When a baby is ready to self-soothe?

Watch Video: Self-soothing in the first year by Kathy Sinclair, ...
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When a baby is ready to self-soothe?

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A baby's ability to self-soothe is very limited before four months because the are not developmentally ready to self-soothe. Between four and six months, it's a bit iffy. Sometime they are able to, sometimes they are not, depending on their maturity. After six months, every child is able to self-soothe. The easiest way for them to learn to self-soothe is allowing them the time to be able to self-soothe. It is like crawling. You don't put your child on the ground and they are able to crawl around. They need time on the ground. They need time to play around. It is the same with self-soothing. They need time in the crib. They need time to learn how to self-soothe. Some things you can do are a bedtime routine. A bedtime around 7:00 or 7:30 is ideal for a baby, so they get a good twelve hours of nighttime sleep. The easiest way to get your child to self-soothe is by holding them in the beginning, after you have fed them at night. Hold them for a good five minutes until they are calm, the are almost asleep, and they are getting drowsy. Then you put them in their bed. You can stay next to their crib. You can hold their hand. You can pat them or you can leave the room, whatever you feel most comfortable with. You start off by doing this for three minutes, then two minutes; then you leave or stay beside them and don't touch them. You can touch them, but you don't do as much comforting. You can pick them up, at that time as well. You do three minutes, six minutes, nine minutes.


Watch Video: Self-soothing in the first year by Kathy Sinclair, ...

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Kathy Sinclair

Sleep Expert

Kathy Sinclair is a committed and dedicated baby sleep expert that has spent 2,856 nights without sleep so that parents of newborns could get theirs. During this time she has studied closely the secrets, nuances, and ins-and-outs of baby sleeping patterns. This study, along with her skill and knowledge, has enabled her to be known as the “Baby Whisperer of Los Angeles” by some of her clients, who know that she can get babies sleeping peacefully and easily within a very short space of time.

Kathy is a graduate of Australia's prestigious Charlton Brown Nanny College, a certified postpartum doula, lactation educator, and a certified Happiest Baby on the Block Educator. As the head of Baby Sleep Solutions, a sleep consultation service, Kathy does online, telephone and in person consulting to families who need to get more sleep quickly and without fuss.

Kathy currently spends her time between Los Angeles and Brisbane Australia, enjoying an endless summer and the best of both worlds.

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