A Good Night's Sleep: 6 Steps to Great Sleep for Your Whole Family! by Rebecca Kempton

As a certified pediatric sleep specialist, here are my top tips to help your family get a great night's sleep!

1. Commit two weeks. Once you make your child’s sleep a priority, clear your calendar so you can focus on the task with consistency.
2. Stay confident. The research shows that babies can pick up on your anxieties even when they are as little as 4 to 6 months, which can affect their sleep.
3. Limit wake time. Keep the periods of wakefulness to under one hour for a newborn and one to two hours from 4 to 6 months.
4. Be consistent. A predictable 15-minute routine prior to every sleep period is an essential cue so your child learns what comes next – sleep.
5. Set the mood. Make the room pitch black – darkness helps the release of melatonin. Use white noise and keep it cool (68 to 72 degrees F).
6. Put children in bed awake. This will help your child learn to fall asleep without needing your help.