parents with their young babies (less than 4/5 months) using the knowledge I've gained from him. Where sleep training was necessary to break the cycle of overtiredness and to have the child on a an appropriate sleep schedule, they have ALL been very successful. For some babies or newborns, a mere tweak of schedule worked wonders and a further tweak of method meant that that child will never need any "sleep training" just like my YDS. That was my objective even since before my YDS was born. I never wanted to conduct any intensive form of sleep training again, if I can help it. The stress, guilt and sleep deprivation that comes with it is HARD on the entire family. I am happy to say that I've succeeded, and I hope some of you can benefit from my findings and experience. -BGM

5-6 months: 5 mo. sleep training5 mo.5 mo. rolling disturbing sleep5 mo. (when does sleep override hunger? & why is

motion sleep “junk sleep”?) 5 mo.5 mo. happy ENW5 mo. 3-2 and tummy training5.5 mo. 3-2 transition5.5 mo.6 mo. 3-2 transition6mo. nap and night training & CBT

7-10 months: Solids3-2 info7mo. EWU and 3-2 transition and solids info page 37 mo. EWU7 mo. 3-28 mo. 3-28 mo. old “attended CIO”8.5 mo. lengthy monkey business at naptime8/9 mo. old 5am WU/nurse and solids info8 mo. 3-2 and EBTs8 mo. EWU9 mo. EWUAnother 9 mo. EWU9 mo. old doesn’t want to sleep in crib9 mo. old nursing to sleep9 mo. co-sleeping9 mo. EBT/EWU schedule shifting9 mo. EWU after dropping DF10 mo. old and some non-CIO methods

11-23 months:11 mo. 2-111 mo. EWU1yr how to stop co-sleeping12 mo. old 2-1Toddler sleep board1yr lengthy NWs2-1 nuggetsBasic 2-1 guidelines12 mo. 2-113 mo. 2-114 mo. sleep training14 mo. 2-115 mo. old15 mo. 2-116 mo. sleep training16 mo. toddler behavior17 mo. not STTN anymore after ear infection17 mo. EWU18 mo. sleep training18 mo. EWU and CBT18 mo. shifting chronic EWU23 mo. old schedules

2+ years2 y/o2.5 + 5yr old2.5 y/o EWU and schedule shiftingToddler scared to be left alone to sleep3rd TWT 1-01-01-01-01-04yr old

------------ last edited 9/5/12-MyLydia Have a link you wanted added? Post it HERE