Sleep Problems: 6 months and up

Part - 5

Not Falling Asleep on Her Own

What it looks like: Almost everyone, adults and babies alike, wakes up a couple times during the night. A lifetime of good sleep habits depends on learning how to fall back asleep alone — and that’s a skill babies need to learn. If your little one is still waking you up for midnight feedings and snuggles at 6 months old, you may want to consider sleep training.
How to solve it: If you’re open to sleep training (not everyone is, and that’s okay, too), be prepared that it’s going to be as hard — if not harder — on you than it is on your baby. How you tackle sleep training, also called cry it out or CIO, is up to you.
The basic idea: At the end of your bedtime routine, say goodnight and mean it — even when you hear protests and tears as you exit the room. It’s okay to go back and assure your little one that everything’s okay, but have a plan in place as to how often you’ll walk back into her room (and how long you’ll stay there). Don’t have a plan yet? There are many sleep training strategies, so decide what you think might work best for you and give it a fair shot.

Frequent Late Night Feedings

What it looks like: By the time your baby is 6 months old, she doesn’t need mid-night feedings anymore. So if she’s not sleeping without nursing and rocking first, or she still gets up multiple times throughout the night and won’t go back to sleep without the same send-off, she’s wise to the fact that crying often results in being picked up, rocked and fed — pretty good motivation to keep right on wailing. Many babies have to learn how to soothe themselves back to sleep.
What to do about it: If you’re comfortable trying sleep training, it can be a good option for babies who wake up frequently to feed throughout the night.

Waking Early

What it looks like: Your baby is waking up— and staying awake— at the crack of dawn.
What to do about it: If your baby is at least 6 months old, there are a few tactics you can try to get her to sleep in later, like adjusting her nap schedule, experimenting with different bedtimes and making her room more light- and sound-proof.

source by ,whattoexpect.com