Baby Sleep 6-12 months

Related Article: Baby Sleep 0-6 Months

By the age of 6 months most babies are physically capable of sleeping through the night without needing to eat, and most parents are more than ready too. So why don't they? The first step is to find out why they are waking up, and what they want in order to go back to sleep. All babies are different, so here are a few scenarios and ideas that have worked for me, and friends.

Most babies by this age have developed habits and routines, and have become accustomed to falling asleep a certain way. If you rock your baby to sleep for the first 6 months, why should they expect any different for the next 6 months?

Many parents have sworn by the 'cry it out' method, but this may not be suitable for everyone. Many moms in particular, and a few dads, find it very difficult to listen to their baby crying, and as seconds pass, feel increasingly guilty and often give in on the first night.
If this bothers you, try reassuring yourself that your baby gets lots of hugs, smiles, and kisses during the day, and they know that you love them. Crying it out is not meant to be cruel, it is only meant to help your child soothe them-self, instead of needing you to do it for them.

Some parents just don't have the proper set-up to let their child cry it out. If dad works all day then many moms feel that they can't let their baby cry at night. Try running a fan in the bedroom so that dad might not be able to hear. If there is somewhere he can stay for a few nights you might try that as well. You could also try in on a weekend, often times that is just as long as it takes (depending on age).

Lots of babies use pacifiers for comfort, and often just want it replaced when they wake up in the night. Try placing 3, 4, or even 5 of them all around your baby in the crib and he or she might replace it on their own.

If you use electric heat and it gets dry in the baby's room, it's possible they may simply be thirsty. Try keeping a bottle of water in the baby's bed, and they might get themselves a drink.

Try feeding your baby as much as you can during the day. I'm not suggesting you overfeed your child by any means, but it you make sure they get all of their calories in the daytime, then this might help them if they are waking up hungry. Just offer food until they show signs that they are full, instead of a set amount which they may have out-grown.

Just like adults babies have a metabolic rate that determines the rate at which our bodies use food. At night, our metabolisms slow down which is why we don't wake up hungry. If we began waking ourselves to eat at 3 am every night, our body's metabolism would eventually speed up and we would be hungry every night at the same time too. So, just like ours, baby's bodies need to adjust to not eating at night too. You can try to alter this by only offering water at night time (which obviously has no calories), then, as soon as your baby wakes in the morning serve their breakfast. Some babies however, who are used to eating at night, might wake several more times until morning, so just as with the 'crying it out method', try and not give up, as it might take a few days, but it will be well worth it!

If anyone has any other tips feel free to post them. And if you try and succeed with any of these ones, let us know what worked for you and how long it took. Good luck!